←Prev   Ayah al-A`raf (The Heights, The Elevated Places) 7:166   Next→ 

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Muhammad Asad   
and then, when they disdainfully persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said unto them: "Be as apes despicable!"
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
But when they stubbornly persisted in violation, We said to them, “Be disgraced apes!”
Safi Kaskas   
When they scornfully persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them, "Be as despicable as apes."

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
فَلَمَّا عَتَوۡا۟ عَن مَّا نُهُوا۟ عَنۡهُ قُلۡنَا لَهُمۡ كُونُوا۟ قِرَدَةً خَـٰسِءِینَ ۝١٦٦
Transliteration (2021)   
falammā ʿataw ʿan mā nuhū ʿanhu qul'nā lahum kūnū qiradatan khāsiīn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
So when they exceeded all bounds about what they were forbidden from it, We said to them, "Be apes, despised."

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
and then, when they disdainfully persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said unto them: "Be as apes despicable!"
M. M. Pickthall   
So when they took pride in that which they had been forbidden, We said unto them: Be ye apes despised and loathed
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
When in their insolence they transgressed (all) prohibitions, We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected."
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
But when they stubbornly persisted in violation, We said to them, “Be disgraced apes!”
Safi Kaskas   
When they scornfully persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them, "Be as despicable as apes."
Wahiduddin Khan   
And then, when they disdainfully persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them, Be as apes, despised
Shakir   
Therefore when they revoltingly persisted in what they had been forbidden, We said to them: Be (as) apes, despised and hated
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
Then, when they defied what they were prohibited We said to them: Be you apes, ones who are driven away.
T.B.Irving   
When they became insolent about what had been forbidden them, we told them: "Become apes who will be chased away."
Abdul Hye   
But when they persistently did what they were forbidden from it, We told them: “You be detested monkeys.”
The Study Quran   
When they were insolent concerning that which they had been forbidden, We said unto them, “Be you apes, outcast.
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
And when they continued disregarding the reminders, We said to them, “Be despicable apes.”
Talal Itani (2012)   
Then, when they rebelled against the commands to refrain, We said to them, 'Be despicable apes.'
Dr. Kamal Omar   
So when they exceeded the limits of what they were prohibited, We said to them: “Be you apes, despised and rejected.”
M. Farook Malik   
But when after that they persisted in their forbidden ways, We said to them: "Be detested apes."
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
Then as soon as they rebelled against what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them, "Be you apes, (totally) spurned!"
Muhammad Sarwar   
When they crossed the limit of the prohibition, We made them turn into detested apes
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
When they persisted in doing what they were forbidden from, We said to them, .Become apes debased
Shabbir Ahmed   
As they persisted with their rebellious behavior, Our Law caused their disposition take a downward turn and they developed apish mentality. We told them, "Be the living symbols of humiliation."
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Finally, when they exceeded (the bounds, and violated all) the prohibitions, We said to them, "Become monkeys _ despised and rejected!"
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
When in their haughtiness, they exceeded (all) that was prevented, We said to them: "You be (like) monkeys, disliked and rejected."
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
So when they were insolent about that which they had been forbidden, We said to them, "Be apes, despised."
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
When they persisted in that which they had been prohibited from, We said to them: "Be despicable apes!"
Abdel Haleem   
When, in their arrogance, they persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them, ‘Be like apes! Be outcasts!’
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
So when they exceeded the bounds of that which they were prohibited We said unto them: be ye apes despised
Ahmed Ali   
When they persisted in doing what they had been forbidden, We said to them: "Become (like) apes despised."
Aisha Bewley   
When they were insolent about what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them, ´Be apes, despised, cast out!´
Ali Ünal   
Then, when they disdainfully persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them: "Be apes miserably slinking and rejected!"
Ali Quli Qara'i   
When they defied [the command pertaining to] what they were forbidden from, We said to them, ‘Be you spurned apes.’
Hamid S. Aziz   
But when they rebelled against what they were forbidden, We said to them, "Become you as apes, despised and spurned!"
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And when they disobeyed what they were prohibited from, We told them: “Be driven away monkeys.”
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
When, in their insolence, they transgressed prohibitions We said to them, “Be apes, despised and rejected.
Musharraf Hussain   
When they disrespectfully continued doing what they were forbidden, We said, “Become like apes, despised!
Maududi   
And when they persisted in pursuing that which had been forbidden We said: ´Become despised apes.´
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
So when they persisted in that which they had been prohibited from, We said to them: "Be despicable apes!"
Mohammad Shafi   
And when they revoltingly persisted in what they had been forbidden, We said to them, "Be apes, despised and hated."

