Quran 16:76 — An-Nahl, verse 76
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
God presents another illustration: two men, one of them dumb, unable to do anything, a burden to his carer- whatever task he directs him to, he achieves nothing good- can he be considered equal to one who commands justice and is on the straight path?
وَضَرَبَ اللَّهُ مَثَلًا رَجُلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَا أَبْكَمُ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ كَلٌّ عَلَىٰ مَوْلَاهُ أَيْنَمَا يُوَجِّهْهُ لَا يَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ ۖ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي هُوَ وَمَنْ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ ۙ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
waḍaraba l-lahu mathalan rajulayni aḥaduhumā abkamu lā yaqdiru ʿalā shayin wahuwa kallun ʿalā mawlāhu aynamā yuwajjihhu lā yati bikhayrin hal yastawī huwa waman yamuru bil-ʿadli wahuwa ʿalā ṣirāṭin mus'taqīmin
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- God has struck a similitude: two men, one of them dumb, having no power over anything, and he is a burden upon his master -- wherever he despatches him, he brings no good. Is he equal to him who bids to justice, and is on a straight path?
- Muhammad Asad
- And God propounds [to you] the parable of two [other] men -one of them dumb, unable to do anything of his own accord, and a sheer burden on his master: to whichever task the latter directs him, he accomplishes no good. Can such a one be considered the equal of [a wise man] who enjoins the doing of what is right and himself follows a straight way?
- Sahih International
- And Allāh presents an example of two men, one of them dumb and unable to do a thing, while he is a burden to his guardian. Wherever he directs him, he brings no good. Is he equal to one who commands justice, while he is on a straight path?
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | وَضَرَبَwaḍaraba | And Allah sets forth | ضرب |
| 2 | ٱللَّهُl-lahu | And Allah sets forth | أله |
| 3 | مَثَلًۭاmathalan | an example | مثل |
| 4 | رَّجُلَيْنِrajulayni | (of) two men | رجل |
| 5 | أَحَدُهُمَآaḥaduhumā | one of them | أحد |
| 6 | أَبْكَمُabkamu | (is) dumb | بكم |
| 7 | لَاlā | not | — |
| 8 | يَقْدِرُyaqdiru | he has power | قدر |
| 9 | عَلَىٰʿalā | on | — |
| 10 | شَىْءٍۢshayin | anything | شيأ |
| 11 | وَهُوَwahuwa | while he | — |
| 12 | كَلٌّkallun | (is) a burden | كلل |
| 13 | عَلَىٰʿalā | on | — |
| 14 | مَوْلَىٰهُmawlāhu | his master | ولي |
| 15 | أَيْنَمَاaynamā | Wherever | — |
| 16 | يُوَجِّههُّyuwajjihhu | he directs him | وجه |
| 17 | لَاlā | not | — |
| 18 | يَأْتِyati | he comes | أتي |
| 19 | بِخَيْرٍ ۖbikhayrin | with any good | خير |
| 20 | هَلْhal | Is | — |
| 21 | يَسْتَوِىyastawī | equal | سوي |
| 22 | هُوَhuwa | he | — |
| 23 | وَمَنwaman | and (the one) who | — |
| 24 | يَأْمُرُyamuru | commands | أمر |
| 25 | بِٱلْعَدْلِ ۙbil-ʿadli | [of] justice | عدل |
| 26 | وَهُوَwahuwa | and he | — |
| 27 | عَلَىٰʿalā | (is) on | — |
| 28 | صِرَٰطٍۢṣirāṭin | a path | صرط |
| 29 | مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢmus'taqīmin | straight | قوم |