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Muhammad Asad   
AND PROPOUND unto them the parable of the life of this world: [it is] like the water which We send down from the skies, and which is absorbed by the plants of the earth: but [in time] they turn into dry. stubble which the winds blow freely about. And it is God [alone] who determines all things
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
And give them a parable of this worldly life. ˹It is˺ like the plants of the earth, thriving when sustained by the rain We send down from the sky. Then they ˹soon˺ turn into chaff scattered by the wind. And Allah is fully capable of ˹doing˺ all things.
Safi Kaskas   
Cite for them the parable of the life of this world, it is like water that We send down from the sky and is absorbed by the plants of the earth. But in time it becomes dry chaff, scattered by the winds. And it is God who has absolute power over all things.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَٱضۡرِبۡ لَهُم مَّثَلَ ٱلۡحَیَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَا كَمَاۤءٍ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَاۤءِ فَٱخۡتَلَطَ بِهِۦ نَبَاتُ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَأَصۡبَحَ هَشِیمࣰا تَذۡرُوهُ ٱلرِّیَـٰحُۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَیۡءࣲ مُّقۡتَدِرًا ۝٤٥
Transliteration (2021)   
wa-iḍ'rib lahum mathala l-ḥayati l-dun'yā kamāin anzalnāhu mina l-samāi fa-ikh'talaṭa bihi nabātu l-arḍi fa-aṣbaḥa hashīman tadhrūhu l-riyāḥu wakāna l-lahu ʿalā kulli shayin muq'tadira
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And present to them the example (of) the life (of) the world, like water which We send down from the sky, then mingles with it (the) vegetation (of) the earth then becomes dry stalks, it (is) scattered (by) the winds. And Allah over every thing (is) All Able.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
AND PROPOUND unto them the parable of the life of this world: [it is] like the water which We send down from the skies, and which is absorbed by the plants of the earth: but [in time] they turn into dry. stubble which the winds blow freely about. And it is God [alone] who determines all things
M. M. Pickthall   
And coin for them the similitude of the life of the world as water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingleth with it and then becometh dry twigs that the winds scatter. Allah is able to do all things
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Set forth to them the similitude of the life of this world: It is like the rain which we send down from the skies: the earth's vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes dry stubble, which the winds do scatter: it is (only) Allah who prevails over all things
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
And give them a parable of this worldly life. ˹It is˺ like the plants of the earth, thriving when sustained by the rain We send down from the sky. Then they ˹soon˺ turn into chaff scattered by the wind. And Allah is fully capable of ˹doing˺ all things.
Safi Kaskas   
Cite for them the parable of the life of this world, it is like water that We send down from the sky and is absorbed by the plants of the earth. But in time it becomes dry chaff, scattered by the winds. And it is God who has absolute power over all things.
Wahiduddin Khan   
Give them an example about worldly life. It is like the vegetation of the earth that thrives when watered by the rain, which We send down from the sky, and then it all becomes stubble which the wind blows away. God has power over all things
Shakir   
And set forth to them parable of the life of this world: like water which We send down from the cloud so the herbage of the earth becomes tangled on account of it, then it becomes dry broken into pieces which the winds scatter; and Allah is the holder of power over all things
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
And propound for them the parable of this present life: It is like water that We caused to descend from heaven. Then, plants of the earth mingled with it and it becomes straw in the morning that winnows in the winds. And God had been over everything One Who is Omnipotent.
T.B.Irving   
Set forth an example for them about worldly life being like water We send down from the sky, The plants on the earth swell up with it; yet some morning they will become dry weeds which the winds will blow away. God is Competent to do everything!
Abdul Hye   
And (O Muhammad) put forward for them the example of the worldly life. It is like water (rain) which We send down from the sky and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it. (But later it) becomes dry stalks which the winds scatter. And Allah has power over everything.
The Study Quran   
Set forth for them a parable of the life of this world: [It is] like water We send down from the sky. Then it mixes with the vegetation of the earth. Then it becomes chaff, scattered by the winds. And God is capable of all things
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
And give them an example of the life of this world: it’s like water that We send down from the sky, absorbed by the earth’s plants, and it becomes chaff that winds scatter. God has the power over all things.
