Quran 9:42 — At-Tawba, verse 42
M. A. S. Abdel Haleem · selected translation
They would certainly have followed you [Prophet] if the benefit was within sight and the journey short, but the distance seemed too great for them. They will swear by God, ‘If we could, we certainly would go out [to battle] with you,’ but they ruin themselves, for God knows that they are lying.
لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيبًا وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا لَاتَّبَعُوكَ وَلَـٰكِنْ بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّقَّةُ ۚ وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ لَوِ اسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ يُهْلِكُونَ أَنْفُسَهُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ
law kāna ʿaraḍan qarīban wasafaran qāṣidan la-ittabaʿūka walākin baʿudat ʿalayhimu l-shuqatu wasayaḥlifūna bil-lahi lawi is'taṭaʿnā lakharajnā maʿakum yuh'likūna anfusahum wal-lahu yaʿlamu innahum lakādhibūna
Other translations
- A. J. Arberry
- Were it a gain near at hand, and an easy journey, they would have followed thee; but the distance was too far for them. Still they will swear by God, 'Had we been able, we would have gone out with you,' so destroying their souls; and God knows that they are truly liars.
- Muhammad Asad
- Had there been [a prospect of] immediate gain, and an easy journey, they would certainly have followed thee, [O Prophet:] but the distance was too great for them. And yet, [after your return, O believers,] they will swear by God, "Had we been able to do so, we would certainly have set out with you!" - [and by thus falsely swearing] they will be destroying their own selves: for God knows indeed that they are lying!
- Sahih International
- Had it been a near [i.e., easy] gain and a moderate trip, they [i.e., the hypocrites] would have followed you, but distant to them was the journey. And they will swear by Allāh, "If we were able, we would have gone forth with you," destroying themselves [through false oaths], and Allāh knows that indeed they are liars.
Words
| # | Word | Meaning | Root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | لَوْlaw | If | — |
| 2 | كَانَkāna | it had been | كون |
| 3 | عَرَضًۭاʿaraḍan | a gain | عرض |
| 4 | قَرِيبًۭاqarīban | near | قرب |
| 5 | وَسَفَرًۭاwasafaran | and a journey | سفر |
| 6 | قَاصِدًۭاqāṣidan | easy | قصد |
| 7 | لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَla-ittabaʿūka | surely they (would) have followed you | تبع |
| 8 | وَلَـٰكِنۢwalākin | but | — |
| 9 | بَعُدَتْbaʿudat | was long | بعد |
| 10 | عَلَيْهِمُʿalayhimu | for them | — |
| 11 | ٱلشُّقَّةُ ۚl-shuqatu | the distance | شقق |
| 12 | وَسَيَحْلِفُونَwasayaḥlifūna | And they will swear | حلف |
| 13 | بِٱللَّهِbil-lahi | by Allah | أله |
| 14 | لَوِlawi | If | — |
| 15 | ٱسْتَطَعْنَاis'taṭaʿnā | we were able | طوع |
| 16 | لَخَرَجْنَاlakharajnā | certainly we (would) have come forth | خرج |
| 17 | مَعَكُمْmaʿakum | with you | — |
| 18 | يُهْلِكُونَyuh'likūna | They destroy | هلك |
| 19 | أَنفُسَهُمْanfusahum | their own selves | نفس |
| 20 | وَٱللَّهُwal-lahu | and Allah | أله |
| 21 | يَعْلَمُyaʿlamu | knows | علم |
| 22 | إِنَّهُمْinnahum | (that) indeed, they | — |
| 23 | لَكَـٰذِبُونَlakādhibūna | (are) surely liars | كذب |