Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
The parable of the life of this world is but that of rain which We send down from the sky, and which is absorbed by the plants of the earth whereof men and animals draw nourishment, until -when the earth has assumed its artful adornment and has been embellished, and they who dwell on it believe that they have gained mastery over it -there comes down upon it Our judgment, by night or by day, and We cause it to become [like] a field mown down, as if there had been no yesterday. Thus clearly do We spell out these messages unto people who think
Arthur John Arberry
The likeness of this present life is as water that We send down out of heaven, and the plants of the earth mingle with it whereof men and cattle eat, till, when the earth has taken on its glitter and has decked itself fair, and its inhabitants think they have power over it, Our command comes upon it by night or day, and We make it stubble, as though yesterday it flourished not. Even so We distinguish the signs for a people who reflect
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
The likeness of the life of the present is as the rain which We send down from the skies: by its mingling arises the produce of the earth- which provides food for men and animals: (It grows) till the earth is clad with its golden ornaments and is decked out (in beauty): the people to whom it belongs think they have all powers of disposal over it: There reaches it Our command by night or by day, and We make it like a harvest clean-mown, as if it had not flourished only the day before! thus do We explain the Signs in detail for those who reflect
Arabic
إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ ٱلۡحَیَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَا كَمَاۤءٍ أَنزَلۡنَـٰهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَاۤءِ فَٱخۡتَلَطَ بِهِۦ نَبَاتُ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مِمَّا یَأۡكُلُ ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمُ حَتَّىٰۤ إِذَاۤ أَخَذَتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ زُخۡرُفَهَا وَٱزَّیَّنَتۡ وَظَنَّ أَهۡلُهَاۤ أَنَّهُمۡ قَـٰدِرُونَ عَلَیۡهَاۤ أَتَىٰهَاۤ أَمۡرُنَا لَیۡلًا أَوۡ نَهَارࣰا فَجَعَلۡنَـٰهَا حَصِیدࣰا كَأَن لَّمۡ تَغۡنَ بِٱلۡأَمۡسِۚ كَذَ ٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلۡءَایَـٰتِ لِقَوۡمࣲ یَتَفَكَّرُونَ ٢٤
Transliteration (2021)
innamā mathalu l-ḥayati l-dun'yā kamāin anzalnāhu mina l-samāi fa-ikh'talaṭa bihi nabātu l-arḍi mimmā yakulu l-nāsu wal-anʿāmu ḥattā idhā akhadhati l-arḍu zukh'rufahā wa-izzayyanat waẓanna ahluhā annahum qādirūna ʿalayhā atāhā amrunā laylan aw nahāran fajaʿalnāhā ḥaṣīdan ka-an lam taghna bil-amsi kadhālika nufaṣṣilu l-āyāti liqawmin yatafakkarūn