Quran 34:14 — Saba, verse 14
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
Then, when We decreed Solomon’s death, nothing showed the jinn he was dead, but a creature of the earth eating at his stick: when he fell down they realized- if they had known what was hidden they would not have continued their demeaning labour.
فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ الْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَوْتِهِ إِلَّا دَابَّةُ الْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنْسَأَتَهُ ۖ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الْجِنُّ أَنْ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ الْغَيْبَ مَا لَبِثُوا فِي الْعَذَابِ الْمُهِينِ
falammā qaḍaynā ʿalayhi l-mawta mā dallahum ʿalā mawtihi illā dābbatu l-arḍi takulu minsa-atahu falammā kharra tabayyanati l-jinu an law kānū yaʿlamūna l-ghayba mā labithū fī l-ʿadhābi l-muhīni
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- And when We decreed that he should die, naught indicated to them that he was dead but the Beast of the Earth devouring his staff; and when he fell down, the jinn saw clearly that, had they only known the Unseen, they would not have continued in the humbling chastisement.
- Muhammad Asad
- Yet [even Solomon had to die; but] when We decreed that he should die, nothing showed them that he was dead except an earthworm that gnawed away his staff. And when he fell to the ground, those invisible beings [subservient to him] saw clearly that, had they but understood the reality which was beyond the reach of their perception, they would not have continued [to toil] in the shameful suffering [of servitude]
- Sahih International
- And when We decreed for him [i.e., Solomon] death, nothing indicated to them [i.e., the jinn] his death except a creature of the earth eating his staff. But when he fell, it became clear to the jinn that if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in humiliating punishment.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | فَلَمَّاfalammā | Then when | — |
| 2 | قَضَيْنَاqaḍaynā | We decreed | قضي |
| 3 | عَلَيْهِʿalayhi | for him | — |
| 4 | ٱلْمَوْتَl-mawta | the death | موت |
| 5 | مَاmā | not | — |
| 6 | دَلَّهُمْdallahum | indicated to them | دلل |
| 7 | عَلَىٰʿalā | [on] | — |
| 8 | مَوْتِهِۦٓmawtihi | his death | موت |
| 9 | إِلَّاillā | except | — |
| 10 | دَآبَّةُdābbatu | a creature | دبب |
| 11 | ٱلْأَرْضِl-arḍi | (of) the earth | أرض |
| 12 | تَأْكُلُtakulu | eating | أكل |
| 13 | مِنسَأَتَهُۥ ۖminsa-atahu | his staff | نسأ |
| 14 | فَلَمَّاfalammā | But when | — |
| 15 | خَرَّkharra | he fell down | خرر |
| 16 | تَبَيَّنَتِtabayyanati | became clear | بين |
| 17 | ٱلْجِنُّl-jinu | (to) the jinn | جنن |
| 18 | أَنan | that | — |
| 19 | لَّوْlaw | if | — |
| 20 | كَانُوا۟kānū | they had | كون |
| 21 | يَعْلَمُونَyaʿlamūna | known | علم |
| 22 | ٱلْغَيْبَl-ghayba | the unseen | غيب |
| 23 | مَاmā | not | — |
| 24 | لَبِثُوا۟labithū | they (would have) remained | لبث |
| 25 | فِىfī | in | — |
| 26 | ٱلْعَذَابِl-ʿadhābi | the punishment | عذب |
| 27 | ٱلْمُهِينِl-muhīni | humiliating | هون |