Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
and follow [instead] that which the evil ones used to practice during Solomon's reign - for it was not Solomon who denied the truth, but those evil ones denied it by teaching people sorcery -; and [they follow] that which has come down through the two angels in Babylon, Hurut and Marut-although these two never taught it to anyone without first declaring, "We are but a temptation to evil: do not, then, deny [God's] truth!" And they learn from these two how to create discord between a man and his wife; but whereas they can harm none thereby save by God's leave, they acquire a knowledge that only harms themselves and does not benefit them - although they know; indeed, that he who acquires this [knowledge] shall have no share in the good of the life to come. For, vile indeed is that [art] for which they have sold their own selves -had they but known it
Arthur John Arberry
and they follow what the Satans recited over Solomon's kingdom. Solomon disbelieved not, but the Satans disbelieved, teaching the people sorcery, and that which was sent down upon Babylon's two angels, Harut and Marut; they taught not any man, without they said, 'We are but a temptation; do not disbelieve.' From them they learned how they might divide a man and his wife, yet they did not hurt any man thereby, save by the leave of God, and they learned what hurt them, and did not profit them, knowing well that whoso buys it shall have no share in the world to come; evil then was that they sold themselves for, if they had but known
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
They followed what the evil ones gave out (falsely) against the power of Solomon: the blasphemers Were, not Solomon, but the evil ones, teaching men Magic, and such things as came down at babylon to the angels Harut and Marut. But neither of these taught anyone (Such things) without saying: "We are only for trial; so do not blaspheme." They learned from them the means to sow discord between man and wife. But they could not thus harm anyone except by Allah's permission. And they learned what harmed them, not what profited them. And they knew that the buyers of (magic) would have no share in the happiness of the Hereafter. And vile was the price for which they did sell their souls, if they but knew
Arabic
وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ مَا تَتۡلُوا۟ ٱلشَّیَـٰطِینُ عَلَىٰ مُلۡكِ سُلَیۡمَـٰنَۖ وَمَا كَفَرَ سُلَیۡمَـٰنُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱلشَّیَـٰطِینَ كَفَرُوا۟ یُعَلِّمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ ٱلسِّحۡرَ وَمَاۤ أُنزِلَ عَلَى ٱلۡمَلَكَیۡنِ بِبَابِلَ هَـٰرُوتَ وَمَـٰرُوتَۚ وَمَا یُعَلِّمَانِ مِنۡ أَحَدٍ حَتَّىٰ یَقُولَاۤ إِنَّمَا نَحۡنُ فِتۡنَةࣱ فَلَا تَكۡفُرۡۖ فَیَتَعَلَّمُونَ مِنۡهُمَا مَا یُفَرِّقُونَ بِهِۦ بَیۡنَ ٱلۡمَرۡءِ وَزَوۡجِهِۦۚ وَمَا هُم بِضَاۤرِّینَ بِهِۦ مِنۡ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۚ وَیَتَعَلَّمُونَ مَا یَضُرُّهُمۡ وَلَا یَنفَعُهُمۡۚ وَلَقَدۡ عَلِمُوا۟ لَمَنِ ٱشۡتَرَىٰهُ مَا لَهُۥ فِی ٱلۡءَاخِرَةِ مِنۡ خَلَـٰقࣲۚ وَلَبِئۡسَ مَا شَرَوۡا۟ بِهِۦۤ أَنفُسَهُمۡۚ لَوۡ كَانُوا۟ یَعۡلَمُونَ ١٠٢
Transliteration (2021)
wa-ittabaʿū mā tatlū l-shayāṭīnu ʿalā mul'ki sulaymāna wamā kafara sulaymānu walākinna l-shayāṭīna kafarū yuʿallimūna l-nāsa l-siḥ'ra wamā unzila ʿalā l-malakayni bibābila hārūta wamārūta wamā yuʿallimāni min aḥadin ḥattā yaqūlā innamā naḥnu fit'natun falā takfur fayataʿallamūna min'humā mā yufarriqūna bihi bayna l-mari wazawjihi wamā hum biḍārrīna bihi min aḥadin illā bi-idh'ni l-lahi wayataʿallamūna mā yaḍurruhum walā yanfaʿuhum walaqad ʿalimū lamani ish'tarāhu mā lahu fī l-ākhirati min khalāqin walabi'sa mā sharaw bihi anfusahum law kānū yaʿlamūn