Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
[And We said:] “O David! Behold, We have made thee a [prophet and, thus, Our] vicegerent on earth: judge, then, between men with justice, and do not follow vain desire, lest it lead thee astray from the path of God: verily, for those who go astray from the path of God there is suffering severe in store for having forgotten the Day of Reckoning!”
Arthur John Arberry
'David, behold, We have appointed thee a viceroy in the earth; therefore judge between men justly, and follow not caprice, lest it lead thee astray from the way of God. Surely those who go astray from the way of God -- there awaits them a terrible chastisement, for that they have forgotten the Day of Reckoning.
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
O David! We did indeed make thee a vicegerent on earth: so judge thou between men in truth (and justice): Nor follow thou the lusts (of thy heart), for they will mislead thee from the Path of Allah: for those who wander astray from the Path of Allah, is a Penalty Grievous, for that they forget the Day of Account
Arabic
یَـٰدَاوُۥدُ إِنَّا جَعَلۡنَـٰكَ خَلِیفَةࣰ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَٱحۡكُم بَیۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ ٱلۡهَوَىٰ فَیُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ یَضِلُّونَ عَن سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمۡ عَذَابࣱ شَدِیدُۢ بِمَا نَسُوا۟ یَوۡمَ ٱلۡحِسَابِ ٢٦
Transliteration (2021)
yādāwūdu innā jaʿalnāka khalīfatan fī l-arḍi fa-uḥ'kum bayna l-nāsi bil-ḥaqi walā tattabiʿi l-hawā fayuḍillaka ʿan sabīli l-lahi inna alladhīna yaḍillūna ʿan sabīli l-lahi lahum ʿadhābun shadīdun bimā nasū yawma l-ḥisāb