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Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
Had it not been for a decree from God that had already gone forth, there would indeed have befallen you a tremendous chastisement on account of all [the captives] that you took
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Had it not been for a prior decree from Allah, you would have certainly been disciplined with a tremendous punishment for whatever ˹ransom˺ you have taken.
Safi Kaskas   
Had it not been for a predetermined decree from God, a severe punishment would have come upon you for what you took.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
لَّوۡلَا كِتَـٰبࣱ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ سَبَقَ لَمَسَّكُمۡ فِیمَاۤ أَخَذۡتُمۡ عَذَابٌ عَظِیمࣱ ۝٦٨
Transliteration (2021)   
lawlā kitābun mina l-lahi sabaqa lamassakum fīmā akhadhtum ʿadhābun ʿaẓīmu
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
Had not an ordainment from Allah preceded, surely (would) have touched you for what you took - a punishment great.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
Had it not been for a decree from God that had already gone forth, there would indeed have befallen you a tremendous chastisement on account of all [the captives] that you took
M. M. Pickthall   
Had it not been for an ordinance of Allah which had gone before, an awful doom had come upon you on account of what ye took
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Had it not been for a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe penalty would have reached you for the (ransom) that ye took
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Had it not been for a prior decree from Allah, you would have certainly been disciplined with a tremendous punishment for whatever ˹ransom˺ you have taken.
Safi Kaskas   
Had it not been for a predetermined decree from God, a severe punishment would have come upon you for what you took.
Wahiduddin Khan   
Had it not been for a writ from God that had already gone forth, you would have been severely punished on account of what you took
Shakir   
Were it not for an ordinance from Allah that had already gone forth, surely there would have befallen you a great chastisement for what you had taken to
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
Were it not for a preceding prescription from God, you would, certainly, be afflicted with a tremendous punishment for what you took.
T.B.Irving   
Had it not been for a writ from God that had come previously, awful torment might have afflicted you because of what you have taken;
Abdul Hye   
Had there not a previous ordainment from Allah (to take ransom), a severe punishment would have touched you for what you have taken.
The Study Quran   
Were it not for a decree that had already gone forth from God, a great punishment would have befallen you for what you took
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
Were it not for a prior decree from God, a severe punishment would’ve touched you for what you’ve taken.
Talal Itani (2012)   
Were it not for a predetermined decree from God, an awful punishment would have afflicted you for what you have taken
Dr. Kamal Omar   
Had it not been a written ordainment from Allah already available, a severe punishment would have touched you in what you took (as permitted in your thoughts)
M. Farook Malik   
Had there not been a previous sanction from Allah to take ransom, you should have been sternly punished for what you have taken
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
Had it not been for a prescription (Literally: a Book) that has gone before from Allah, a tremendous torment for what you have taken would indeed have touched you
Muhammad Sarwar   
(Had you taken captives) before being allowed by God's revelations, a great torment would have struck you for what you had done
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Had there not been a decree from Allah that came earlier, a great punishment would have overtaken you because of what you have taken
Shabbir Ahmed   
If Allah had not decreed for Himself Mercy, those of you who fell for temptation (of booty), would have faced a great retribution
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Had it not been for the preordained decree of Allah, a severe torment would have struck you because of what you took
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
If it was not for a previous command from Allah, a severe penalty would have come over you for the (repayment) that you took
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
If not for a decree from Allah that preceded, you would have been touched for what you took by a great punishment
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Had it not been previously ordained from God, then a severe punishment would have afflicted you for what you took
Abdel Haleem   
and had it not been preordained by God, a severe punishment would have come upon you for what you have taken
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Were it not that a writ had already gone forth from Allah, there would surely have touched you a mighty torment for that which ye too
Ahmed Ali   
Had this not been decreed by God in advance, you would have suffered a grievous punishment for what you took (as booty)
Aisha Bewley   
Were it not for a prior decree which had already proceeded from Allah, a terrible punishment would have afflicted you on account of what you took.
Ali Ünal   
Had there not been a previous decree from God (concerning that gains of war are lawful and captives can be released in return for ransom), a tremendous punishment would surely have touched you because of what you took (the gains of war, and the captives taken in expectation of ransom, before the enemies’ power in the land had been sufficiently suppressed and exhausted)
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Had it not been for a prior decree of Allah, surely there would have befallen you a great punishment for what you took
Hamid S. Aziz   
Were it not for an ordinance from Allah that had gone before, there would have touched you a mighty punishment for that which you took (prisoners for ransom)
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
If it was not for previous instruction from God, then a great punishment would have afflicted you for what you took.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Had it not been for previous ordainment from God, a severe penalty would have reached you for that which you took
Musharraf Hussain   
Had it not been for a decree issued in advance from Allah, you would have been mightily punished for the action that you took.
Maududi   
Had there not been a previous decree from Allah, a stern punishment would have afflicted you for what you have taken
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Had it not been previously ordained from God, then a severe punishment would have afflicted you for what you took.
Mohammad Shafi   
Had it not been for an ordinance from Allah already gone forth, surely there would have befallen you a great calamity in what you had taken