Talal Itani (2012)   
And cite for them the parable of the present life: it is like water that We send down from the sky; the plants of the earth absorb it; but then it becomes debris, scattered by the wind. God has absolute power over everything
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And put forward to them the example of the life of this world: like the (rain-) water which We sent down from towards the sky, then mingled with it the vegetation of the earth (to become fresh and green). But later on it became dry and broken into pieces which the winds scatter. And Allah is Possessor of Power and Authority regarding all things
M. Farook Malik   
O Prophet! Give them the similitude of the life of this world. It is like the vegetation of the earth that flourishes with the rain from the sky, but afterwards the same vegetation turns into dry stubble which is blown away by the winds. Allah is the One Who has power over everything
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And srike for them the similitude of the present life: (Literally: the lowly life, the life of this world) (it is) as Water that We send down from the heaven, (and) so the growth of the earth mixes up with it, and then it becomes chaff that the winds winnow. And Allah has (always) been Supreme Determiner over everything
Muhammad Sarwar   
(Muhammad), tell them, "The worldly life resembles the (seasonal) plants that blossom by the help of the water which God sends from the sky. After a short time all of them fade away and the winds scatter them (and turns them into dust). God has power over all things
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Give them the example of the worldly life; it is like water We sent down from the sky, then the vegetation of the earth was mingled with it, and then it turned into chaff that is blown by the winds, and Allah is powerful over everything
Shabbir Ahmed   
Cite for them the example of the materialistic life of this world. It is like the water We send down from the sky, and which is absorbed by plants of the earth. But in time they turn into dry stubble or hay which the winds blow freely about. Allah is Competent and all events take place according to His Laws over which He has full control. (Total preoccupation with the material aspects of life deprives people from growing in humanity)
Dr. Munir Munshey   
And explain to them by quoting this example: the life of this world is like water We sent down from the sky. The plants assimilate it and become fresh and green. Later they turn into chaff, which the wind scatters around. Indeed, Allah has mastery over all things
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
Present to them the similitude of the life of this world: It is like the rain which We send down from the sky: And the earth's vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes fresh and green (but) later it becomes dry and short sticks, which the winds spread about: And it is (only) Allah, Who has the Power and Ability (Muqhtadir) to do all things
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And present to them the example of the life of this world, [its being] like rain which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it and [then] it becomes dry remnants, scattered by the winds. And Allah is ever, over all things, Perfect in Ability
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
And give them the parable of this worldly life is like a water which We have sent down from the sky, so that the plants of the Earth mix with it and it becomes murky being moved by the wind. And God is capable of all things
Abdel Haleem   
Tell them, too, what the life of this world is like: We send water down from the skies and the earth’s vegetation absorbs it, but soon the plants turn to dry stubble scattered about by the wind: God has power over everything
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
And propound thou unto them the similitude of the life of the World. It is as water which We send down from the heaven, then there mingleth therewith the vegetation of the earth, and lo! it becometh dry stubble which the winds scatter and Allah is over everything potent
Ahmed Ali   
Present to them the example of the life of this world so like the water We send down from the skies that mingles with the earth to nourish its vegetation, which then on the morrow turns to stubble and is blown away by the wind. God has power over everything
Aisha Bewley   
Make a metaphor for them of the life of this world. It is like water which We send down from the sky and the plants of the earth combine with it but then become dry chaff scattered by the winds. Allah has absolute power over everything.
Ali Ünal   
And strike to them a parable of the present, worldly life: (it is) like water that We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it (flourishing abundantly). Then it turns into dry stubble which the winds scatter about. God is absolutely able to do all things
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Draw for them the parable of the life of this world: [It is] like the water We send down from the sky. Then the earth’s vegetation mingles with it. Then it becomes chaff, scattered by the wind. And Allah is omnipotent over all things
Hamid S. Aziz   
Strike out for them, also, a similitude of the life of this world; like water, which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth absorbs it; but on the morrow (or soon) it is dried up, and the winds scatter it; for Allah is powerful over a
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And give them the example of this world’s life: “It is like rain that We send down from the sky, then the plants of the earth mix with it (and grow), then it becomes dry fragments of plants scattered by the wind. And God is able to do everything.”
