Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
they know but the outer surface of this world’s life, whereas of the ultimate things they are utterly unaware
M. M. Pickthall
They know only some appearance of the life of the world, and are heedless of the Hereafter
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
They know but the outer (things) in the life of this world: but of the End of things they are heedless
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
They ˹only˺ know the worldly affairs of this life, but are ˹totally˺ oblivious to the Hereafter.
Safi Kaskas
They only know the outward aspect of this worldly life, but they are unaware of the Hereafter.
Wahiduddin Khan
they only know the outward appearance of the life of this world, and they are neglectful of the Hereafter
Shakir
They know the outward of this world's life, but of the hereafter they are absolutely heedless
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
They know only that which is manifest in this present life. And of the world to come, they are ones who are heedless.
T.B.Irving
They recognize he outer show of worldly life, while they are heedless about the Hereafter.
Abdul Hye
They only know the outside appearance of the life of the world, and they are heedless of the Hereafter.
The Study Quran
They know some outward aspect of the life of this world, but of the Hereafter they are heedless
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
They know the superficial aspects of this worldly life, but they are oblivious to the Hereafter.
Talal Itani (2012)
They know an outer aspect of the worldly life, but they are heedless of the Hereafter
Dr. Kamal Omar
They know only the apparent from the immediate life, and they, about the after-effects — they are heedless, ignorant ones
They only know the outward show of this world’s life, but they are heedless about the life to come
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
They know an outward (part) of the present life, (Literally: lowly life, i.e., the life of this world) and of the Hereafter they, (it is) they who are heedless
Muhammad Sarwar
They only know the superficial realities of the worldly life and they are unaware of the life to come
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
They know something superficial of the worldly life, but of the Hereafter they are negligent
Shabbir Ahmed
They know and care only about the apparent instant gratifications of the life of this world, and remain oblivious to the Eternal life to come
Dr. Munir Munshey
In the life of this world, they know only the manifest, the perceptible. They are heedless of the afterlife
Syed Vickar Ahamed
They know only the appearance (the outer things) of life in this world: But they do not care for the end of (all) things
They know what is apparent of the worldly life, but they, of the Hereafter, are unaware
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
They only know the outside appearance of the worldly life; and regarding the Hereafter, they are ignorant
Abdel Haleem
they only know the outer surface of this present life and are heedless of the life to come
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
They know only the outward appearance of the life of the world, and they! of the Hereafter, they are neglecetful
Ahmed Ali
They only know the palpable life of this world, and are oblivious of the Hereafter
Aisha Bewley
They know an outward aspect of the life of this world but are heedless of the Next World.
Ali Ünal
They only know (what reaches to their senses from) the outward aspect of the life of this world, but they are heedless and unaware of (what lies beyond it and) the Hereafter
Ali Quli Qara'i
They know just an outward aspect of the life of the world, but they are oblivious of the Hereafter
Hamid S. Aziz
They know only the outward (appearance) in the life of this world, but of the Hereafter they are heedless
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
They know the appearance (and facade) of this world’s life while they are negligent of the Hereafter.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
They know only the outer things in the life of the present, but of the end of things they are ignorant
Musharraf Hussain
People know the outer nature of worldly life, but are unaware of the Hereafter.
Maududi
People simply know the outward aspect of the worldly life but are utterly heedless of the Hereafter
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
They only know the outside appearance of the worldly life; and regarding the Hereafter, they are ignorant
Mohammad Shafi
They know just what is apparent of the life of this world, and remain oblivious to the Hereafter
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
They know only the outer appearance of the worldly life, and they are fully unaware of the Hereafter.
They care only about things of this world that are visible to them, while being totally oblivious to the Hereafter.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
They know an outward part of this life, but of the Everlasting Life they are inattentive
Maulana Muhammad Ali
They know the outward of this world’s life, but of the Hereafter they are heedless
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
They know (what is) apparent/visible from the life the present/worldly life, and they are from the end (other life), they are ignoring/disregarding
Bijan Moeinian
People are so engaged in this worldly life that they are careless about Hereafter
Faridul Haque
They know only the visible worldly life; and are totally neglectful of the Hereafter
Sher Ali
They know only the outer part of the life of this world, and of the Hereafter they are utterly unmindful
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
They know only the visible worldly life, and they are neglectful and unaware of (the real life of) the Hereafter
Amatul Rahman Omar
They know only the apparent side of the present life, and they are completely unmindful of the next
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
They know only the outside appearance of the life of the world (i.e. the matters of their livelihood, like irrigating or sowing or reaping, etc.), and they are heedless of the Hereafter
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
They only know the outer life of this world but they are oblivious of the hereafter [which is the inner life].
Munir Mezyed
They (only) know outward manifestation of this worldly life, whereas of the Hereafter they are entirely heedless.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
They know the apparent of the life of this world and are careless of the hereafter.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
They know an outer aspect of the Earlier Life, but they are oblivious of the Hereafter.
Linda “iLHam” Barto
They only know what appears of this world. They are unaware of the hereafter.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
They recognize the outer show of worldly life, while they are heedless about the Hereafter.
Samy Mahdy
They know an outward from the Dunya (worldly) life, while they are about the Hereafter are inattentive.
Sayyid Qutb
They only know the outer surface of this world's life, whereas of the hereafter they remain unaware.
Thomas Cleary
They know the externals of the life of the world, but they are heedless of the ultimate end.
Ahmed Hulusi
Living in their cocoons, they are unaware of the eternal life to come; they only know and recognize the material aspect of the worldly life!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli
They know (only) the appearance of the life of this world and they are heedless of the Hereafter
They -people- only look at things in life with respect to the aspect presenting itself to a slight or casual mental view and they are deceived by the smiling surface of the deep. They fail to take into account what the deep end affecting them profoundly is like. They are allured by the mundane, and oblivious of the Hereafter
Mir Aneesuddin
They know the superficial (things) of the life of this world and they are unaware about the hereafter.
The Wise Quran
They know the outward of the worldly life, but of the hereafter they are heedless.