Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
God propounds [to you] the parable of [two men-] a man enslaved, unable to do anything of his own accord, and a [free] man upon whom We have bestowed goodly sustenance [as a gift] from Ourselves, so that he can spend thereof [at will, both] secretly and openly. Can these [two] be deemed equal? All praise is due to God [alone]: but most of them do not understand it
Arthur John Arberry
God has struck a similitude: a servant possessed by his master, having no power over anything, and one whom We have provided of Ourselves with a provision fair, and he expends of it secretly and openly. Are they equal? Praise belongs to God! Nay, most of them know not
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
Allah sets forth the Parable (of two men: one) a slave under the dominion of another; He has no power of any sort; and (the other) a man on whom We have bestowed goodly favours from Ourselves, and he spends thereof (freely), privately and publicly: are the two equal? (By no means;) praise be to Allah. But most of them understand not
Arabic
۞ ضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا عَبۡدࣰا مَّمۡلُوكࣰا لَّا یَقۡدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَیۡءࣲ وَمَن رَّزَقۡنَـٰهُ مِنَّا رِزۡقًا حَسَنࣰا فَهُوَ یُنفِقُ مِنۡهُ سِرࣰّا وَجَهۡرًاۖ هَلۡ یَسۡتَوُۥنَۚ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِۚ بَلۡ أَكۡثَرُهُمۡ لَا یَعۡلَمُونَ ٧٥
Transliteration (2021)
ḍaraba l-lahu mathalan ʿabdan mamlūkan lā yaqdiru ʿalā shayin waman razaqnāhu minnā riz'qan ḥasanan fahuwa yunfiqu min'hu sirran wajahran hal yastawūna l-ḥamdu lillahi bal aktharuhum lā yaʿlamūn