Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
But [there is many a one] who says to his parents [whenever they try to imbue him with faith in God]: “Fie upon both of you! Do you promise me that I shall be brought forth [from the dead], although [so many] generations have passed away before me?” And [while] they both pray for God’s help [and say], “Alas for thee! For, behold, God’s promise always comes true!” - he but answers, “All this is nothing but fables of ancient times!”
Arthur John Arberry
But he who says to his father and his mother, 'Fie upon you! Do you promise me that I shall be brought forth, when already generations have passed away before me?' while they call upon God for succour -- 'Woe upon thee! Believe; surely God's promise is true'; then he says, 'This is naught but the fairy-tales of the ancients' -
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
But (there is one) who says to his parents, "Fie on you! Do ye hold out the promise to me that I shall be raised up, even though generations have passed before me (without rising again)?" And they two seek Allah's aid, (and rebuke the son): "Woe to thee! Have faith! for the promise of Allah is true." But he says, "This is nothing but tales of the ancients!"
Arabic
وَٱلَّذِی قَالَ لِوَ ٰلِدَیۡهِ أُفࣲّ لَّكُمَاۤ أَتَعِدَانِنِیۤ أَنۡ أُخۡرَجَ وَقَدۡ خَلَتِ ٱلۡقُرُونُ مِن قَبۡلِی وَهُمَا یَسۡتَغِیثَانِ ٱللَّهَ وَیۡلَكَ ءَامِنۡ إِنَّ وَعۡدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقࣱّ فَیَقُولُ مَا هَـٰذَاۤ إِلَّاۤ أَسَـٰطِیرُ ٱلۡأَوَّلِینَ ١٧
Transliteration (2021)
wa-alladhī qāla liwālidayhi uffin lakumā ataʿidāninī an ukh'raja waqad khalati l-qurūnu min qablī wahumā yastaghīthāni l-laha waylaka āmin inna waʿda l-lahi ḥaqqun fayaqūlu mā hādhā illā asāṭīru l-awalīn