Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
But then, is he that goes along with his face close to the ground better guided than he that walks upright on a straight way
M. M. Pickthall
Is he who goeth groping on his face more rightly guided, or he who walketh upright on a straight road
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
Is then one who walks headlong, with his face grovelling, better guided,- or one who walks evenly on a Straight Way
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
Who is ˹rightly˺ guided: the one who crawls facedown or the one who walks upright on the Straight Path?
Safi Kaskas
Is he who walks, stumbles and falls on his face better guided or he who walks upright on a straight path?
Wahiduddin Khan
Is he who walks grovelling upon his face better guided, or he who walks upright upon a straight path
Shakir
What! is he who goes prone upon his face better guided or he who walks upright upon a straight path
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
Then is whoever walks as one who is prone on his face better guided, or he who walks without fault on a straight path?
T.B.Irving
And is someone who walks along with his face bent down better guided than someone who walks properly along a Straight Road?
Abdul Hye
Who is more rightly guided: one who walks with his face bend down without seeing, or the one who sees and walks upright on a Right Way?
The Study Quran
Is one who walks with his face stooped down more guided, or one who walks upright upon a straight path
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
Who is better guided: the one who walks face down, or the one who walks upright on a straight path?
Talal Itani (2012)
Is he who walks bent on his own design better guided, or he who walks upright on a straight path
Dr. Kamal Omar
So then that one who is grovelling on his face is better guided or he who walks upright on a Permanent Path
Just think, who is rightly guided: he who walks with his face bent down, or he who walks properly on an even path
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
Then, is he who walks tossed down upon his face better guided than he who walks (perfectly) level on a straight Path
Muhammad Sarwar
Can one who walks with his head hanging down be better guided that one who walks with his head upright
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
Then, is the one who walks falling down (frequently) on his face more right or the one who walks properly on a straight path
Shabbir Ahmed
Is the one who goes prone on his face close to the ground (like an earthworm), better guided or one who walks straight on the Straight Path
Dr. Munir Munshey
So who (do you think) is better guided? The one crawling on his face groping (to find his way), or the one walking upright along the straight path?"
Syed Vickar Ahamed
Is then (the man) who walks headlong, with his face bitter and marred, better guided— Or the one who walks evenly on the Straight Path
Then is one who walks fallen on his face better guided or one who walks erect on a straight path
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
Is one who walks while his face is slumped better guided, or one who walks straight on the right pat
Abdel Haleem
Who is better guided: someone who falls on his face, or someone who walks steadily on a straight path
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
Is he, then, who goeth about grovelling upon his face better directed, or he who walketh evenly on a straight path
Ahmed Ali
Will he find the way who grovels flat on his face, or he who walks straight on the right path
Aisha Bewley
Who is better guided: he who goes grovelling on his face or he who walks upright on a straight path?
Ali Ünal
(Now consider:) Is one who goes prone upon his face (with no breadth or depth to his line of sight, barely seeing what is touching his face) better guided, or one who goes upright (with a clear line of sight to what is ahead of him) on a straight path
Ali Quli Qara'i
Is he who walks prone on his face better guided, or he who walks upright on a straight path
Hamid S. Aziz
What! Is he who goes prone upon his face better guided or he who walks upright upon a Straight Way
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
Is someone who walks with his face downward (not seeing what is in front of him) better guided or someone who walks properly on a straight path?
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
Is then one who walks headlong with his face groveling better guided or one who walks evenly on a straight path
Musharraf Hussain
Who is more guided: the one who walks grovelling, looking down and falls flat on his face, or the one who walks upright on a straight path?
Maududi
Who is better guided: he who walks grovelling on his face, or he who walks upright on a Straight Path
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
Is one who walks while his face is slumped better guided, or one who walks straight on the right path
Mohammad Shafi
Is he who walks falling on his face [stumbling] better guided, or he who walks upright on a straight road
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
Is he who walks prone on his face better guided than he who walks upright on a straight path?
Is one who walks while slumped over on his face better guided, or one who walks straight on the right path?
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
What, is he who walks, falling upon his face, more guided than he who walks upright on a Straight Path
Maulana Muhammad Ali
Is, then, he who goes prone upon his face better guided or he who walks upright on a straight path
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
Is who walks up-side-down/facing down on his face/front more guided? Or who walks straight/upright on a straight/direct road/way
Bijan Moeinian
Tell Me, which one is better, walking upright on a smooth road or putting head down like the cattle and following rest of the herd
Faridul Haque
So is one who walks inverted upon his face more rightly guided, or one who walks upright on the Straight Path
Sher Ali
What ! is he who walks groveling upon his face better guided, or he who walks upright on the straight path
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
Is he who walks in prone position more rightly guided, or he who walks upright on a straight path
Amatul Rahman Omar
Is he, who goes groveling on his face, better guided or he who walks upright on a straight and right path
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
Is he who walks without seeing on his face, more rightly guided, or he who (sees and) walks on a Straight Way (i.e. Islamic Monotheism)
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
Is He who walks cast down on his face better guided or one who walks straight on a path most upright?
Munir Mezyed
Is he who walks with his head hanging down more rightly guided, or he who walks upright on a straight path?
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
Is he who walks with his face stuck to the ground better guided or who walks upright on a straight path?
Linda “iLHam” Barto
Is one who walks stumbling, falling on his/her face, better guided, or one who walks evenly on the Straight Way?
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
Is one who walks bent on his own face better guided or one who walks upright on a straight path?
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
And is someone who walks along with his face bent down better guided than someone who walks properly along a Straight Road?
Samy Mahdy
So is he who walks tossed on his face better guided, or he who walks upright on a straight path?
Ahmed Hulusi
Is one who blindly crawls on his face better guided or the one who walks upright upon the straight path?
Mir Aneesuddin
Then, is he who walks headlong on his face better guided or he who walks balanced (on his feet and) on the straight path?
Does the one who walks stumbling and stooping with his head drooped and his face downwards, turning away from the path of righteousness, compare with the one who walks erect with his mind's eye on the straight path
The Wise Quran
Then is he who walks prone upon his face more guided or he who walks upright upon a straight way?