Three Translations of The Koran (Al-Qur'an) side by side Part 102

012.038 Y: "And I follow the ways of my fathers,- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and never could we attribute any partners whatever to Allah: that (comes) of the grace of Allah to us and to mankind: yet most men are not grateful."

P: And I have followed the religion of my fathers, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. It never was for us to attribute aught as partner to Allah. This is of the bounty of Allah unto us (the seed of Abraham) and unto mankind; but most men give not thanks.

S: And I follow the religion of my fathers, Ibrahim and Ishaq and Yaqoub; it beseems us not that we should a.s.sociate aught with Allah; this is by Allah's grace upon us and on mankind, but most people do not give thanks:

012.039 Y: "O my two companions of the prison! (I ask you): are many lords differing among themselves better, or the One Allah, Supreme and Irresistible?"

P: O my fellow-prisoners! Are divers lords better, or Allah the One, Almighty?

S: O my two mates of the prison! are sundry lords better or Allah the One, the Supreme?

012.040 Y: "If not Him, ye wors.h.i.+p nothing but names which ye have named,- ye and your fathers,- for which Allah hath sent down no authority: the command is for none but Allah: He hath commanded that ye wors.h.i.+p none but Him: that is the right religion, but most men understand not..."

P: Those whom ye wors.h.i.+p beside Him are but names which ye have named, ye and your fathers. Allah hath revealed no sanction for them. The decision rests with Allah only, Who hath commanded you that ye wors.h.i.+p none save Him. This is the right religion, but most men know not.

S: You do not serve besides Him but names which you have named, you and your fathers; Allah has not sent down any authority for them; judgment is only Allah's; He has commanded that you shall not serve aught but Him; this is the right religion but most people do not know:

012.041 Y: "O my two companions of the prison! As to one of you, he will pour out the wine for his lord to drink: as for the other, he will hang from the cross, and the birds will eat from off his head. (So) hath been decreed that matter whereof ye twain do enquire..."

P: O my two fellow-prisoners! As for one of you, he will pour out wine for his lord to drink; and as for the other, he will be crucified so that the birds will eat from his head. Thus is the case judged concerning which ye did inquire.

S: O my two mates of the prison! as for one of you, he shall give his lord to drink wine; and as for the other, he shall be crucified, so that the birds shall eat from his head, the matter is decreed concerning which you inquired.

012.042 Y: And of the two, to that one whom he consider about to be saved, he said: "Mention me to thy lord." But Satan made him forget to mention him to his lord: and (Joseph) lingered in prison a few (more) years.

P: And he said unto him of the twain who he knew would be released: Mention me in the presence of thy lord. But Satan caused him to forget to mention it to his lord, so he (Joseph) stayed in prison for some years.

S: And he said to him whom he knew would be delivered of the two: Remember me with your lord; but the Shaitan caused him to forget mentioning (it) to his lord, so he remained in the prison a few years.

012.043 Y: The king (of Egypt) said: "I do see (in a vision) seven fat kine, whom seven lean ones devour, and seven green ears of corn, and seven (others) withered. O ye chiefs! Expound to me my vision if it be that ye can interpret visions."

P: And the king said: Lo! I saw in a dream seven fat kine which seven lean were eating, and seven green ears of corn and other (seven) dry. O notables! Expound for me my vision, if ye can interpret dreams.

S: And the king said: Surely I see seven fat kine which seven lean ones devoured; and seven green ears and (seven) others dry: O chiefs!

explain to me my dream, if you can interpret the dream.

012.044 Y: They said: "A confused medley of dreams: and we are not skilled in the interpretation of dreams."

P: They answered: Jumbled dreams! And we are not knowing in the interpretation of dreams.

S: They said: Confused dreams, and we do not know the interpretation of dreams.

012.045 Y: But the man who had been released, one of the two (who had been in prison) and who now bethought him after (so long) a s.p.a.ce of time, said: "I will tell you the truth of its interpretation: send ye me (therefore)."

P: And he of the two who was released, and (now) at length remembered, said: I am going to announce unto you the interpretation, therefore send me forth.

