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Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
"O my companions in imprisonment! Which is more reasonable: [belief in the existence of numerous divine] lords, each of them different from the other" -or [in] the One God, who holds absolute sway over all that exists
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
O my fellow-prisoners! Which is far better: many different lords or Allah—the One, the Supreme?
Safi Kaskas   
Fellow prisoners, which is more reasonable: [belief in the existence of numerous divine] lords that are different from one another, or [in] the One God, who holds absolute power over all that exists? [:

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
یَـٰصَـٰحِبَیِ ٱلسِّجۡنِ ءَأَرۡبَابࣱ مُّتَفَرِّقُونَ خَیۡرٌ أَمِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلۡوَ ٰحِدُ ٱلۡقَهَّارُ ۝٣٩
Transliteration (2021)   
yāṣāḥibayi l-sij'ni a-arbābun mutafarriqūna khayrun ami l-lahu l-wāḥidu l-qahār
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
O my two companions (of) the prison! Are lords separate better or Allah, the One the Irresistible?

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
"O my companions in imprisonment! Which is more reasonable: [belief in the existence of numerous divine] lords, each of them different from the other" -or [in] the One God, who holds absolute sway over all that exists
M. M. Pickthall   
O my fellow-prisoners! Are divers lords better, or Allah the One, Almighty
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
"O my two companions of the prison! (I ask you): are many lords differing among themselves better, or the One Allah, Supreme and Irresistible
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
O my fellow-prisoners! Which is far better: many different lords or Allah—the One, the Supreme?
Safi Kaskas   
Fellow prisoners, which is more reasonable: [belief in the existence of numerous divine] lords that are different from one another, or [in] the One God, who holds absolute power over all that exists? [:
Wahiduddin Khan   
O my two fellow-prisoners! Are many diverse lords better, or God, the One, the Almighty
Shakir   
O my two mates of the prison! are sundry lords better or Allah the One, the Supreme
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
O my two prison companions! Are ones that are different masters better or God, The One, The Omniscient?
T.B.Irving   
"Both my jailmates, are separate lords better than God Alone, the Irresistible?
Abdul Hye   
O my 2 companions of the prison! Are many different Lords (worthy of worship) better or Allah, the One, the Irresistible?
The Study Quran   
O my fellow prisoners! Are diverse lords better, or God, the One, the Paramount
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
“My fellow inmates, are many different lords better, or God, the One, the Supreme?
Talal Itani (2012)   
'O My fellow inmates, are diverse lords better, or God, the One, the Supreme?'
Dr. Kamal Omar   
O two companions of the prison! Are many different nourishers-sustainers better (as a concept) or Allah, the One, the Irresistible (Who Alone is the Reality)
M. Farook Malik   
O my fellow inmates! Tell me what is better; many different lords or one Allah, the Irresistible
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
O (you) two companions of the prison! Are (some) disunited lords more charitable (i.e., better) or Allah, The One, The Superb Vanquisher
Muhammad Sarwar   
"My fellow-prisoners can many different masters be considered better than One All-dominant God
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
O my fellow prisoners, are different gods better or Allah, the One, the All-Dominant
Shabbir Ahmed   
"O My prison mates! Are several masters better, or Allah, the One, the Dominant?"
Dr. Munir Munshey   
"Oh my companions of prison! Isn´t one God, Allah the Omnipotent, better than several independent gods?"
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
"O, the two companions of prison! Are many different lords (gods, who differ among themselves) better or Allah, the One Supreme and Irresistible
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
O [my] two companions of prison, are separate lords better or Allah , the One, the Prevailing
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
"O my fellow inmates, are various lords better, or God, the One, the Omniscient"
Abdel Haleem   
Fellow prisoners, would many diverse gods be better than God the One, the All Powerful? [No indeed!]
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
O My two fellow-prisoners! are sundry lords better of Allah, the One, the Subdue
Ahmed Ali   
(Tell me) O fellow-prisoners, are a number of gods better, or one God omnipotent
Aisha Bewley   
My fellow-prisoners, are many lords better, or Allah, the only One, the Conqueror?
Ali Ünal   
"O my two fellow-prisoners! Are many diverse lords more reasonable and better (to attribute creation to and believe in and obey), or God, the One, the All-Overwhelming (holding absolute sway over all that exists)
Ali Quli Qara'i   
O my prison mates! Are different masters better, or Allah, the One, the All-paramount
Hamid S. Aziz   
O you two fellow-prisoners! Are manifold lords better, or Allah, the One, the Almighty
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
My two prison mates, are several different masters better or the one dominant God?
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
“O my two companions of the prison. Are many lords differing among themselves better, or One God, Supreme and Irresistible
Musharraf Hussain   
My fellow prisoners, tell me, are many gods better or the one, Allah, the Supreme?
Maududi   
Fellow-prisoners! Is it better that there be diverse lords, or just Allah, the One, the Irresistible
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
"Omy fellow inmates, are various lords better, or God, the One, the Supreme?"
Mohammad Shafi   
"O my two prison mates! Are sundry lords better or Allah the One, the Almighty?"

