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Muhammad Asad   
And it is not given to mortal man that God should speak unto him otherwise than through sudden inspiration, or [by a voice, as it were,] from behind a veil, or by sending an apostle to reveal, by His leave, whatever He wills [to reveal]: for, verily, He is exalted, wise
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
It is not ˹possible˺ for a human being to have Allah communicate with them, except through inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger-angel to reveal whatever He wills by His permission. He is surely Most High, All-Wise.
Safi Kaskas   
God will not speak to any human being except by revelation or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger who then reveals, by His permission, whatever He wills. He is Most High and All Wise.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
۞ وَمَا كَانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَن یُكَلِّمَهُ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا وَحۡیًا أَوۡ مِن وَرَاۤىِٕ حِجَابٍ أَوۡ یُرۡسِلَ رَسُولࣰا فَیُوحِیَ بِإِذۡنِهِۦ مَا یَشَاۤءُۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِیٌّ حَكِیمࣱ ۝٥١
Transliteration (2021)   
wamā kāna libasharin an yukallimahu l-lahu illā waḥyan aw min warāi ḥijābin aw yur'sila rasūlan fayūḥiya bi-idh'nihi mā yashāu innahu ʿaliyyun ḥakīmu
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And not is for any human that should speak to him Allah except (by) revelation or from behind a veil or (by) sending a messenger then he reveals by His permission what He wills. Indeed, He (is) Most High, Most Wise.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
And it is not given to mortal man that God should speak unto him otherwise than through sudden inspiration, or [by a voice, as it were,] from behind a veil, or by sending an apostle to reveal, by His leave, whatever He wills [to reveal]: for, verily, He is exalted, wise
M. M. Pickthall   
And it was not (vouchsafed) to any mortal that Allah should speak to him unless (it be) by revelation or from behind a veil, or (that) He sendeth a messenger to reveal what He will by His leave. Lo! He is Exalted, Wise
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by the sending of a messenger to reveal, with Allah's permission, what Allah wills: for He is Most High, Most Wise
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
It is not ˹possible˺ for a human being to have Allah communicate with them, except through inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger-angel to reveal whatever He wills by His permission. He is surely Most High, All-Wise.
Safi Kaskas   
God will not speak to any human being except by revelation or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger who then reveals, by His permission, whatever He wills. He is Most High and All Wise.
Wahiduddin Khan   
It is not granted to any human being that God should speak to him other than by revelation or from behind a veil, or by sending him a messenger, so that the messenger may reveal, by His command, whatsoever He will. Truly, He is exalted and wise
Shakir   
And it is not for any mortal that Allah should speak to them, they could not bear to hear and they did not see
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
And it had not been for a mortal that God speak to him, but by revelation or from behind a partition or that He send a Messenger to reveal by His permission what He wills. Truly, He is Lofty, Wise.
T.B.Irving   
It is not [fitting] for God to speak to any human being except through inspiration or from behind a curtain, or by sending a messenger anything He wishes to inspire [mankind] with, through His permission. He is Sublime, Wise.
Abdul Hye   
It is not given to any human being that Allah should speak (directly) unless (it be) by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by sending a Messenger to reveal by His permission what He wills. Surely, He is High, Wise.
The Study Quran   
It is not for any human being that God should speak unto him, save by revelation, or from behind a veil, or that He should send a messenger in order to reveal what He will by His Leave. Truly He is Exalted, Wise
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
It is not for any human that God should speak to him, except through revelation, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger to reveal, by His command, what He wills. He is Exalted, Wise.