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Set forth to them the simile of the life of the present. It is like the rain which we send down from the skies. The earth’s vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes dry stubble which the winds scatter. It is God who prevails over all things
Musharraf Hussain   
Tell them a parable of worldly life; it’s like the rain We send down from the sky, the soil soaks it, plants grow, then turn into dry straw that is scattered by the winds. Allah has power over all things.
Maududi   
(O Prophet), propound to them the parable of the present life: it is like the vegetation of the earth which flourished luxuriantly when it mingled with the water that We sent down from the sky, but after that the same vegetation turned into stubble which the winds blew about. Allah alone has the power over all things
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
And give them the example of this worldly life is like a water which We have sent down from the sky, so that the plants of the earth mix with it and it becomes murky being moved by the wind. And God is capable of all things.
Mohammad Shafi   
And tell them that the life of this world is like water which We send down from the sky. Spring forth therewith all kinds of vegetation on the earth. Then it (vegetation) becomes dry and brittle and the winds scatter it. And Allah has the ability to do all things

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And relate to them the example of the life of the World, it is as a water We sent down from the heaven, then the greenery of the earth because of it came out thickly and then it became dry grass which the wind scatter. And Allah is powerful over everything.
Rashad Khalifa   
Cite for them the example of this life as water that we send down from the sky to produce plants of the earth, then they turn into hay that is blown away by the wind. GOD is able to do all things.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Give to them a parable about this present life. It is like water We have sent down from the sky with which the plants of the earth mingle, and in the morning it is straw the wind scatters. Allah is Powerful over all things
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And set forth to them the parable of the life of this world as water which We send down from the cloud, so the herbage of the earth becomes luxuriant thereby, then it becomes dry, broken into pieces which the winds scatter. And Allah is the Holder of power over all things
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
And give to them the life the present's/worldly life's example/proverb as water, We descended it from the sky , so the land's/Earth's plant mixed/mingled with it, so it became/became in the morning dried and broken plants/trees, the winds/breezes scatter/spread/winnow it (the water) and God was/is on every thing capable/able/powerful
Bijan Moeinian   
Let them know that the man’s life in this world is similar to the (short) life of the plants. When I send the rain, the plants grow up. After a while, however, they dry up and are blown away by the wind. See how God is capable of doing everything (meaning: God can take what He has blessed you with, the same way that He turns the plants into hay.
Faridul Haque   
And relate to them the example of the life of this world - like water which We sent down from the sky, therefore vegetation of the earth grew forth in abundance with it to become dry hay which the winds scatter; and Allah is the Controller of all things
Sher Ali   
And set forth for them the similitude of the life of this world. It is like water which WE send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth is mingled with it, and then it becomes dry grass broken into pieces which the winds scatter, and ALLAH has full power over everything
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And explain to them the example of the worldly life (as well): it is like water that We pour from the sky. With this the vegetation of the earth grows thick, but then it becomes dry stubble which the winds blow about, and Allah has perfect control over everything
Amatul Rahman Omar   
And give them the similitude of the life of this world. It is like water which We send down from the clouds, so the vegetation and plants of the earth flourish with it. And then it turns into chaff which the winds scatter about. Behold! Allah is the Holder of all power over what He will
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
And put forward to them the example of the life of this world, it is like the water (rain) which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But (later) it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allah is Able to do everything

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
And strike for them the similitude of the present life: it is as water that We send down out of heaven, and the plants of the earth mingle with it; and in the morning it is straw the winds scatter; and God is omnipotent over everything
George Sale   
And propound to them a similitude of the present life. It is like water which We send down from heaven; and the herb of the earth is mixed therewith, and after it hath been green and flourishing, in the morning it becometh dry stubble, which the winds scatter abroad: And God is able to do all things
Edward Henry Palmer   
Strike out for them, too, a parable of the life of this world; like water which we send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth is mingled therewith; - and on the morrow it is dried up, and the winds scatter it; for God is powerful over all
John Medows Rodwell   
And set before them a similitude of the present life. It is as water which we send down from Heaven, and the herb of the Earth is mingled with it, and on the morrow it becometh dry stubble which the winds scatter: for God hath power over all things
N J Dawood (2014)   
And coin for them a simile about the life of this world. It is like the vegetation of the earth that thrives when watered by the rain We send down from the sky, soon turning into stubble which the wind scatters abroad. God has power over all things

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
And set forth for them the parable of the life of this world which is like a water that We send down from the heaven and then the vegetation of the earth mingles with it and then it turns dry and the winds scatter it. Truly Allah is the One who has enforcing power over everything.
