Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
They would not prevent one another from doing whatever hateful things they did: vile indeed was what they were wont to do
M. M. Pickthall
They restrained not one another from the wickedness they did. Verily evil was that they used to do
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
Nor did they (usually) forbid one another the iniquities which they committed: evil indeed were the deeds which they did
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
They did not forbid one another from doing evil. Evil indeed was what they did!
Safi Kaskas
They did not prevent each other from doing hateful things. Their deeds were so evil!
Wahiduddin Khan
they would not prevent one another from doing the wrong things they did. Evil indeed were their deeds
Shakir
They used not to forbid each other the hateful things (which) they did; certainly evil was that which they did
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
They had not been forbidding one another from that which is unlawful that they committed. Miserable was what they had been committing!
T.B.Irving
They did not refrain from the debauchery they were indulging in; how awful is what they had been doing!
Abdul Hye
They did not forbid each another from wrong deeds they committed. Evil indeed was what they used to do.
The Study Quran
They would not forbid one another from the wrong they committed. Evil indeed is that which they used to do
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
They didn’t discourage each other from committing wrongs. Their deeds are reprehensible.
Talal Itani (2012)
They used not to prevent one another from the wrongs they used to commit. Evil is what they used to do
Dr. Kamal Omar
They had not been forbidding one another from the Munkar which they committed. Vile indeed is what they had been doing
They would not forbid one another from committing iniquities; evil indeed were their deeds
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
They used not to forbid one another any malfeasance that they performed. Miserable indeed was whatever they were performing
Muhammad Sarwar
They did not prevent each other from committing sins nor would they themselves stay away from them. Evil was what they had done
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
They did not forbid each other from any evil they committed. Evil indeed is what they have been doing
Shabbir Ahmed
They restrained not one another from violating the Divine Values. Miserable indeed was their behavior
Dr. Munir Munshey
They failed to forbid each other from committing the wrongful wicked deeds. What they used to do was definitely hideous
Syed Vickar Ahamed
Also (because) they did not (often) prevent one another from the iniquities that they committed: The deeds that they did were indeed evil
They used not to prevent one another from wrongdoing that they did. How wretched was that which they were doing
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
They would not stop each other from doing sin. Wickedness is what they used to do
Abdel Haleem
they did not forbid each other to do wrong. How vile their deeds were
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
They were wont not to desist from the evil they committed; vile is that which they have been doing
Ahmed Ali
They did not restrain one another from the wicked things they used to do; and vile were the things that they were doing
Aisha Bewley
They would not restrain one another from any of the wrong things that they did. How evil were the things they used to do!
Ali Ünal
They would not restrain one another from doing the evil they did: indeed evil was what they used to do
Ali Quli Qara'i
They would not forbid one another from the wrongs that they committed. Surely, evil is what they had been doing
Hamid S. Aziz
They would not restrain each other from the wickedness they did; verily, evil is that which they used to do
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
They were not stopping one another from the unacceptable (and wrong) which they did. What they were doing was certainly miserable.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
Nor did they discourage one another the immorality which they committed. Wrong indeed were the things they did
Musharraf Hussain
they didn’t condemn wrong in their society. They were wretched!
Maududi
They did not forbid each other from committing the abominable deeds they committed. Indeed what they did was evil
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
They would not stop each other from doing vice. Wickedness is what they used to do.
Mohammad Shafi
They were not forbidding one another from the forbidden things they did. What they did was certainly bad
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
Whatever bad they did they did not prohibit one other among themselves. Necessarily, they used to do evil things
They did not enjoin one another from committing evil. Miserable indeed is what they did
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
They did not forbid one another from the wrongdoing they were committing. Evil is what they were doing
Maulana Muhammad Ali
They forbade not one another the hateful things they did. Evil indeed was what they did
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
They were not forbidding/preventing each other from awfulness/obscenity they made/did it; how bad (is) what they were making/doing
Bijan Moeinian
They would not forbid each other of wrongdoings; what an evil way of life they had chosen [this indicates that encouraging the righteousness and forbidding the wrongdoings was a part of “original” Judeo-Christianity as it is one of the main pillars of Islam.]
Faridul Haque
They did not restrain one another from the evil they used to do; undoubtedly they used to commit extremely evil deeds
Sher Ali
They did not restrain one another from the iniquity which they committed. Evil indeed was what they used to do
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
(And they were also cursed because) they would not prevent one another from the evil deeds they used to do. Certainly, evil were the deeds they used to do
Amatul Rahman Omar
They did not prohibit one another from hateful things they committed. How evil were the practices they used to follow
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
They used not to forbid one another from the Munkar (wrong, evildoing, sins, polytheism, disbelief, etc.) which they committed. Vile indeed was what they used to do
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
They did not use to forbid one another from wickedness that they committed. Surely how woeful is all that they used to do.
Munir Mezyed
They did not forbid one another from the iniquitous deeds, they were committing. Verily evil was what they used to do.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
They did not stop each other from the wrongdoing they committed, bad is indeed what they used to do.
Linda “iLHam” Barto
They would not stop each other from doing the evil they committed. Their deeds were indeed horrible.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
They used not to forbid one another from any deplorable thing they did. Truly miserable is what they have been doing!
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
They did not refrain from the debauchery they were indulging in; how awful is what they had been doing!
Samy Mahdy
They had been not prohibiting each other from a denial they did, and how wretched is what they were doing.
Sayyid Qutb
They would never restrain one another from wrongdoing. Vile indeed were the things they did.
Ahmed Hulusi
They did not prevent one another from the bad deeds that they did. How wretched were their deeds!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli
They used not to restrain each other from any dishonour they committed. Certainly evil was that which they were doing!
They never exhorted each other to laudable conduct but they shut their eyes to iniquities and abuses. Evil indeed is what they perpetrated of atrocities and wrong deeds
Mir Aneesuddin
They did not forbid one another from (things) not recognised (as good) which they used to do, evil was that which they used to do.
The Wise Quran
They would not desist from bad, they did it; surely evil is what they used to do.