Talal Itani (2012)   
It is not for any human that God should speak to him, except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger to reveal by His permission whatever He wills. He is All-High, All-Wise
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And it is not (possible) for a human-being that Allah may talk to him except through Revelation, or from behind an (invisible) barrier, or He sends a Messenger, then he delivers inspiration under His permission whatever He thinks proper. Verily, He is Aliyyun (Most High), Most-Wise [The three lettered word Ali (Ain, Lam and Ya, together) has not been used in Allah’s Scripture for any human being]
M. Farook Malik   
It is not vouchsafed to any human being that Allah should speak to him face to face, He speaks either through inspiration, or from behind a veil, or through sending a messenger (angel Gabriel) authorized by Him to reveal His will; surely He is most High, most Wise
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And in no way is it feasible for a mortal that Allah should speak to Him, except by revelation or from beyond a curtain, or that He should send a Messenger; then He reveals whatever He decides, by His permission. Surely He is Ever-Exalted, Ever-Wise
Muhammad Sarwar   
To no mortal does God speak but through revelation, from behind a curtain, or by sending a Messenger who reveals, by His permission whatever He pleases. He is the Most High and the All-wise
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
It is not (possible) for a human being that Allah speaks to him, except by way of revelation, or from behind a curtain, or that He sends a messenger, and he reveals, with His permission, what He wills. Surely, He is All-High, All-Wise
Shabbir Ahmed   
And it is not for any human being that Allah will speak to him other than through direct Revelation (on the heart of His Messengers) or from behind a barrier (such as at Mount Sinai to Moses) or by sending a Messenger to convey His Words with His Permission (as all Messengers did). Verily, He is the Most High, the Wise
Dr. Munir Munshey   
It is not seemly; Allah does not talk to a mortal (directly). He talks to a human (indirectly) from behind a screen, or sparks an inspiration in his mind. Or, He may send (an angel as) a messenger. With His permission, (the angel) conveys what Allah wills. Indeed, He is the most Eminent and the Wisest
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
It is not fitting for a man that Allah should speak to him except by Revelation, or from behind a veil (or a curtain), or by sending of a messenger to reveal, with Allah’s permission, what Allah wills: For He is most High (Ali'i), Most Wise (Hakeem)
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And it is not for any human being that Allah should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a partition or that He sends a messenger to reveal, by His permission, what He wills. Indeed, He is Most High and Wise
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
And it is not for any human being that God would speak to him, except through inspiration, or from behind a barrier, or by sending a messenger to inspire whom He wills by His leave. He is the Most High, Most Wise
Abdel Haleem   
It is not granted to any mortal that God should speak to him except through revelation or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger to reveal by His command what He will: He is exalted and wise
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
And it is not Possible for a human being that Allah should speak Unto him otherwise than by revelation or from behind a veil, or that He sendeth a messenger, so that he revealeth by His command whatsoever He will; verily He is Exalted, Wise
Ahmed Ali   
It is not given to man that God should speak to him except by suggestion or indirectly, or send a messenger to convey by His command whatsoever He please. He is all-high and all-wise
Aisha Bewley   
It does not befit Allah to address any human being except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or He sends a messenger who then reveals by His permission whatever He wills. He is indeed Most High, All-Wise.
Ali Ünal   
It is not for any mortal that God should speak to him unless it be by Revelation or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger (angel) to reveal, by His leave, whatever He wills (to reveal). Surely He is All-Exalted, All-Wise
Ali Quli Qara'i   
It is not [possible] for any human that Allah should speak to him except through revelation or from behind a curtain, or send a messenger who reveals by His permission whatever He wishes. Indeed He is all-exalted, all-wise
Hamid S. Aziz   
And it is not for any mortal that Allah should speak to them unless it be by revelation or from behind a veil, or He sends a messenger to reveal what He will by His leave. Lo, He is Exalted, Wise
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And it is not for any human being that God speaks to him, except through revelation or from behind a barrier or by sending a messenger (angel) to reveal what He wants with His permission. God is indeed superior, wise.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
It is not possible for human beings that God should speak to them except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by the sending of a messenger to reveal, with God's permission, what God wills, for He is Most High, Most Wise
Musharraf Hussain   
Allah doesn’t speak to any human being directly, except by revelation from behind a screen, or an angel brings the revelation by His permission. He is the Exalted, the Wise.
Maududi   
It is not given to any human being that Allah should speak to him except through revelation, or from behind a veil, or that a messenger (an angel) be sent to him who reveals to him by Allah´s leave whatever He wishes. He is All-High, Most Wise
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
And it is not for any human being that God would speak to him, except through inspiration, or from behind a barrier, or by sending a messenger to inspire whom He wills with His permission. He is Most High, Wise
Mohammad Shafi   
And man cannot receive an address by Allah otherwise than through inspiration, or from behind a veil, or through a Messenger [angel] revealing a divine Message by His [Allah's] leave. He is indeed Exalted, Wise

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And it is not fit for any man that Allah should speak to him but through revelation or that the man may be at the other side of the veil of grandeur. Or He may send any angel that he may reveal by His command what He pleases undoubtedly He is High, Wise
Rashad Khalifa   
No human being can communicate with GOD except through inspiration, or from behind a barrier, or by sending a messenger through whom He reveals what He wills. He is the Most High, Most Wise.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
It does not belong to any human that Allah should speak to him except by Revelation, or from behind a veil, or that He sent a Messenger to revealwhatsoever He will by His Permission. He is the High, the Wise
