Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
They would conceal their doings from men; but from God they cannot conceal them - for He is with them whenever they devise, in the dark of night, all manner of beliefs which He does not approve. And God indeed encompasses [with His knowledge] whatever they do
M. M. Pickthall
They seek to hide from men and seek not to hide from Allah. He is with them when by night they hold discourse displeasing unto Him. Allah ever surroundeth what they do
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
They may hide (Their crimes) from men, but they cannot hide (Them) from Allah, seeing that He is in their midst when they plot by night, in words that He cannot approve: And Allah Doth compass round all that they do
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
They try to hide ˹their deception˺ from people, but they can never hide it from Allah—in Whose presence they plot by night what is displeasing to Him. And Allah is Fully Aware of what they do.
Safi Kaskas
They try to hide their actions from men, but from God, they cannot hide them. God is with them while they are plotting during the night, saying things that are displeasing to Him. God is fully aware of everything they do.
Wahiduddin Khan
They feel ashamed before men but do not feel ashamed before God, despite His being present with them when they plot at night, uttering things of which He does not approve; and indeed God is fully aware of what they do
Shakir
They hide themselves from men and do not hide themselves from Allah, and He is with them when they meditate by night words which please Him not, and Allah encompasses what they do
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
They conceal themselves from humanity, but they conceal themselves not from God, as He is with them when they spend the night planning with sayings with which He is not well-pleased. God had been One Who Encloses what they do.
T.B.Irving
They may try to hide from people while they can never hide from God: He stands alongside them when they spend the night talking about something He does not approve of; God surrounds anything they do.
Abdul Hye
They may hide (their crimes) from people, but they cannot hide from Allah. As He is with them even when they plot by night in words what He does not approve. And Allah encompasses of what they do.
The Study Quran
They seek to hide themselves from men, but they cannot hide from God. He is with them when they conspire by night with words displeasing to Him, and God encompasses whatsoever they do
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
They hide from people, but they can’t hide from God. He is with them when they plan at night with words He disapproves of. God encompasses all their actions.
Talal Itani (2012)
They hide from the people, but they cannot hide from God. He is with them, as they plot by night with words He does not approve. God comprehends what they do
Dr. Kamal Omar
They will conceal (their undesirable acts) from men, but they will not conceal (their actions) from Allah, for He is with them when they prepare their plot and strategy in the darkness of the night what He does not approve in wording. And Allah is All-Encompassor over what they will bring into action
They might be able to hide their crimes from people, but they cannot hide from Allah. He is with them even when they plot by night in words that He cannot approve. Allah encompasses all their actions
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
They seek to conceal themselves from (other) men, (Literally: mankind) and they do not seek to conceal themselves from Allah, and He is with them as they brood by night a saying with which He is not satisfied; and Allah has been Supremely Encompassing of whatever they do
Muhammad Sarwar
They hide their sins from other people but they cannot hide themselves from God who is constantly with them, even when they hold nocturnal meetings, a thing which God does not like. God comprehends all that they do
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
They feel shy before people, but do not feel shy before Allah. He (Allah) is with them when they make plans at night to give a statement He (Allah) does not like. Allah encompasses whatever they do
Shabbir Ahmed
They seek to hide from people and do not seek to hide from Allah! He is with them when they discuss and plot by night that which He dislikes. And Allah encompasses with His Knowledge all they do
Dr. Munir Munshey
They conceal (their deeds) from mankind, but they cannot (ever) conceal anything from Allah. He is there with them at night, when they plot and utter (blasphemous) words that displease Him. Indeed, Allah surrounds them with (a complete knowledge of) what they do
Syed Vickar Ahamed
They may hide (their crimes) from men but they cannot hide (them) from Allah, seeing that He is in their middle when they plot by night in words that He cannot approve: And Allah does compass round all that they do
They conceal [their evil intentions and deeds] from the people, but they cannot conceal [them] from Allah , and He is with them [in His knowledge] when they spend the night in such as He does not accept of speech. And ever is Allah , of what they do, encompassing
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
They may conceal this from the people, but they do not conceal it from God, and He was with them when they schemed what He does not approve of to be said. God is Encompassing what they do
Abdel Haleem
They try to hide themselves from people, but they cannot hide from God. He is with them when they plot at night, saying things that do not please Him: He is fully aware of everything they do
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
They feel ashamed of men and feel not ashamed of Allah, whereas He is Present with them when by night they plan together of discourse which pleaseth Him not; and Allah is of that which they work ever an Encompasser
Ahmed Ali
They try to hide from (men), but they cannot hide from God who is with them at night when they discuss such matters as He does not approve; but what they do is well within the compass of God
Aisha Bewley
They try to conceal themselves from people, but they cannot conceal themselves from Allah. He is with them when they spend the night saying things which are not pleasing to Him. Allah encompasses everything they do.