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
If Allah would not have written a thing before, then O Muslims! A great torment would have come to you for what you took as ransom from the infidels.
Rashad Khalifa   
If it were not for a predetermined decree from GOD, you would have suffered, on account of what you took, a terrible retribution.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Had there not been a previous writing from Allah, you would have been afflicted by a mighty punishment
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
Were it not for an ordinance from Allah that had gone before, surely there would have befallen you a great chastisement for what you were going to do
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
Where it not for a Book/decree/term preceded from God, a great torture would have touched you in what you took/received
Bijan Moeinian   
If God had not pre-determined a decree, you would have been subject to a sever punishment for what you have taken [as ransom for the prisoners of the war.]
Faridul Haque   
Had Allah not pre-destined a matter then, O Muslims, a terrible punishment would have come upon you due to the ransom you took from the disbelievers
Sher Ali   
Had there not been a decree from ALLAH which had gone before, great distress would have surely overtaken you in consequence of what you took
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
Had there not been a prior decree (i.e., command for forgiveness) from Allah, a terrible torment would indeed have seized you for (the ransom) that you procured (from the prisoners of Badr)
Amatul Rahman Omar   
Had there not been a prior decree (of a war at Badr) from Allah you would certainly have come to grief as a result of that which you were going to undertake (by attacking the caravan of Quraish from Syria)
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
Were it not a previous ordainment from Allah, a severe torment would have touched you for what you took

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Had it not been for a prior prescription from God, there had afflicted you, for what you took, a mighty chastisement
George Sale   
Unless a revelation had been previously delivered from God, verily a severe punishment had been inflicted on you, for the ransom which ye took from the captives at Bedr
Edward Henry Palmer   
Were it not for a book from God that had gone before, there would have touched you, for that which ye took, a mighty punishment
John Medows Rodwell   
Had there not been a previous ordinance from God, a severe chastisement had befallen you, for the ransom which ye took
N J Dawood (2014)   
Had there not been, a previous writ from God, you would have been sternly punished for what you took

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
Had it not been a writ that had gone forth from Allah then certainly an awful punishment would have touched you due to that which you have taken.
Munir Mezyed   
Had it not been for a decree from Allâh that had already gone forth, then a tremendous chastisement would have certainly touched you because of all the captives that you took.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
If there was not a previous decree from Allah, you would have met a severe punishment on account of what you took.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
If it had not been previously ordained by Allah, you would have been greatly punished for what you already took.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
Were it not for a predetermined decree from Allah, a great punishment would have befallen you for what you have taken.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Had it not been for a writ from Allah (God) that had come previously, awful torment might have afflicted you because of what you have taken;
Samy Mahdy   
If not a Book from Allah had been proceeded, you would have been touched within what you have taken a great torment.
Sayyid Qutb   
Had it not been for a decree from God that had already gone forth, you would have been severely punished for what you have taken.
Ahmed Hulusi   
Had it not been for a previous decree of Allah regarding this matter, you would surely have suffered on account of the ransom you took.
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
Had it not been for a prior ordinance from Allah, there would have fallen you a great chastisement for what you had taken to (improperly)
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Had it not been for Allah's authoritative decree proclaimed beforehand to forgive a votary who inadvertently errs, you people would have been severely punished for what you have undertaken
Mir Aneesuddin   
Had an ordinance from Allah not gone forth earlier, a great punishment would have befallen you due to that which you took.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Had it not been for a previous ordainment from God, a severe penalty would have reached you for the (ransom) that ye took
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Had not an ordainment from Allah preceded, surely (would) have touched yo for what you took - a punishment great
OLD Transliteration   
Lawla kitabun mina Allahi sabaqa lamassakum feema akhathtum AAathabun AAatheemun