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And it is not vouchsafed to a mortal that Allah should speak to him, except by revelation or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger and revealing by His permission what He pleases. Surely He is High, Wise
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
And (it) was not to a human that (E) God converses/speaks to him , except (by) inspiration/transmission or from behind (a) divider/partition , or He sends a messenger so he (the messenger) inspires/transmits what He wills/wants with His permission , that He truly is high/elevated, wise/judicious
Bijan Moeinian   
It is beneath the dignity of God, the Most High and the Most Wise to directly communicate with man. His form of communications are through inspiration [which is the source of so many inventions], talking behind a veil [Moses is the only one known in this respect] or through revelation to his prophets
Faridul Haque   
And it is not for any human that Allah may speak to him except as a divine revelation or while the human is on this side of the veil of greatness, or that He sends an angel to reveal by His permission, whatever He wills; indeed He is Supreme, Wise
Sher Ali   
And it is not for a man that ALLAH should speak to him except by direct revelation, or from behind a veil, or by sending a messenger to reveal by HIS command what HE pleases. Surely, HE is High, Wise
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And every man does not have the faculty that Allah should speak to him (directly) except by Revelation (He bestows upon some the holy status of Prophethood), or (should speak) from behind a veil (as He spoke to Musa [Moses] on Mount Tur of Sinai), or by sending some angel as a messenger to reveal with His permission what Allah may will. (In any case, the medium and mediation of the communication of Allah’s Word for mankind is none but the Prophet and the Messenger.) Surely, He is Most High, Most Wise
Amatul Rahman Omar   
It is not given to a human being that Allah should speak to him except by direct revelation or from behind a veil or by sending a messenger (- an angel) who should reveal (to him) by His command what He pleases. Indeed, He is the Most Sublime, the All-Wise
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
. It is not given to any human being that Allah should speak to him unless (it be) by Inspiration, or from behind a veil, or (that) He sends a Messenger to reveal what He wills by His Leave. Verily, He is Most High, Most Wise

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
It belongs not to any mortal that God should speak to him, except by revelation, or from behind a veil, or that He should send a messenger and he reveal whatsoever He will, by His leave; surely He is All-high, All-wise
George Sale   
It is not fit for man, that God should speak unto him otherwise than by private revelation, or from behind a veil, or by his sending of a messenger to reveal, by his permission, that which He pleaseth; for He is high and wise
Edward Henry Palmer   
It is not for any mortal that God should speak to him, except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by sending an apostle and inspiring, by His permission, what He pleases; verily, He is high and wise
John Medows Rodwell   
It is not for man that God should speak with him but by vision, or from behind a veil: Or, He sendeth a messenger to reveal, by his permission, what He will: for He is Exalted, Wise
N J Dawood (2014)   
It is not vouchsafed to any mortal that God should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or through a messenger sent and authorized by Him to make known His will. Exalted is He, and wise

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
And it is not fitting for a human that Allah should speak to him [directly] except as an inspiration or from behind a veil or that He sends a messenger to inspire by His leave what He pleases. Truly He is All-high, All-wise.
Munir Mezyed   
It is not possible for a human being to communicate with Allâh except through inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by sending an Apostle through whom He reveals whatever He wills. Most surely, He is Most High, Most Wise.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
And it is not befitting for a human that Allah should talk to him except by revelation or from behind a barrier, or He sends a messenger to pass on of the revelation what He pleases by His permission, for He is knowing and wise.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
To no person does Allah speak unless by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by the sending of a messenger to reveal, with Allah’s permission, whatever Allah wills. He is the Highest and Wisest!
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
And it is not for any human that Allah should speak to him except by revelation or from behind a veil or by sending a messenger to reveal by His permission whatever He wills; indeed, He is All-High, All-Wise.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
It is not [fitting] for Allah (God) to speak to any human being except through inspiration or from behind a curtain, or by sending a messenger anything He wishes to inspire [mankind] with, through His permission. He is Sublime, Wise.
Samy Mahdy   
And it is not for a humankind that Allah should speak to him, except by revelation, or from behind a veil, or He sends a messenger, so reveal by His permission whatever He wills. Surely, He is Most High, Most Wise.
Ahmed Hulusi   
It is not possible that Allah speaks to a man! Only through revelation, or from behind a veil, or by disclosing a Rasul (angel) to reveal, by His permission, what He wills! Indeed, He is the Aliy, the Hakim.
Mir Aneesuddin   
And it is not for a man that Allah should speak to him except ( through inspirational ) communication or from behind a veil or by sending a messenger who communicates by His permission what He wills, He is certainly High, Wise.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
No human would qualify to be spoken to directly by Allah without the intervention of a medium, nor is it befitting; but only by inspiration or vision, or from behind a veil or through a spirit who would actuate him with what Allah has ordained and with what He will; He is indeed ?Aliyun (Supreme) above all and beyond all and He is Hakimun (the Source of wisdom and wise mysterious dispensations.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
It is not fitting for a man that God should speak to him except by inspiration, or from behind a veil, or by the sending of a messenger to reveal, with God's permission, what God wills: for He is Most High, Most Wise
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And not is for any human that Allah should speak to him except (by) revelation or from behind a veil or (by) sending a messenger then he reveals by His permission what He wills. Indeed, He (is) Most High, Most Wise
OLD Transliteration   
Wama kana libasharin an yukallimahu Allahu illa wahyan aw min wara-i hijabin aw yursila rasoolan fayoohiya bi-ithnihi ma yashao innahu AAaliyyun hakeemun