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Muhammad Asad   
so that anyone who seeks to learn [the unknowable] by stealth is pursued by a flame clear to see
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
except the one eavesdropping, who is then pursued by a visible flare.
Safi Kaskas   
Except for anyone who tries to eavesdrop [to learn the unknown]-he is pursued by a clear flame.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
إِلَّا مَنِ ٱسۡتَرَقَ ٱلسَّمۡعَ فَأَتۡبَعَهُۥ شِهَابࣱ مُّبِینࣱ ۝١٨
Transliteration (2021)   
illā mani is'taraqa l-samʿa fa-atbaʿahu shihābun mubīnu
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
Except (one) who steals the hearing, then follows him a burning flame clear.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
so that anyone who seeks to learn [the unknowable] by stealth is pursued by a flame clear to see
M. M. Pickthall   
Save him who stealeth the hearing, and them doth a clear flame pursue
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
But any that gains a hearing by stealth, is pursued by a flaming fire, bright (to see)
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
except the one eavesdropping, who is then pursued by a visible flare.
Safi Kaskas   
Except for anyone who tries to eavesdrop [to learn the unknown]-he is pursued by a clear flame.
Wahiduddin Khan   
but if anyone eavesdrops, he is pursued by a bright flaming fire
Shakir   
But he who steals a hearing, so there follows him a visible flame
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
but he who had the ability to hear by eavesdropping. Then, a clear flame pursued him.
T.B.Irving   
except for such as may try to eavesdrop, so a blazing meteor follows him.
Abdul Hye   
Except him (devil) who steals a hearing, he is pursued by a clear flaming fire.
The Study Quran   
save he who gains a hearing by stealth, and then a manifest flaming star pursues him
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
Except those who stealthily eavesdrop; a piercing flame pursues them.
Talal Itani (2012)   
Except one who steals a hearing, and is followed by a visible projectile
Dr. Kamal Omar   
except that (devil) who attempted theft of listening, so a manifestly clear flaming object chased him (to burn him to ashes)
M. Farook Malik   
Any Satan that steals a hearing, there follows him a fiery comet
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
Excepting him who (gains) hearing by stealth, (and) so an evidently flaming (meteor) follows him up
Muhammad Sarwar   
except for those who stealthily try to listen to the heavens, but who are chased away by a bright flame
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
but the one who tries to eavesdrop is chased by a clearly visible flame
Shabbir Ahmed   
(Allah is everywhere, not just in the skies. The Qur'an dispels all superstitions including the clairvoyants and fortunetellers spying onto His Court). The Shining Flame of Knowledge has now come to you to dispel the deceptive claims of every deceiver. (26:210-212), (37:8-9), (52:38), (67:5), (72:8-9)
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Occasionally, one of them eavesdrops, and a bright blazing meteor streaks after him
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
Except any that may gain a hearing by hiding away, is chased (out) by a flaming fire, bright (to see)
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
Except one who steals a hearing and is pursued by a clear burning flame
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Except he who manages to eavesdrop, he will be pursued clearly by a flaming meteor
Abdel Haleem   
any eavesdropper will be pursued by a clearly visible flame
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Save him who stealeth the hearing, and him there followeth a flame gleaming
Ahmed Ali   
Except the ones who listen on the sly, yet they are chased away by a shooting flame
Aisha Bewley   
except for the one who listens stealthily, and he is followed by an open flame.
Ali Ünal   
Excepting one who listens by stealth, and is pursued (and destroyed) by a shooting-star clear to see
Ali Quli Qara'i   
except someone who may eavesdrop, whereat there pursues him a manifest flame
Hamid S. Aziz   
But any that steal a hearing, there follows him a bright flaming fire (or shooting star)
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
except anyone who eavesdrops, then he is pursued by a visible shooting flame.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
But any who gains a hearing by stealth, is pursued by a bright burning flame
Musharraf Hussain   
except those who try to eavesdrop and are chased away by the fiery flame of a shooting star.
Maududi   
save him who may eavesdrop, and then a bright flame pursues him
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Except he who manages to eavesdrop, he will be pursued by a visible flame.
Mohammad Shafi   
Except that a visible flame follows the one that manages to steal a celestial secret.

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
But whoever goes to hear stealthily, then he is pursued by a bright flame.
Rashad Khalifa   
If any of them sneaks around to listen, a mighty projectile will chase him back.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Except for he who steals the listening and is then pursued by a visible flame
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
But he who steals a hearing; so there follows him a visible flame
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
Except who eavesdropped the hearing, so a clear/evident light from a fire source/a star followed him
Bijan Moeinian   
If they sneaks around to listen (to the heart beat of the stars as captured by radio telescopes,) a fiery flame will interrupt their trial
Faridul Haque   
Except one who comes to eavesdrop - therefore a bright flame goes after him
Sher Ali   
But if anyone hears stealthily something of revelation and distorts it, there pursues him a bright flame
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
But anyone who tries to eavesdrop, an illuminating (i.e., blazing) meteor follows it
Amatul Rahman Omar   
As to one who wishes to steal a hearing (of the revelation to distort it) a bright fiery flame pursues him
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
Except him (devil) that gains hearing by stealing, he is pursued by a clear flaming fire

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
excepting such as listens by stealth -- and he is pursued by a manifest flame
George Sale   
except him who listeneth by stealth, at whom a visible flame is darted
Edward Henry Palmer   
save from such as steal a hearing, and there follows him an obvious shooting-star
John Medows Rodwell   
Save such as steal a hearing: and him doth a visible flame pursue
N J Dawood (2014)   
Eavesdroppers are pursued by fiery comets

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
except the one that eavesdrops, he will be pursued by a clear shooting star.
Munir Mezyed   
Except for the one secretly listening, who is then pursued by a fiery meteor.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
But if one tries to listen secretly, then a visible shooting star pursues him.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Any eavesdropper will be pursued by a bright, flaming fire.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
except the one who eavesdrops and is followed by an evident meteor.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
except for such as may try to eavesdrop, so a blazing meteor follows him.
Samy Mahdy   
Except whoever would steal the hearing, so an obvious shooting star pursued him.
Sayyid Qutb   
so that anyone who tries to eavesdrop is pursued by a flame clear to see.
Ahmed Hulusi   
Except one who steals a hearing (associates the reality that becomes manifest therein to bodily life), is pursued by a clear blazing ball of fire (the Nur of the knowledge of the reality).
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
Save him who steals the hearing, so there pursues him a clear flame.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
He who peers inquisitively into the realm to steal whatever comes to his hearing of the secrets or future events is pursued by a flame of fire which does not miss
Mir Aneesuddin   
except him who steals a hearing, so a clear flame* follows him. * Probably a meteorite.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
But any that gains a hearing by stealth, is pursued by a flaming fire, bright (to see)
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Except (one) who steals the hearing, then follows him a burning flame clear
OLD Transliteration   
Illa mani istaraqa alssamAAa faatbaAAahu shihabun mubeenun