S: And of the two (prisoners) he who had found deliverance and remembered after a long time said: I will inform you of its interpretation, so let me go:

012.046 Y: "O Joseph!" (he said) "O man of truth! Expound to us (the dream) of seven fat kine whom seven lean ones devour, and of seven green ears of corn and (seven) others withered: that I may return to the people, and that they may understand."

P: (And when he came to Joseph in the prison, he exclaimed): Joseph! O thou truthful one! Expound for us the seven fat kine which seven lean were eating and the seven green ears of corn and other (seven) dry, that I may return unto the people, so that they may know.

S: Yusuf! O truthful one! explain to us seven fat kine which seven lean ones devoured, and seven green ears and (seven) others dry, that I may go back to the people so that they may know.

012.047 Y: (Joseph) said: "For seven years shall ye diligently sow as is your wont: and the harvests that ye reap, ye shall leave them in the ear,- except a little, of which ye shall eat."

P: He said: Ye shall sow seven years as usual, but that which ye reap, leave it in the ear, all save a little which ye eat.

S: He said: You shall sow for seven years continuously, then what you reap leave it in its ear except a little of which you eat.

012.048 Y: "Then will come after that (period) seven dreadful (years), which will devour what ye shall have laid by in advance for them,- (all) except a little which ye shall have (specially) guarded."

P: Then after that will come seven hard years which will devour all that ye have prepared for them, save a little of that which ye have stored.

S: Then there shall come after that seven years of hards.h.i.+p which shall eat away all that you have beforehand laid up in store for them, except a little of what you shall have preserved:

012.049 Y: "Then will come after that (period) a year in which the people will have abundant water, and in which they will press (wine and oil)."

P: Then, after that, will come a year when the people will have plenteous crops and when they will press (wine and oil).

S: Then there will come after that a year in which people shall have rain and in which they shall press (grapes).

012.050 Y: So the king said: "Bring ye him unto me." But when the messenger came to him, (Joseph) said: "Go thou back to thy lord, and ask him, 'What is the state of mind of the ladies who cut their hands'? For my Lord is certainly well aware of their snare."

P: And the king said: Bring him unto me. And when the messenger came unto him, he (Joseph) said: Return unto thy lord and ask him what was the case of the women who cut their hands. Lo! my Lord knoweth their guile.

S: And the king said: Bring him to me. So when the messenger came to him, he said: Go back to your lord and ask him, what is the case of the women who cut their hands; surely my Lord knows their guile.

012.051 Y: (The king) said (to the ladies): "What was your affair when ye did seek to seduce Joseph from his (true) self?" The ladies said: "Allah preserve us! no evil know we against him!" Said the 'Aziz's wife: "Now is the truth manifest (to all): it was I who sought to seduce him from his (true) self: He is indeed of those who are (ever) true (and virtuous)."

P: He (the king) (then sent for those women and) said: What happened when ye asked an evil act of Joseph? They answered: Allah Blameless! We know no evil of him. Said the wife of the ruler: Now the truth is out.

I asked of him an evil act, and he is surely of the truthful.

S: He said: How was your affair when you sought Yusuf to yield himself (to you)? They said: Remote is Allah (from imperfection), we knew of no evil on his part. The chief's wife said: Now has the truth become established: I sought him to yield himself (to me), and he is most surely of the truthful ones.

012.052 Y: "This (say I), in order that He may know that I have never been false to him in his absence, and that Allah will never guide the snare of the false ones."

P: (Then Joseph said: I asked for) this, that he (my lord) may know that I betrayed him not in secret, and that surely Allah guideth not the snare of the betrayers.

S: This is that he might know that I have not been unfaithful to him in secret and that Allah does not guide the device of the unfaithful.

012.053 Y: "Nor do I absolve my own self (of blame): the (human) soul is certainly p.r.o.ne to evil, unless my Lord do bestow His Mercy: but surely my Lord is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

P: I do not exculpate myself. Lo! the (human) soul enjoineth unto evil, save that whereon my Lord hath mercy. Lo! my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.

S: And I do not declare myself free, most surely (man's) self is wont to command (him to do) evil, except such as my Lord has had mercy on, surely my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.

012.054 Y: So the king said: "Bring him unto me; I will take him specially to serve about my own person." Therefore when he had spoken to him, he said: "Be a.s.sured this day, thou art, before our own presence, with rank firmly established, and fidelity fully proved!"