Quran 4:129 — An-Nisaa, verse 129
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
You will never be able to treat your wives with equal fairness, however much you may desire to do so, but do not ignore one wife altogether, leaving her suspended [between marriage and divorce]. If you make amends and remain conscious of God, He is most forgiving and merciful,
وَلَنْ تَسْتَطِيعُوا أَنْ تَعْدِلُوا بَيْنَ النِّسَاءِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتُمْ ۖ فَلَا تَمِيلُوا كُلَّ الْمَيْلِ فَتَذَرُوهَا كَالْمُعَلَّقَةِ ۚ وَإِنْ تُصْلِحُوا وَتَتَّقُوا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا
walan tastaṭīʿū an taʿdilū bayna l-nisāi walaw ḥaraṣtum falā tamīlū kulla l-mayli fatadharūhā kal-muʿalaqati wa-in tuṣ'liḥū watattaqū fa-inna l-laha kāna ghafūran raḥīman
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- You will not be able to be equitable between your wives, be you ever so eager; yet do not be altogether partial so that you leave her as it were suspended. If you set things right, and are godfearing, God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.
- Muhammad Asad
- And it will not be within your power to treat your wives with equal fairness, however much you may desire it; and so, do not allow yourselves to incline towards one to the exclusion of the other, leaving her in a state, as it were, of having and not having a husband. But if you put things to rights and are conscious of Him - behold, God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
- Sahih International
- And you will never be able to be equal [in feeling] between wives, even if you should strive [to do so]. So do not incline completely [toward one] and leave another hanging. And if you amend [your affairs] and fear Allāh - then indeed, Allāh is ever Forgiving and Merciful.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | وَلَنwalan | And never | — |
| 2 | تَسْتَطِيعُوٓا۟tastaṭīʿū | will you be able | طوع |
| 3 | أَنan | to | — |
| 4 | تَعْدِلُوا۟taʿdilū | deal justly | عدل |
| 5 | بَيْنَbayna | between | بين |
| 6 | ٱلنِّسَآءِl-nisāi | [the] women | نسو |
| 7 | وَلَوْwalaw | even if | — |
| 8 | حَرَصْتُمْ ۖḥaraṣtum | you desired | حرص |
| 9 | فَلَاfalā | but (do) not | — |
| 10 | تَمِيلُوا۟tamīlū | incline | ميل |
| 11 | كُلَّkulla | (with) all | كلل |
| 12 | ٱلْمَيْلِl-mayli | the inclination | ميل |
| 13 | فَتَذَرُوهَاfatadharūhā | and leave her (the other) | وذر |
| 14 | كَٱلْمُعَلَّقَةِ ۚkal-muʿalaqati | like the suspended one | علق |
| 15 | وَإِنwa-in | And if | — |
| 16 | تُصْلِحُوا۟tuṣ'liḥū | you reconcile | صلح |
| 17 | وَتَتَّقُوا۟watattaqū | and fear (Allah) | وقي |
| 18 | فَإِنَّfa-inna | then indeed | — |
| 19 | ٱللَّهَl-laha | Allah | أله |
| 20 | كَانَkāna | is | كون |
| 21 | غَفُورًۭاghafūran | Oft-Forgiving | غفر |
| 22 | رَّحِيمًۭاraḥīman | Most Merciful | رحم |