Quran Ayah Qaf (The Letter Qaf) 50:18 - 70+ Translation Comparison

Home Qur'an
Index English
Translations Word-for-Word
Block View Word-for-Word
Column View Non-English
Languages Help
←Prev Ayah Qaf (The Letter Qaf) 50:18 Next→

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
not even a word can he utter but there is a watcher with him, ever-present
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
In no way does he utter a saying except that close to him is a (Guardian) constantly ready
Safi Kaskas   
He does not utter any word, without a vigilant observer present with him.

Listen: 

Ads have been removed.

Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
مَّا یَلۡفِظُ مِن قَوۡلٍ إِلَّا لَدَیۡهِ رَقِیبٌ عَتِیدࣱ ۝١٨
Transliteration (2021)   
mā yalfiẓu min qawlin illā ladayhi raqībun ʿatīdu
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more   
Not he utters any word but with him (is) an observer ready.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
not even a word can he utter but there is a watcher with him, ever-present
M. M. Pickthall   
He uttereth no word but there is with him an observer ready
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Not a word does he utter but there is a sentinel by him, ready (to note it)
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
not a word does a person utter without having a ˹vigilant˺ observer ready ˹to write it down˺.
Safi Kaskas   
He does not utter any word, without a vigilant observer present with him.
Wahiduddin Khan   
each word he utters shall be noted down by a vigilant guardian
Shakir   
He utters not a word but there is by him a watcher at hand
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
He does not utter a word except a watcher is constantly with him.
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
he utters not a saying but that there is one ready, watching over near him
T.B.Irving   
he will utter no statement unless he has an observer on hand ready to note it down.
Abdul Hye   
not a word does one utter but there is a watcher by it ready (to record).
Saeed Malik   
not any word does he form, except integral to him is a ready observer on watch.
The Study Quran   
no word does he utter without a ready watcher beside him
Talal Itani & AI (2025)   
He does not utter a word except that there is a watcher beside him, ready.
Talal Itani (2012)   
Not a word does he utter, but there is a watcher by him, ready
Dr. Kamal Omar   
not a word does he (i.e., , the human being) utter but (then and there) with him is a sentinel ever ready (to record)
M. Farook Malik   
not a single word does he utter but there is a vigilant guardian ready to note it down
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
In no way does he utter a saying except that close to him is a (Guardian) constantly ready
Muhammad Sarwar   
The human being will certainly experience the agony of death
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Not a single word is uttered by one but there is a watcher near him, ready (to record)
Shabbir Ahmed   
Not even a word can he utter but there is an ever-vigilant watcher with him. (The Law of Requital makes a meticulous record)
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Not a word uttered by any person, escapes (the attention of) the vigilant observers _ (the angels assigned over him)
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
Not a word does he (each angel) say, but there is a guard by him, ready (to note the deeds)
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
Man does not utter any word except that with him is an observer prepared [to record]
[The Monotheist Group] (2017 Edition)   
He does not utter a word except a watcher is constantly with him.
Abdel Haleem   
he does not utter a single word without an ever-present watcher
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Not a word he uttereth but there is with him a watcher ready
Ahmed Ali   
There is not a word he utters but an observer is ready (to make note of it)
Aisha Bewley   
He does not utter a single word, without a watcher by him, pen in hand!
Ali Ünal   
Not a word does he utter but there is a watcher by him, ever-present
Ali Quli Qara'i   
he says no word but that there is a ready observer beside him
Hamid S. Aziz   
He utters not a word but there is by him a watcher (sentinel, one who censors) at hand
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
he does not speak a word unless there is a watcher with him ready (to record).
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Not a word do they utter, except that there is with him a ready observer
Musharraf Hussain   
Not a word they speak goes unrecorded by a vigilant observer.
Maududi   
He utters not a word, but there is a vigilant watcher at hand
Mohammad Shafi   
He utters not a word but is there a sentinel by him, ready [to record it]

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
Not a word he utters but there is sitting a watcher ready by him.
Rashad Khalifa   
Not an utterance does he utter without an alert witness.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
whatever phrase he utters, an observer is present
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
He utters not a word but there is by him a watcher at hand
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
Nothing emits/vocalizes from a word except at Him (is a) prepared/made ready observer/guard
Bijan Moeinian   
Not even a word spoken is being missed in their registration
Faridul Haque   
He does not utter a single word, without a ready recorder seated next to him
Sher Ali   
He utters not a word but there is by him a guardian angel ready to record it
Edip Yuksel   
He does not utter a word except with having a constant recorder.
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
Not a word does he utter but a watcher is there beside him ready (to write it)
Amatul Rahman Omar   
He utters not a word but (it is noted down by) a guardian (angel of his who) stands ready by his side (to record his words)
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
Not a word does he (or she) utter, but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it)

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
not a word he utters, but by him is an observer ready
George Sale   
He uttereth not a word, but there is with him a watcher, ready to note it
Edward Henry Palmer   
not a word does he utter, but a watcher is by him ready
John Medows Rodwell   
Not a word doth he utter, but there is a watcher with him ready to note it down
N J Dawood (2014)   
no word he utters but shall be noted down by a vigilant guard

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Shuaib Abdullahi   
He (the human) does not (Maa) pronounce (Yal'fizu) a (Min) word (Qaw'lin) except (illa) an observer (Raqiibun) is prepared (Ätiid) near him (Ladai'hi).
Fode Drame   
He does not utter a word except that in his presence there is a watcher well stationed.
Munir Mezyed   
Not a single word does he utter but there is by him a keeper at hand.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
He does not utter a word but there is an observer present with him.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
Not a word does he utter, but close to him is a watcher, constantly ready.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Not even a word does he/she utter without an observer [angel] ready [to note it].
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
he will utter no statement unless he has an observer on hand ready to note it down.
Samy Mahdy   
He does not pronounce among a say, except with him, a ready observer.
Ali Quli Qarai   
he says no word but that there is a ready observer beside him.
Ahmed Hulusi   
Every thought (of man) is observed (recorded) by an observer!
Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri   
Not a word does he (or she) utter but there is a watcher by him ready (to record it).
A. S. Mohamed   
Not a word does he utter without there being with him an ever-ready observer.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Nothing he utters and expresses in words, be it under his breath or openly disclosed but is related in writing by the two angels who keep a watchful guard
Mir Aneesuddin   
he does not utter a word but one vigilant near him is ready.
The Wise Quran Project   
He does not utter any speech except with him is a ready watcher.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Not a word does he utter but there is a sentinel by him, ready (to note it)
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Not he utters any word but with him (is) an observer ready
OLD Transliteration   
Ma yalfithu min qawlin illa ladayhi raqeebun AAateedun