Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
And they have been succeeded by [new] generations who - [in spite of] having inherited the divine writ-clutch but at the fleeting good of this lower world and say, "We shall be forgiven, the while they are ready, if another such fleeting good should come their way, to clutch at it [and sin again]. Have they not been solemnly pledged through the divine writ not to attribute unto God aught but what is true, and [have they not] read again and again all that is therein? Since the life in the hereafter is the better [of the two] for all who are conscious of God -will you not, then, use your reason
Arthur John Arberry
And there succeeded after them a succession who inherited the Book, taking the chance goods of this lower world, and saying, 'It will be forgiven us'; and if chance goods the like of them come to them, they will take them. Has not the compact of the Book been taken touching them, that they should say concerning God nothing but the truth? And they have studied what is in it; and the Last Abode is better for those who are godfearing. Do you not understand
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
After them succeeded an (evil) generation: They inherited the Book, but they chose (for themselves) the vanities of this world, saying (for excuse): "(Everything) will be forgiven us." (Even so), if similar vanities came their way, they would (again) seize them. Was not the covenant of the Book taken from them, that they would not ascribe to Allah anything but the truth? and they study what is in the Book. But best for the righteous is the home in the Hereafter. Will ye not understand
Arabic
فَخَلَفَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِمۡ خَلۡفࣱ وَرِثُوا۟ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ یَأۡخُذُونَ عَرَضَ هَـٰذَا ٱلۡأَدۡنَىٰ وَیَقُولُونَ سَیُغۡفَرُ لَنَا وَإِن یَأۡتِهِمۡ عَرَضࣱ مِّثۡلُهُۥ یَأۡخُذُوهُۚ أَلَمۡ یُؤۡخَذۡ عَلَیۡهِم مِّیثَـٰقُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ أَن لَّا یَقُولُوا۟ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ إِلَّا ٱلۡحَقَّ وَدَرَسُوا۟ مَا فِیهِۗ وَٱلدَّارُ ٱلۡءَاخِرَةُ خَیۡرࣱ لِّلَّذِینَ یَتَّقُونَۚ أَفَلَا تَعۡقِلُونَ ١٦٩
Transliteration (2021)
fakhalafa min baʿdihim khalfun warithū l-kitāba yakhudhūna ʿaraḍa hādhā l-adnā wayaqūlūna sayugh'faru lanā wa-in yatihim ʿaraḍun mith'luhu yakhudhūhu alam yu'khadh ʿalayhim mīthāqu l-kitābi an lā yaqūlū ʿalā l-lahi illā l-ḥaqa wadarasū mā fīhi wal-dāru l-ākhiratu khayrun lilladhīna yattaqūna afalā taʿqilūn