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
'O my two fellow prisoners; are separate Lords better or Allah the One Omnipotent?
Rashad Khalifa   
"O my prison mates, are several gods better, or GOD alone, the One, the Supreme?
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
My fellowprisoners, say which is better, many gods at variance, or Allah the One, the Conqueror
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
O my two fellow-prisoners, are sundry lords better or Allah the One, the Supreme
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
You my two companions/friends (of) the prison/jail, are separate Lords better or God the one, the defeater/conqueror
Bijan Moeinian   
“Tell me my fellow prisoners, which belief is better: belief in many gods or relying upon One Supreme God?”
Faridul Haque   
"O both my fellow-prisoners! Are various lords better, or One Allah, the Dominant above all?"
Sher Ali   
`O my two companions of the prison, are many lords differing among themselves better or ALLAH, the One, the Most Supreme
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
O my two companions of the prison! (Say:) Are many separate gods better or One Allah, Who dominates and controls all
Amatul Rahman Omar   
`My two fellow-prisoners! what is better? Diverse and numerous gods or Allah, the One, the Most Supreme
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
"O two companions of the prison! Are many different lords (gods) better or Allah, the One, the Irresistible

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Say, which is better, my fellow-prisoners -- many gods at variance, or God the One, the Omnipotent
George Sale   
O my fellow-prisoners, are sundry lords better, or the only true and mighty God
Edward Henry Palmer   
O ye twain fellow-prisoners! Are manifold lords better, or God, the one, the dominant
John Medows Rodwell   
O my two fellow prisoners! are sundry lords best, or God, the One, the Mighty
N J Dawood (2014)   
‘Fellow prisoners! Are sundry gods better than God, the One who conquers all

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
“O my two companions of the prison. Are multiple and diverse Lords better or Allah, The One, The All Over-powering.
Munir Mezyed   
O’ my two fellow-prisoners! (Ask yourselves), which is better, many gods at variance, or Allâh the One, the Omnipotent?
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
Oh my companions in prison, are different masters better or Allah, the one and dominant?
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
“O my two companions of prison, are many different lords better than Allah, the Only One, the Prevailing Force?
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
O my fellow inmates, are diverse lords better or Allah, the One, the Subduer?
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
"Both my jailmates, are separate lords better than Allah (God) Alone, the Irresistible?
Samy Mahdy   
“O my two jail companions, are separate lords better, or Allah, Al-Wahid (The One), Al-Qahar (The Supreme)?”
Sayyid Qutb   
My two prison companions! Which is better: [to believe] in diverse lords, or to believe in God, the One who holds sway over all that exists?
Ahmed Hulusi   
(Joseph said), “O my companions of prison... Are diverse Rabbs of differing qualities better, or Allah, the Wahid’ul Qahhar (the only ONE under whose command lays all things)?”
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
O my(two)mates of the prison! Are(many)diverse lords better, or Allah, the One, the All- Dominant
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
"Fellow - inmates", he said, "do you honestly believe that such an immense universe could be controlled with such precision by a group of creatures diverse in kind, nature and character or by Allah AL-Wahid (the One and only) Who is AL- Qahhar (the Omnipotent, Absolute and Irresistible!)"
Mir Aneesuddin   
O my two companions of the prison ! are different masters better or Allah, the One, the Omnipotent?

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
"O my two companions of the prison! (I ask you): are many lords differing among themselves better, or the One God, Supreme and Irresistible
OLD Literal Word for Word   
O my two companions (of) the prison! Are lords separate better or Allah, the One the Irresistible
OLD Transliteration   
Ya sahibayi alssijni aarbabun mutafarriqoona khayrun ami Allahu alwahidu alqahharu