Ali Ünal
They strive to hide (their evil deeds) from people but they do not strive to hide from God, whereas He is always with them when they hold night counsels displeasing to Him. God indeed encompasses (with His Knowledge, Seeing, Hearing and Power) all that they do
Ali Quli Qara'i
They try to hide [their real character] from people, but they do not try to hide from Allah, though He is with them when they conspire overnight with a discourse that He does not approve of. And Allah comprehends whatever they do
Hamid S. Aziz
They hide themselves from men; but they cannot hide themselves from Allah, for He is in their midst while they brood at night (in darkness or in secret) in words (thoughts, concepts, attitudes) that please Him not; but Allah encompasses all they do
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
They hide (their treachery) from people, and they do not hide it from God while He is with them when they deliberate at night about words that do not please Him. God surrounds (and has complete knowledge of and power over) what they do.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
They may hide their crimes from people, but they cannot hide them from God, seeing that He is in their presence as they plot by night, in words that He does not approve, and God compasses round all that they do
Musharraf Hussain
They try to hide from people, but they can’t hide from Allah; He is with them as they talk late into the night about things that displease Him. Allah is aware of what they do
Maududi
They can hide (their deeds) from men but they cannot hide (them) from Allah for He is with them even when they hold nightly counsels that are unpleasing to Allah. Allah encompasses all their doings
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
They may conceal this from the people, but they do not conceal it from God, and He was with them when they schemed what He does not approve of to be said. God is Encompassing what they do.
Mohammad Shafi
They may conceal things from people and not from Allah; for, He is with them when they draw secret schemes, which please Him not. And Allah is in complete control of what they do
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
They hide from men, but hide not from Allah and Allah is with them when they design in their hearts that thing which is disliked by Allah. And Allah has encompassed their doings.
They hide from the people, and do not care to hide from GOD, though He is with them as they harbor ideas He dislikes. GOD is fully aware of everything they do.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
They seek to hide themselves from the people, but they do not hide themselves from Allah for He is with them when they hide the saying that does not please Him. Allah encompasses what they do
Maulana Muhammad Ali
They seek to hide from men and they cannot hide from Allah, and He is with them when they counsel by night matters which please Him not. And Allah ever encompasses what they do
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
They hide from the people and they do not hide from God, and He is with them when they scheme at night what He does not accept/approve from the saying, and God was/is with what they do surrounding/enveloping
Bijan Moeinian
These hypocrites may hide what is in their heart but God is aware of their plotting in the midst of night [against Islam.] God is fully aware of what they do
Faridul Haque
They hide from men and do not hide from Allah, whereas Allah is with them when they plan in their hearts that which displeases Him; and Allah has their deeds encompassed
Sher Ali
They seek to hide their designs from men, but they cannot hide them from ALLAH; and HE is present with them when they plot at night about matters which HE does not approve. And ALLAH encompasses what they do
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
They hide (their deceitfulness) from people (feeling ashamed), but feel no shame before Allah, whilst He is with them when they hold consultations (secretly) at night about that matter which Allah disapproves. And Allah has encompassed whatever they do
Amatul Rahman Omar
They seek to hide (their crimes) from the people, but they cannot hide from Allah; and He is present with them when they pass the night in holding discourses which does not please Him. And Allah encompasses all that they do (until He puts an end to their evil ways)
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
They may hide (their crimes) from men, but they cannot hide (them) from Allah, for He is with them (by His Knowledge), when they plot by night in words that He does not approve, And Allah ever encompasses what they do
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
They hide from people - while they cannot hide from Allah - for He is with them when they deliberate at night such words that He does not please and Allah is indeed All-encompassing around all that they do.
Munir Mezyed
They may hide their evil deeds from the people, but they cannot hide them from Allâh. He is with them by His Knowledge when they harbor at night ideas, which He disapproves. And Allâh ever encompasses what they do.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
They try to hide from people but cannot hide from Allah and He is with them when they contrive unacceptable statements, and Allah surrounds what they do.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
They seek to hide from mankind, but they do not seek to hide from Allah, and He is with them when they conspire, (using) what He does not accept of speech. And Allah has always been All-Encompassing of what they do.
Linda “iLHam” Barto
They may hide from other people, but they cannot hide from Allah. He is with them when they plot by night, using words offensive to Him. Allah encompasses whatever they do.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
They may try to hide from people while they can never hide from Allah (God): He stands alongside them when they spend the night talking about something He does not approve of; Allah (God) surrounds anything they do.
Samy Mahdy
They hide from the people, and not hide from Allah. While He is with them, when they planned at night, which He is not satisfied, from the saying. And Allah is with what they are working, Encompassing.
Sayyid Qutb
They conceal their doings from men, but they cannot conceal them from God; for He is present with them when, in the darkness of the night, they agree all manner of sayings which displease Him. God certainly encompasses [with His knowledge] whatever they do.
Thomas Cleary
They may hide from the people, but they do not hide from God; for God is with them when they scheme in words God does not sanction. And God comprehends whatever they do.
Ahmed Hulusi
(The two-faced hypocrites) can hide from others but not from Allah! For He was present with them (according to Sufism this denotes the unity of existence; that Allah creates every iota of existence with His Names) when they were plotting during the night, things which He does not like. Allah encompasses what they do!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli
They (the treacherous) hide from people but they hide not from Allah; while He is with them when they hold nightly discourses that do not please Him. And Allah encompasses what they do
They hide their evil deeds to conceal them from the notice of others, but how can they conceal them from the notice of Allah when He is Omnipresent. Their reasoning when they are alone. at night admits a discourse to their dishonesty and to their disposition against the principles of Allah. But Allah's Omnipresence besets them on all sides and it follows that He has always been Cognizant of all that they do
Mir Aneesuddin
They hide themselves from human beings but cannot hide themselves from Allah, and He is with them when they spend the night (in discussing) in words which do not please Him, and Allah encompasses what they do.
The Wise Quran
They hide themselves from men; but they cannot hide themselves from God, for He is with them while they brood at night over speeches that do not please Him; and God encompasses what they do.