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Muhammad Asad   
Or have they a ladder by which they could [ascend to ultimate truths and] listen [to what is beyond the reach of human perception]? Let, then, any of them who have listened [to it] produce a manifest proof [of his knowledge]
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Or do they have a stairway, by which they eavesdrop ˹on the heavens˺? Then let those who do so bring a compelling proof.
Safi Kaskas   
Or do they have a stairway [into the heaven] to climb and eavesdrop? Then let their eavesdropper produce clear proof.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
أَمۡ لَهُمۡ سُلَّمࣱ یَسۡتَمِعُونَ فِیهِۖ فَلۡیَأۡتِ مُسۡتَمِعُهُم بِسُلۡطَـٰنࣲ مُّبِینٍ ۝٣٨
Transliteration (2021)   
am lahum sullamun yastamiʿūna fīhi falyati mus'tamiʿuhum bisul'ṭānin mubīni
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
Or for them (is) a stairway, they listen therewith? Then let bring, their listener, an authority clear.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
Or have they a ladder by which they could [ascend to ultimate truths and] listen [to what is beyond the reach of human perception]? Let, then, any of them who have listened [to it] produce a manifest proof [of his knowledge]
M. M. Pickthall   
Or have they any stairway (unto heaven) by means of which they overhear (decrees). Then let their listener produce some warrant manifest
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Or have they a ladder, by which they can (climb up to heaven and) listen (to its secrets)? Then let (such a) listener of theirs produce a manifest proof
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Or do they have a stairway, by which they eavesdrop ˹on the heavens˺? Then let those who do so bring a compelling proof.
Safi Kaskas   
Or do they have a stairway [into the heaven] to climb and eavesdrop? Then let their eavesdropper produce clear proof.
Wahiduddin Khan   
Have they a ladder up to heaven by means of which they can overhear? Then let their listeners bring a clear proof
Shakir   
Or have they the means by which they listen? Then let their listener bring a clear authority
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
Or have they a ladder by means of which they listen? Then, let ones who are listening bring a clear authority.
T.B.Irving   
Or have they some ladder from which to eavesdrop? Let their eavesdropper bring some clear authority!
Abdul Hye   
Or do they have a stairway (to heaven), by means of which they listen (to the talks of the angels)? Then let their listener produce some clear proof.
The Study Quran   
Or do they have a ladder whereby they listen? Then let their listener bring a clear warrant
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
Or do they have a ladder by which they can listen in? Then, let their listener produce clear authority.
Talal Itani (2012)   
Or do they have a stairway by means of which they listen? Then let their listener produce a clear proof
Dr. Kamal Omar   
Or, for them is a receiver they listen to therein (the secret signals of the heavenly administration)? Then let their listener approach with evident power
M. Farook Malik   
Do they have a stairway to heaven by means of which they overhear Him? If so, let any of them who overheard Him, bring clear proof
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
Or even do they have a ladder wherein they listen? Then let their listener come up with an evident, all- binding authority
Muhammad Sarwar   
Do they have a ladder (by which they can climb up to the heavens) and listen (to the angels) and come back to the rest of the people with clear authority
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Or have they a stairway (to the heavens) by means of which they listen (to the divine decrees)? If so, their listener must bring a clear proof
Shabbir Ahmed   
Or do they have a stairway of knowledge to ascend to the Glorious Heights of Divine Revelation and listen directly to and come at par with it? Let, then, whoever has received a direct Revelation bring his proof
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Do they have a ladder, (or a device), with which they eavesdrop and listen (to matters beyond human perception)? If so, let those who eavesdrop present a definite proof
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
Or do they have a ladder, by which they can (climb up to the heaven and) listen (to the secrets)? Then let (such a) listener of theirs come up with a clear proof
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
Or have they a stairway [into the heaven] upon which they listen? Then let their listener produce a clear authority
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Or do they have a stairway that enables them to listen Then let their listeners show their proof
Abdel Haleem   
Do they have a ladder to climb, in order to eavesdrop [on Heaven’s secrets]? Let their eavesdropper produce clear proof
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Have they a stairway whereby they overhear? Then let their listener bring an authority manifest
Ahmed Ali   
Or do they have a ladder (climbing which) they can hear (the secrets of heaven)? Let one who has heard then bring a clear proof
Aisha Bewley   
Or do they have a ladder on which they listen? Then let their listener bring clear evidence.
Ali Ünal   
Or do they have a ladder by which (having climbed to heaven) they overhear (the secrets of heaven, confirming their stand against the Messenger and the Qur’an)? Then let their eavesdropper produce some clear authority (to prove what he claims to have heard)
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Do they have a ladder [leading up to heaven] whereby they eavesdrop? If so let their eavesdropper produce a manifest authority
Hamid S. Aziz   
Or have they a ladder (unto heaven) the means by which they listen? Then let their listener bring a clear authority
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
Or do they have a ladder that they listen by it? Then their listeners should bring a clear reason.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Or have they a ladder, by which they can listen? Then let such a listener produce clear proof
Musharraf Hussain   
Or do they have a ladder that allows them to eavesdrop on the secrets of the Heavens? Let their eavesdropper bring clear proof.
Maududi   
Or do they have a ladder whereon they can climb and attempt to listen (to what is transpiring in the Higher Realm)? Then, let any of them who has listened to it produce a clear proof of it
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Or do they have a stairway that enables them to listen? Then let their listeners show their proof.
Mohammad Shafi   
Or, have they a link through which they could listen? Let him who has listened to them then come up with manifest proof

