Quran 4:46 Translations

An-Nisa (the Women) 4:46

مِنَ الَّذِينَ هَادُوا يُحَرِّفُونَ الْكَلِمَ عَنْ مَوَاضِعِهِ وَيَقُولُونَ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا وَاسْمَعْ غَيْرَ مُسْمَعٍ وَرَاعِنَا لَيًّا بِأَلْسِنَتِهِمْ وَطَعْنًا فِي الدِّينِ وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَاسْمَعْ وَانْظُرْنَا لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ وَأَقْوَمَ وَلَكِنْ لَعَنَهُمُ اللَّهُ بِكُفْرِهِمْ فَلَا يُؤْمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا

Transliteration

Mina allatheena hadoo yuharrifoona alkalima AAan mawadiAAihi wayaqooloona samiAAna waAAasayna waismaAA ghayra musmaAAin waraAAina layyan bialsinatihim wataAAnan fee alddeeni walaw annahum qaloo samiAAna waataAAna waismaAA waonthurna lakana khayran lahum waaqwama walakin laAAanahumu Allahu bikufrihim fala yuminoona illa qaleelan

Ahmad Ali

Some among the Jews distort the words out of context and say (in place of the right words): "We have heard and do not obey;" and, "hear without hearing," and "listen to us," twisting their tongues and reviling the faith. But if they had said: "We have heard and obey," and, "hear and regard us," it would have been better for them and more appropriate. But God has disgraced them for their lack of belief; and so only a few of them believe.

Ali Qarai

Among the Jews are those who pervert words from their meanings and say, ‘We hear and disobey’ and ‘Hear without listening!’ and ‘Ra’ina,’ twisting their tongues and reviling the faith. But had they said, ‘We hear and obey’ and ‘Listen’ and ‘Unzurna,’ it would have been better for them and more upright. But Allah has cursed them for their faithlessness, so they will not believe except a few.

Amhad Khan

Some of the Jews interchange the words from their places and say, “We hear and disobey” – and they say “Hear- may you not be able to hear” – and they say “Raena (Be considerate towards us)” distorting it with their tongues and in order to slander religion; had they said, “We hear and we obey” and “Kindly listen to us, O dear Prophet,” and “Look mercifully upon us, O dear Prophet”, it would have been much better for them and more just – but Allah has cursed them for their disbelief; so they do not believe except a little.

Arberry

Some of the Jews pervert words from their meanings saying, 'We have heard and we disobey' and 'Hear, and be thou not given to hear' and 'Observe us,' twisting with their tongues and traducing religion. If they had said, 'We have heard and obey' and 'Hear' and 'Regard us,' it would have been better for them, and more upright; but God has cursed them for their unbelief so they believe not except a few.

Corpus Quran

Of those who are Jews, they distort the words from their places and they say, "We hear[d] and we disobey[ed]" and "Hear not to be heard and "Raina" twisting [with] their tongues and defaming [in] the religion. And if [that] they (had) said, "We hear[d] and we obey[ed]" and "Hear and look (at) us," surely it (would) have been better for them and more suitable. [And] but cursed them Allah for their disbelief, so not they believe except a few.

Daryabadi

Of those who are Judaised, are they who pervert Words from their meanings and say: We hear and we disobey, and: hear thou without being made to hear, and RA'INA, twisting their tongues and scoffing at the faith! And had they said: we hear and obey, and: hear thou, and: UNZURNA, it had surely been better for them and more upright. But Allah hath cursed them for their infidelity, wherefore they shall not believe, save a few.

Hilali & Khan

Among those who are Jews, there are some who displace words from (their) right places and say: "We hear your word (O Muhammad SAW) and disobey," and "Hear and let you (O Muhammad SAW) hear nothing." And Ra'ina with a twist of their tongues and as a mockery of the religion (Islam). And if only they had said: "We hear and obey", and "Do make us understand," it would have been better for them, and more proper, but Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not except a few.

Maududi

Among those who have become Jews there are some who alter the words from their context, and make a malicious play with their tongues and seek to revile the true faith. They say: 'We have heard and we disobey' (sami'na wa 'asayna), 'Do hear us, may you turn dumb' (isma' ghayr musma') and 'Hearken to us' (ra'ina). It would indeed have been better for them and more upright if they had said: 'We have heard and we obey' (sami'na wa ata'na) and: 'Do listen to us, and look at us (with kindness)' (wa isma' wa unzurna). But Allah has cursed them because of their disbelief. Scarcely do they believe.

Muhammad Sarwar

Some Jews take certain words out of context and by twisting their tongues to make a jest out of the true religion, say, "We heard and (in our hearts) disobeyed. (Muhammad) ra`ina (be kind to us) but they intend thereby (the meaning in their own language): "Listen! May God turn you deaf." They should have said, "We heard and obeyed. (Muhammad) listen and consider our question." This would have been better for them and more righteous. God has condemned them for their disbelief, thus, no one, except a few among them, will have faith.

Muhammad Shakir

Of those who are Jews (there are those who) alter words from their places and say: We have heard and we disobey and: Hear, may you not be made to hear! and: Raina, distorting (the word) with their tongues and taunting about religion; and if they had said (instead): We have heard and we obey, and hearken, and unzurna it would have been better for them and more upright; but Allah has cursed them on account of their unbelief, so they do not believe but a little.

Pickthall

Some of those who are Jews change words from their context and say: "We hear and disobey; hear thou as one who heareth not" and "Listen to us!" distorting with their tongues and slandering religion. If they had said: "We hear and we obey: hear thou, and look at us" it had been better for them, and more upright. But Allah hath cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, save a few.

Qaribullah

Some Jews tampered with the words (altering) their places saying: 'We have heard and we disobey' and 'Hear, without hearing' and 'Observe us (Ra'ina, in Hebrew means evil) ', twisting with their tongues traducing religion. But if they had said: 'We have heard and obey' and 'Hear' and 'Regard us' it would have been better for them, and more upright; but Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they do not believe, except a few.

Sahih Intl

Among the Jews are those who distort words from their [proper] usages and say, "We hear and disobey" and "Hear but be not heard" and "Ra'ina," twisting their tongues and defaming the religion. And if they had said [instead], "We hear and obey" and "Wait for us [to understand]," it would have been better for them and more suitable. But Allah has cursed them for their disbelief, so they believe not, except for a few.

Talal Itani

Among the Jews are some who take words out of context, and say, “We hear and we disobey”, and “Hear without listening”, and “Observe us,” twisting with their tongues and slandering the religion. Had they said, “We hear and we obey”, and “Listen”, and “Give us your attention,” it would have been better for them, and more upright. But God has cursed them for their disbelief; they do not believe except a little.

Wahihuddin Khan

Some Jews take words out of their context and say, "We have heard, but we disobey," or "Hear without listening." And they say "Look at us," twisting the phrase with their tongues so as to disparage religion. But if they had said, "We hear and we obey," and "Listen to us and look at us with favour," that would have been better and more proper for them. God has rejected them for their defiance so that they shall not believe, except a few of them.

Yusuf Ali

Of the Jews there are those who displace words from their (right) places, and say: "We hear and we disobey"; and "Hear what is not Heard"; and "Ra'ina"; with a twist of their tongues and a slander to Faith. If only they had said: "What hear and we obey"; and "Do hear"; and "Do look at us"; it would have been better for them, and more proper; but Allah hath cursed them for their Unbelief; and but few of them will believe.