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
Then again when they rebelled against the Command of prohibition, We said to them, 'be you apes, driven away.'
Rashad Khalifa   
When they continued to defy the commandments, we said to them, "Be you despicable apes."
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
And when they had scornfully persisted in what they had been forbidden, We said to them: 'Be apes, despised.
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
So when they revoltingly persisted in that which they had been forbidden, We said to them: Be (as) apes, despised and hated
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
So when they became arrogant/disobedient from what they were forbidden/prevented from it, We said to them: "Be/become despised/diminished apes/monkeys."
Bijan Moeinian   
When, even after this punishment, they persisted in breaking the law, I said to them, "Become apes; disgusted and disgraced!"
Faridul Haque   
Consequently when they rebelled against the command to refrain, We said to them, "Be apes, despised!"
Sher Ali   
And when they insolently rebelled against that which they had been forbidden, WE said to them, `Be ye apes despised.
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
Then when they defied (the command to give up) what they were prohibited, We commanded them: ‘Be you apes, despised and detested.
Amatul Rahman Omar   
So when they insolently refused to keep away from that which they were forbidden, We condemned them to be (as) apes despised
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
So when they exceeded the limits of what they were prohibited, We said to them: "Be you monkeys, despised and rejected." (It is a severe warning to the mankind that they should not disobey what Allah commands them to do, and be far away from what He prohibits them)

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
And when they turned in disdain from that forbidding We said to them, 'Be you apes, miserably slinking!
George Sale   
And when they insolently rebelled against that which they had been forbidden, We said to them, 'Be ye apes despised.
Edward Henry Palmer   
but when they rebelled against what they were forbidden, we said to them, 'Become ye apes, despised and spurned!
John Medows Rodwell   
But when they proudly persisted in that which was forbidden, we said to them, "Become scouted apes;"
N J Dawood (2014)   
And when they scornfully persisted in their forbidden ways, We said to them: ‘Turn into detested apes.‘

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
And when they transgressed against that from which they were forbidden, We said unto them, “Be you apes; most ignoble.”
Munir Mezyed   
When they insolently rebelled against that which they had been forbidden, We said to them: “Be you despicable apes."
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
And when they persisted in what they had been prohibited from, We said to them: be despicable monkeys.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
In their insolence, they persisted in sin. We said to them, “Be despicable apes!”
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
Then when they rebelled against what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them, “Be despicable apes.”
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
When they became insolent about what had been forbidden them, we told them: "Become apes who will be chased away."
Samy Mahdy   
So, when they insolence about what they had been prohibited about, We said to them, "Be apes, despised."
Sayyid Qutb   
And when they insolently persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them: “Turn into despicable apes.”
Ahmed Hulusi   
And when they became arrogant and transgressed that which was forbidden, We said to them, “Become despised apes (creatures who live in imitation of one another, who cannot use their intellect).”
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
So when they defied what they had been forbidden from, We said to them: ' Be you apes scouted '
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
When they insolently persisted in disobedience and buried exhortation in oblivion, We laid their transgression to their charge and decreed that they be monkeyfied and that their monkey- like character and behaviour be viewed with contempt, and that they be despised and rejected of men
Mir Aneesuddin   
So when they revolted against that which they were forbidden, We said to them, "Be apes, despised."

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
When in their insolence they transgressed (all) prohibitions, We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected."
OLD Literal Word for Word   
So when they exceeded all bounds about what they were forbidden from it, We said to them, "Be apes, despised.
OLD Transliteration   
Falamma AAataw AAan ma nuhoo AAanhu qulna lahum koonoo qiradatan khasi-eena