Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
KNOW [O men] that the life of this world is but a play and a passing delight, and a beautiful show, and [the cause of] your boastful vying with one another, and [of your] greed for more and more riches and children. Its parable is that of [life-giving] rain: the herbage which it causes to grow delights the tillers of the soil; but then it withers, and thou canst see it turn yellow; and in the end it crumbles into dust. But [the abiding truth of man’s condition will become fully apparent] in the life to come: [either] suffering severe, or God’s forgiveness and His goodly acceptance: for the life of this world is nothing but an enjoyment of self-delusion
Arthur John Arberry
Know that the present life is but a sport and a diversion, an adornment and a cause for boasting among you, and a rivalry in wealth and children. It is as a rain whose vegetation pleases the unbelievers; then it withers, and thou seest it turning yellow, then it becomes broken orts. And in the world to come there is a terrible chastisement, and forgiveness from God and good pleasure; and the present life is but the joy of delusion
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
Know ye (all), that the life of this world is but play and amusement, pomp and mutual boasting and multiplying, (in rivalry) among yourselves, riches and children. Here is a similitude: How rain and the growth which it brings forth, delight (the hearts of) the tillers; soon it withers; thou wilt see it grow yellow; then it becomes dry and crumbles away. But in the Hereafter is a Penalty severe (for the devotees of wrong). And Forgiveness from Allah and (His) Good Pleasure (for the devotees of Allah). And what is the life of this world, but goods and chattels of deception
Arabic
ٱعۡلَمُوۤا۟ أَنَّمَا ٱلۡحَیَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡیَا لَعِبࣱ وَلَهۡوࣱ وَزِینَةࣱ وَتَفَاخُرُۢ بَیۡنَكُمۡ وَتَكَاثُرࣱ فِی ٱلۡأَمۡوَ ٰلِ وَٱلۡأَوۡلَـٰدِۖ كَمَثَلِ غَیۡثٍ أَعۡجَبَ ٱلۡكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُۥ ثُمَّ یَهِیجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصۡفَرࣰّا ثُمَّ یَكُونُ حُطَـٰمࣰاۖ وَفِی ٱلۡءَاخِرَةِ عَذَابࣱ شَدِیدࣱ وَمَغۡفِرَةࣱ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضۡوَ ٰنࣱۚ وَمَا ٱلۡحَیَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنۡیَاۤ إِلَّا مَتَـٰعُ ٱلۡغُرُورِ ٢٠
Transliteration (2021)
iʿ'lamū annamā l-ḥayatu l-dun'yā laʿibun walahwun wazīnatun watafākhurun baynakum watakāthurun fī l-amwāli wal-awlādi kamathali ghaythin aʿjaba l-kufāra nabātuhu thumma yahīju fatarāhu muṣ'farran thumma yakūnu ḥuṭāman wafī l-ākhirati ʿadhābun shadīdun wamaghfiratun mina l-lahi wariḍ'wānun wamā l-ḥayatu l-dun'yā illā matāʿu l-ghurūr