Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
Said [Pharaoh]: "And what of all the past generations?"
M. M. Pickthall
He said: What then is the state of the generations of old
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
(Pharaoh) said: "What then is the condition of previous generations?"
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
Pharaoh asked, “And what about previous peoples?”
Safi Kaskas
[Pharaoh] said, “Then what about the former generations?”
Wahiduddin Khan
Pharaoh asked, What about the previous generations
Shakir
He said: Then what is the state of the former generations
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
Pharaoh said: Then, what of the first generations?
T.B.Irving
He said: "So what was the attitude during earlier centuries?"
Abdul Hye
(Pharaoh) said: “Then what is the state of the old generations?”
The Study Quran
He said, “What, then, of former generations?
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
He asked, “What was the condition of the earlier generations?”
Talal Itani (2012)
He said, 'What about the first generations?'
Dr. Kamal Omar
He said: “So what had been the state of affairs of the previous generations?”
Pharoah asked: "What do you say about the condition of previous generations?"
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
He said, "Then what about the earliest generations?"
Muhammad Sarwar
He then asked, "What do you know about the past generations?"
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
He said, .Then, what is the status of the earlier generations?
Shabbir Ahmed
(Pharaoh in front of his courtiers thought up a tricky question). He said, "What then is the state of the previous generations?" (The forefathers of the dignitaries sitting around, who never believed in your Lord.
Dr. Munir Munshey
(The pharaoh) asked, "Then, what about the generations of yester years?"
Syed Vickar Ahamed
(Pharaoh) said: "Then what is the status of earlier generations?"
[Pharaoh] said, "Then what is the case of the former generations?"
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
He said: "What then has happened to the previous generations"
Abdel Haleem
He said, ‘What about former generations?’
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
He said: then what happened to the former generations
Ahmed Ali
(The Pharaoh) said: "And what about the former generations?"
Aisha Bewley
He said, ´What about the previous generations?´
Ali Ünal
(The Pharaoh) said: "Then, what is the case with the earlier generations (all of whom have passed away, how are they recompensed for their beliefs and deeds)?"
Ali Quli Qara'i
He said, ‘What about the former generations?’
Hamid S. Aziz
Said he (Pharaoh), "And what of the former generations?"
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
He said: “So, what about the previous generations?”
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
He said, “What then happened to previous generations?
Musharraf Hussain
He asked, “What about the previous generation?”
Maududi
Pharaoh asked: "Then, what is the state of the former generations?"
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
He said: "What then has happened to the previous generations?"
Mohammad Shafi
Pharaoh asked, "Then what about the earlier generations?"
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
Firawn said, 'what is the state of former generations'?
He said, "What about the past generations?"
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
He (Pharaoh) asked: 'How was it then, with the former generations?
Maulana Muhammad Ali
He said: What then is the state of the former generations
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
He said: "So what (about the) affair/condition (of) the first/beginning generations/centuries ?"
Bijan Moeinian
Pharaoh said: “What about the past generations (who were not as fortunate as me to have the Messengers of God like you)?”
Faridul Haque
Said Firaun, "What is the state of the former generations?"
Sher Ali
Pharaoh said, `What will be the fate of the former generations?
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
(Pharaoh) said: ‘So, what was the fate of former people (who did not believe in your Lord)?
Amatul Rahman Omar
(Pharaoh) said, `What will be the fate of the former generations (who did not believe in these things)?
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
(Firaun (Pharaoh)) said: "What about the generations of old?"
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
He said, “What then is the case of the former generations?”
Munir Mezyed
(Pharaoh) said: "What then is the condition of the past generations?"
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
He said: then what is the state of the earliest generations?
Linda “iLHam” Barto
(Pharaoh) asked, “So, what do you make of the previous generations [who did not worship the One God]?”
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
He said, “So what about the former generations?”
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
He said: "So what was the attitude during earlier centuries?"
Samy Mahdy
He said, “So, what is the condition of the first generations?”
Sayyid Qutb
Said [Pharaoh]: 'And what of all the past generations?'
Ahmed Hulusi
(Pharaoh) asked, “What about the previous generations? What will happen to them (for they have not seen this reality)?”
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli
(Pharaoh) said: 'What then is the state of the former generations?'
"What about the earlier generations!" asked Pharaoh, "and what say you to that!"
Mir Aneesuddin
He said, "Then what is the condition of earlier generations?"
The Wise Quran
He said, 'And what is the condition of the former generations?'