Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
"[It is] they whose labour has gone astray in [the pursuit of no more than] this world's life, and who none the less think that they are doing good works
M. M. Pickthall
Those whose effort goeth astray in the life of the world, and yet they reckon that they do good work
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
"Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works?"
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
˹They are˺ those whose efforts are in vain in this worldly life, while they think they are doing good!”
Safi Kaskas
They are those whose efforts are lost in worldly pursuits, while they think that they are doing good work.”
Wahiduddin Khan
They are those whose efforts have been wasted in the life of the world while they thought they were doing good
Shakir
(These are) they whose labor is lost in this world's life and they think that they are well versed in skill of the work of hands
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
It is those whose endeavoring went astray in this present life while they assume that they are doing good by their handiwork.
T.B.Irving
Those whose effort led them astray during worldly life, while they reckoned they were producing something fine,
Abdul Hye
Those whose efforts have been wasted in the worldly life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds
The Study Quran
Those whose efforts go astray in the life of this world, while they reckon that they are virtuous in their works.
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
“Those whose efforts in this worldly life are misguided, while they assume themselves to be doing well in work.”
Talal Itani (2012)
'Those whose efforts in this world are misguided, while they assume that they are doing well.'
Dr. Kamal Omar
those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they assess that they are acquiring good through their deeds?
Those whose all efforts in this worldly life had gone astray from the Right Way, but all along they were under the delusion that they were doing good deeds
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
The ones whose endeavor errs away in the present life, (Literally: the lowly life, i.e., the life of this world) and they reckon that they are doing fair work
Muhammad Sarwar
It will be those who labor a great deal in this life but without guidance, yet think that they are doing a great many good deeds
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
Those are the ones whose effort in the worldly life has gone in vain, while they think they are doing well
Shabbir Ahmed
They are the ones whose effort in the life of the world remains misdirected. And yet they think that they are doing good work. (They work in the wrong cause, contrary to the Divine Reminder)
Dr. Munir Munshey
"They are those who (in reality) squander away their efforts in the life of this world, yet regard their deeds to be good."
Syed Vickar Ahamed
"Those whose actions were wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works?"
[They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work."
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
"Those whose efforts in the worldly life were wasted while they thought they were doing good!"
Abdel Haleem
whose efforts in this world are misguided, even when they think they are doing good work
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
They are those whose effort is wasted in the life of the world, and they deem that they are doing well in performance
Ahmed Ali
Theirs whose effort is misspent in pursuit of the pleasures of the world, even though they think they are doing good things."
Aisha Bewley
People whose efforts in the life of the dunya are misguided while they suppose that they are doing good.´
Ali Ünal
"Those whose endeavor has been wasted in this world (because it is directed only to this-worldly ends, and so it is bound to be wasted hereafter also) but who themselves reckon that they are doing good."
Ali Quli Qara'i
Those whose endeavour goes awry in the life of the world, while they suppose they are doing good.’
Hamid S. Aziz
Those who erred in their endeavours in the life of this world, and who thought they were acquiring good by their deeds."
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
Those whose effort is lost in this world’s life, and they think indeed they do good.”
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
“Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life, while they thought that they were acquiring good by their works?
Musharraf Hussain
Whose efforts were misguided, yet they thought they were doing good work:
Maududi
It will be those whose effort went astray in the life of the world and who believe nevertheless that they are doing good
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
"Those whose efforts in the worldly life were wasted while they thought they were doing good!"
Mohammad Shafi
"They are those whose efforts in the life of this world are misdirected and they think that they are doing good work!"
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
Those whose all struggles were lost in the life of the world and they imagine that they are doing good work.
"They are the ones whose works in this life are totally astray, but they think that they are doing good."
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
(They are) those whose striving in this world go astray, while they think that what they are doing are good deeds
Maulana Muhammad Ali
Those whose effort goes astray in this world’s life, and they think that they are making good manufactures
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
Those whom their endeavors/striving (was) wasted/lost in the life the present/worldly life and they, they think/suppose that they, they do good work/performance
Bijan Moeinian
“They are the ones who think what they are doing is good and that all their good deeds are nullified.”
Faridul Haque
"Of those whose efforts are lost in (pursuit of) the life of this world, and they think that they are doing good deeds."
Sher Ali
`Those whose labour is all lost in pursuit of the life of this world, and yet they imagine that they are doing good works.
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
It is those whose entire struggle is wasted in worldly life, but they presume they are doing good works.
Amatul Rahman Omar
(They are) those whose efforts are (all) lost in (pursuit of things relating to) the life of this world, yet they think they are doing works of good manufacturing
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
"Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
They whose efforts have gone in vain in the life of this world while they think that they are performing an excellent work.”
Munir Mezyed
They are those whose efforts are in vain in this worldly life, and yet they think that they are doing good’.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
Those whose effort went astray in the life of the world and they reckon that they have done well.
Linda “iLHam” Barto
“They are those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought they were acquiring good by their works.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
Those whose efforts in the Earlier Life have gone astray, while they assume that they are doing well.”
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
Those whose effort led them astray during worldly life, while they thought they were producing something fine,
Samy Mahdy
“Those whose striving in the Dunya (this world) life was strayed, while they are assuming that they excel at making.”
Sayyid Qutb
It is they whose labour in this world has been misguided, and who nonetheless think that what they do is right.
Ahmed Hulusi
They are the ones whose efforts in the worldly life have gone to waste while they thought they were doing good!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli
Those whose effort is lost in this world's life, while they think that they are working good deeds.
"They are those who presumed upon Providence and conducted themselves in life according to false concepts and they thought they were doing what is right"
Mir Aneesuddin
Those (are the persons) who misdirect their efforts in the life of this world but they think that they are doing good work.
The Wise Quran
Those who erred in their endeavours in the worldly life, and who think they are doing good deeds.'