Quran 16:126 — An-Nahl, verse 126
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
If you [believers] have to respond to an attack, make your response proportionate, but it is best to stand fast.
وَإِنْ عَاقَبْتُمْ فَعَاقِبُوا بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبْتُمْ بِهِ ۖ وَلَئِنْ صَبَرْتُمْ لَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لِلصَّابِرِينَ
wa-in ʿāqabtum faʿāqibū bimith'li mā ʿūqib'tum bihi wala-in ṣabartum lahuwa khayrun lilṣṣābirīna
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- And if you chastise, chastise even as you have been chastised; and yet assuredly if you are patient, better it is for those patient.
- Muhammad Asad
- Hence, if you have to respond to an attack (in argument], respond only to the extent of the attack levelled against you; but to bear yourselves with patience is indeed far better for (you, since God is with] those who are patient in adversity.
- Sahih International
- And if you punish [an enemy, O believers], punish with an equivalent of that with which you were harmed. But if you are patient - it is better for those who are patient.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | وَإِنْwa-in | And if | — |
| 2 | عَاقَبْتُمْʿāqabtum | you retaliate | عقب |
| 3 | فَعَاقِبُوا۟faʿāqibū | then retaliate | عقب |
| 4 | بِمِثْلِbimith'li | with the like | مثل |
| 5 | مَاmā | of what | — |
| 6 | عُوقِبْتُمʿūqib'tum | you were afflicted | عقب |
| 7 | بِهِۦ ۖbihi | with [it] | — |
| 8 | وَلَئِنwala-in | But if | — |
| 9 | صَبَرْتُمْṣabartum | you are patient | صبر |
| 10 | لَهُوَlahuwa | surely (it) is | — |
| 11 | خَيْرٌۭkhayrun | better | خير |
| 12 | لِّلصَّـٰبِرِينَlilṣṣābirīna | for those who are patient | صبر |