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
Or they have any ladder by means of which they hear, then let their listener bring a clear authority.
Rashad Khalifa   
Do they climb a ladder that enables them to listen? Let their listeners show their proof.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Or, do they have a ladder on which they listen? Then let any of them that has listened bring a clear authority
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
Or have they the means by which they listen? Then let their listener bring a clear authority
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
Or for them (is) a ladder, they hear/listen in (from) it? So their hearer/listener should come with a clear/evident proof/evidence/power
Bijan Moeinian   
Have they any ladder to climb up to heaven and listen directly to their Lord [as they deny the authenticity of the message relayed to them by the Messenger]. If so, what have they heard? Do they have any proof
Faridul Haque   
Or do they have any stairs, climbing upon which they eavesdrop? So their eavesdropper should bring some clear proof
Sher Ali   
Have they a ladder by means of which they can ascend into heaven and overhear the Divine words? Then let their listener bring a manifest proof
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
Or do they have any ladder (by which they ascend) and listen stealthily (to the heaven)? So let the listener amongst them bring the clear proof
Amatul Rahman Omar   
Have they the means through which they can overhear (the Lord)? If so, let their listener bring forth a clear authoritative proof (just as the Prophet of God does)
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
Or have they a stairway (to heaven), by means of which they listen (to the talks of the angels)? Then let their listener produce some manifest proof

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Or have they a ladder whereon they listen? Then let any of them that has listened bring a clear authority
George Sale   
Have they a ladder, whereby they may ascend to heaven, and hear the discourses of the angels? Let one, therefore, who hath heard them, produce an evident proof thereof
Edward Henry Palmer   
Or have they a ladder whereon they can listen?- then let their listener bring obvious authority
John Medows Rodwell   
Have they a ladder for hearing the angels? Let any one who hath heard them bring a clear proof of it
N J Dawood (2014)   
Or have they a ladder by means of which they overhear Him? Let their eavesdropper bring a positive proof

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
Or is that they have a ladder wherein they [climb to] listen? Let then their listener come forth with an authority most evident.
Munir Mezyed   
Or do they have a stairway (to the heavens) by means of which they listen (to the angels)? Then let their listener bring a conclusive evidence .
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
Or do they have a ladder (to access heaven) from which they listen? Then let the one of them who listens bring some clear authority.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Do they have a ladder by which they can listen [to the secrets of Heaven]? Let their listener produce obvious evidence.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
Or do they have a stairway (to heaven) by means of which they listen? Then let their listener bring an evident manifestation.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Or have they some ladder from which to eavesdrop? Let their eavesdropper bring some clear authority!
Samy Mahdy   
Or do they have a stairway within which they listen? So, let their listener bring an obvious Sultan.
Ahmed Hulusi   
Or do they have a staircase upon which they climb and listen (to the divine mysteries)? (If that is the case) then let them bring a clear and undeniable proof.
Mir Aneesuddin   
Or do they have a ladder by (climbing on) which they seek to hear? Then let their listener come with a clear authority.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Or do they have a ladder for ascent to the heaven's realm to gather information upon the listen. If so, then let their attentive hearer furnish the action of evidence in convincing the mind

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Or have they a ladder, by which they can (climb up to heaven and) listen (to its secrets)? Then let (such a) listener of theirs produce a manifest proof
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Or for them (is) a stairway, they listen therewith? Then let bring, their listener, an authority clear
OLD Transliteration   
Am lahum sullamun yastamiAAoona feehi falya/ti mustamiAAuhum bisultanin mubeenin