Munir Mezyed   
And set forth to them the parable of this worldly life: It is like the water which We send down from the sky and the plants of the earth mingle with it, (and burst into leaf, fresh and green). But later they turn into dry stalks which the winds scatter. And Allâh is Most Capable of doing all things.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
And coin for them the likeness of the worldly life as water which We send down from the sky and the plants of the earth absorb it, then they become dry stalks which the winds carry off, and Allah has power over all things.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Present them the simile of the life of this world: It is like the rain which We send down from the skies. The earth’s vegetation absorbs it, but soon the plants become dry stubble, which the winds scatter. Allah prevails over all things.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
And setsg forth for them a parable for the Earlier Life: (it is) like water that We sent down from the sky, then the plants of the earth were mixed with it, so it became debris scattered by the winds. And Allah has always had absolute power over everything.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Set forth an example for them about worldly life being like water We send down from the sky, The plants on the earth swell up with it; yet [some morning] they will become dry weeds which the winds will blow away. Allah (God) is Competent to do everything!
Samy Mahdy   
And cite for them an example of the Dunya (present) life: as like water that We send down from the sky; so was mixed with it the earth’s plant; so, it becomes broken, the winds scatter it. And Allah is ever, over everything competent.
Sayyid Qutb   
Set forth to them a simile about the life of this world: [it is] like the water which We send down from the skies, and which is absorbed by the plants of the earth. In time they turn into dry stubble which the winds blow freely about. It is God alone who has power over all things.
Ahmed Hulusi   
Present to them the example of the worldly life... (The life of this world) is like water We bring down from the sky, which mixes with the vegetation of the earth... then (the vegetation) becomes dry remnants scattered by the winds... Allah is Muqtadir over all things.
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
And coin for them the similitude of the life of the world as water which We send down from the sky, and the plants of the earth mingle with it, and then becomes dry twigs that the winds scatter; and Allah is omnipotent over everything
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Express to them O Muhammad the likeness of life here, it stands similitude exact of a cycle in which a certain round of events or phenomena is completed, thus: We send down rain water from the floor of the vault of heaven; it mingles with the product of the soil which absorbs it and thrives thereby, then it eventually withers and dries up and gets dispersed with the wind, and Allah has always been Qadirun (Omnipotent) capable of doing all things
Mir Aneesuddin   
And set forth to them the similitude of the life of this world: (It is) like water which We send down from the sky, then the vegetation of the earth mixes up with it then it becomes dry broken pieces which the winds scatter, and Allah is the Holder of power over everything.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Set forth to them the similitude of the life of this world: It is like the rain which we send down from the skies: the earth's vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes dry stubble, which the winds do scatter: it is (only) God who prevails ove r all things
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And present to them the example (of) the life (of) the world, like water which We send down from the sky, then mingles with it (the) vegetation (of) the earth then becomes dry stalks, it (is) scattered (by) the winds. And Allah over every thing (is) All Able
OLD Transliteration   
Waidrib lahum mathala alhayati alddunya kama-in anzalnahu mina alssama-i faikhtalata bihi nabatu al-ardi faasbaha hasheeman tathroohu alrriyahu wakana Allahu AAala kulli shay-in muqtadiran