Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
Or [else, their deeds are] like the depths of darkness upon an abysmal sea, made yet more dark by wave billowing over wave, with [black] clouds above it all: depths of darkness, layer upon layer, [so that] when one holds up his hand, he can hardly see it: for he to whom God gives no light, no light whatever has he
Arthur John Arberry
or they are as shadows upon a sea obscure covered by a billow above which is a billow above which are clouds, shadows piled one upon another; when he puts forth his hand, wellnigh he cannot see it. And to whomsoever God assigns no light, no light has he
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
Or (the Unbelievers' state) is like the depths of darkness in a vast deep ocean, overwhelmed with billow topped by billow, topped by (dark) clouds: depths of darkness, one above another: if a man stretches out his hands, he can hardly see it! for any to whom Allah giveth not light, there is no light
Arabic
أَوۡ كَظُلُمَـٰتࣲ فِی بَحۡرࣲ لُّجِّیࣲّ یَغۡشَىٰهُ مَوۡجࣱ مِّن فَوۡقِهِۦ مَوۡجࣱ مِّن فَوۡقِهِۦ سَحَابࣱۚ ظُلُمَـٰتُۢ بَعۡضُهَا فَوۡقَ بَعۡضٍ إِذَاۤ أَخۡرَجَ یَدَهُۥ لَمۡ یَكَدۡ یَرَىٰهَاۗ وَمَن لَّمۡ یَجۡعَلِ ٱللَّهُ لَهُۥ نُورࣰا فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن نُّورٍ ٤٠
Transliteration (2021)
aw kaẓulumātin fī baḥrin lujjiyyin yaghshāhu mawjun min fawqihi mawjun min fawqihi saḥābun ẓulumātun baʿḍuhā fawqa baʿḍin idhā akhraja yadahu lam yakad yarāhā waman lam yajʿali l-lahu lahu nūran famā lahu min nūri