Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
He will say, "Oh, would that I had. provided beforehand for my life [to come]!"
M. M. Pickthall
He will say: Ah, would that I had sent before me (some provision) for my life
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
He will say: "Ah! Would that I had sent forth (good deeds) for (this) my (Future) Life!"
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
They will cry, “I wish I had sent forth ˹something good˺ for my ˹true˺ life.”
Safi Kaskas
He will say, "I wish I had provided for this life to come."
Wahiduddin Khan
He will say, Oh, would that I had provided beforehand for my life
Shakir
He shall say: O! would that I had sent before for (this) my life
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
He will say: O would that I had put forward from this life for the world to come!
T.B.Irving
He will say: "It´s too bad for me! What did I send on ahead during my lifetime?"
Abdul Hye
One will say: “Alas! Would that I had sent forth (good deeds) for my life?”
The Study Quran
He will say, “Would that I had sent forth for my life!
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
He will say, “Oh, I wish I had prepared for my life!”
Talal Itani (2012)
He will say, 'If only I had forwarded for my life.'
Dr. Kamal Omar
He will say: “Alas! Would that I had sent in advance (righteous deeds) for my life (in the new world)!
He will say: "Alas! Would that I had sent forth some good deeds for this life of mine."
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
He will say, "Oh would that I had forwarded some good for my (future) life!"
Muhammad Sarwar
He will say, "Would that I had done some good deeds for this life"
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
He will say, .O Would that I had sent ahead (some good deeds) for (this) my life!
Shabbir Ahmed
He will say, "Ah, I wish I had sent forth some good for my life!"
Dr. Munir Munshey
Man will say, "Alas! If only I had sent ahead of me (the good deeds) for this life of mine!"
Syed Vickar Ahamed
He (the man) will say: "Ah! Had I sent forward (good deeds) for my (future) Life!"
He will say, "Oh, I wish I had sent ahead [some good] for my life."
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
He says: "I wish I had worked towards my life!"
Abdel Haleem
He will say, ‘Would that I had provided for this life to come!’
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
He will say. 'would that I had sent before for this life of mine
Ahmed Ali
He will say: "Alas the woe! Would that I had sent ahead something in my life."
Aisha Bewley
He will say, ´Oh! If only I had prepared in advance for this life of mine!´
Ali Ünal
He will say: "Would that I had forwarded (some good deeds) for my life (to come)!"
Ali Quli Qara'i
He will say, ‘Alas, had I sent ahead for my life!’
Hamid S. Aziz
He will say, "Would that I had sent something forward for my life!"
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
He says: “I wish I had sent ahead (something) for my (new) life.”
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
He will say, “I wish that I had invested in my life.
Musharraf Hussain
They will say, “If only We had something to show for our lives!”
Maududi
He will say: "Would that I had sent ahead what would be of avail for this life of mine!"
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
He says: "I wish I had worked towards my life!"
Mohammad Shafi
Man will say, "Would that I had sent ahead for this life of mine!"
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
He will say, O would that I had sent forward some good works in my life.
He will say, "Oh, I wish I prepared for my (eternal) life."
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
He will say: 'Would that I had forwarded (good works) for my life!
Maulana Muhammad Ali
He will say: O would that I had sent before for (this) my life
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
He says: "Oh if only I advanced/presented/preceded for my life."
Bijan Moeinian
Then man will be sorry that he has not sent any good deed as a preparation for his life after death
Faridul Haque
He will say, “Alas – if only I had sent some good deeds ahead, during my lifetime!”
Sher Ali
He will say, `O, would that I had sent on some good works for my life here !
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
He will say: ‘Would that I had sent (something) ahead of me for my (real) life (which would have helped me Today)!
Amatul Rahman Omar
He will say, `O would that I had sent forward (some good deeds as a provision) for this my life here (on this side).
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
He will say: "Alas! Would that I had sent forth (good deeds) for (this) my life!"
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
He will say, “If only I had sent forth [good deeds] for [this] life of mine.”
Munir Mezyed
He will regretfully say: "Alas! I wish I had sent forth righteous acts for my life!"
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
He will say: woe to me, if only I had sent (something) ahead for my life.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
He says, “If only I had put forth something (good) for my life.”
Linda “iLHam” Barto
A person will say, “Oh, if only I had invested in my life!”
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
He will say: "It's too bad for me! What did I send on ahead during my lifetime?"
Samy Mahdy
He will say, “Oh, I wish I had forwarded it for my life.”
Sayyid Qutb
He shall say, 'Oh, would that I had prepared for my life!'
Thomas Cleary
They will say, "Oh, would that I had prepared for my life!"
Ahmed Hulusi
He will say “I wish I had done beneficial things (raised my consciousness level to observe the Names).”
Torres Al Haneef (partial translation)
He will say: 'If only I had sent ahead (some good deeds) for (this) my (future) life!'
He will wish he had done better in life than what he used to perpetrate
Mir Aneesuddin
He will say, "I wish I had sent (good deeds) before, for my life (after death).
The Wise Quran
He will say, 'O I wish I had sent forward for my life.'