Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
Say: “Go all over the earth, and behold what happened in the end to those [sinners] who lived before [you]: most of them were wont to ascribe divine qualities to things or beings other than God.”
M. M. Pickthall
Say (O Muhammad, to the disbelievers): Travel in the land, and see the nature of the consequence for those who were before you! Most of them were idolaters
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
Say: "Travel through the earth and see what was the end of those before (you): Most of them worshipped others besides Allah."
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “Travel throughout the land and see what was the end of those ˹destroyed˺ before ˹you˺—most of them were polytheists.”
Safi Kaskas
Say, "Travel through the land and observe the final fate of those who came before; most of them were idolaters.
Wahiduddin Khan
Say, Journey through the land, and see how those before you met their endmost of them, ascribed partners with God
Shakir
Say: Travel in the land, then see how was the end of those before; most of them were polytheists
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
Say: Journey through the earth; then, look on how had been the Ultimate End of those who were before. Most of them had been ones who are polytheists.
T.B.Irving
SAY: "Travel around the earth and see what the outcome was for those who [lived] before. Most of them were associators [of others in their worship of God]."
Abdul Hye
Say (O Muhammad): “Travel in the land and see how was the end of those before you! Most of them were polytheists.”
The Study Quran
Say, “Journey upon the earth and observe how those before fared in the end, most of whom were idolaters.
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
Say, “Travel the earth and observe the fate of those who preceded you. Most of them were polytheists.”
Talal Itani (2012)
Say, 'Roam the earth, and observe the fate of those who came before. Most of them were idolaters.'
Dr. Kamal Omar
Say: “Travel through the earth, then watch what became the end-result of those before (you). Most of them had been Mushrikun
O Prophet, tell them: "Travel through the earth and see what was the end of those who have passed away before you: most of them were pagans (worshipped other gods besides Allah)."
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
Say, "Travel in the earth, then look into how was the end of the ones who were earlier; most of them were associators." (Those who associate others with Allah)
Muhammad Sarwar
(Muhammad), tell them, "Travel through the land to see how terrible was the end of those who lived before. Many of them were pagans
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
Say, .Go about in the land, and see how was the end of those who were before. Most of them were Mushriks (i.e. those who ascribe partners to Allah)
Shabbir Ahmed
Say, "Travel in the land and notice the outcome of nations before you. Most of them worshiped idols in various forms (and ran man-made systems (30:31-32))"
Dr. Munir Munshey
Say, "Move about in the land and observe the fate of the earlier ones. Most of them were ´mushriqeens´ _ (those worship others along with Allah)."
Syed Vickar Ahamed
Say: "Travel through the earth and see what was the end of those before (you)! Most of them worshipped others besides Allah."
Say, [O Muhammad], "Travel through the land and observe how was the end of those before. Most of them were associators [of others with Allah ]
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
Say: "Roam the Earth and see how the end was for those before. Most of them had set up partners."
Abdel Haleem
Say, ‘Travel through the land, and see how those before you met their end- most of them were idolaters.’
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
Say thou: go forth in the land and behold what wise hath been the end of those of aforetime? And most of them were associaters
Ahmed Ali
Say: "Travel on the earth and see how came the end of those before you." Most of them were idolaters
Aisha Bewley
Say: ´Travel about the earth and see the final fate of those before. Most of them were idolaters.´
Ali Ünal
Say: "Travel about on the earth and see what was the outcome for those who lived before themyou. Most of them were (obstinately given to) associating partners (with God)."
Ali Quli Qara'i
Say, ‘Travel over the land and then observe how was the fate of those who were before [you], most of whom were polytheists.’
Hamid S. Aziz
Say: Travel in the land, then see how was the end of those before you; most of them were idolaters
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
Say: “Travel throughout the earth and see what the end of those before (you) was. Most of them were idolaters.”
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
Say, “Travel through the earth and see what was the end of those before you. Most of them worshipped others besides God.
Musharraf Hussain
Say: “Travel about the land and observe what became of those before you .” Most of them associated partners with Allah .
Maududi
(O Prophet), say: "Traverse in the earth and see what was the end of those who went before you: most of them associated others with Allah in His Divinity."
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
Say: "Roam the earth and see how the end was for those before. Most of them were polytheists.
Mohammad Shafi
Say, "Travel on the earth and notice what happened in the end to people who lived before you. Most of them worshiped others besides Allah."
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
Say you, travel in the land and see what was the end of those before you. Most of them were associators.
Say, "Roam the earth and note the consequences for those before you." Most of them were idol worshipers.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
Say: 'Journey in the land and see what was the end of those who were before you. Most of them were idolaters.
Maulana Muhammad Ali
Say: Travel in the land, then see what was the end of those before! Most of them were polytheists
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
Say: "Walk/move/ride in the earth/Planet Earth, so see/wonder about how was those from before's end/turn (result), most of them were sharers/takers of partners (with God)."
Bijan Moeinian
Say, “Travel around and see with your own eyes the ruins of the historical nations. Most of them were doomed in account of worshipping others beside God
Faridul Haque
Proclaim (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “Travel in the land, and see what sort of fate befell the former people; and most of them were polytheists.”
Sher Ali
Say, `Travel in the earth and see how evil was the end of those before you. Most of them were idolaters.
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
Say: ‘Travel in the land, then see how (alarming) was the end of the people before you! Most of them were polytheists.
Amatul Rahman Omar
Say, `Travel all over the earth and behold how (evil) the end of your predecessors was. Most of them were those who assigned associates (with God).
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad SAW): "Travel in the land and see what was the end of those before (you)! Most of them were Mushrikoon (the disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah, polytheists, idolaters, etc.)."
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
Say, “Travel in the earth and look at how was the ending of those before.” Most of them ascribed partners to Allah.
Munir Mezyed
Say, "Travel throughout the land and see what was the end of those who were before you. Most of them were Polytheists.”
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
Say: travel on earth and see what the outcome was like for those before, most of them were idolaters.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
Saysg , “Journeypl through the earth and look what the outcome was for those who came before; most of them were polytheists”.
Linda “iLHam” Barto
Say, “Travel across the land and see what happened to those before you. Most of them worshiped others besides Allah.”
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
SAY: "Travel around the earth and see what the outcome was for those who [lived] before. Most of them were associators [of others in their worship of Allah (God)]."
Samy Mahdy
Say, “Walk on the earth, so observe how it was a consequence of those who were before. Most of them were polytheists.”
Sayyid Qutb
Say: 'Travel around the world and see what was the fate of those who lived before you. Most of them did associate partners with God.'
Thomas Cleary
Say, "Travel the earth and see how those before you ended up: most of them were idolatrous.â€
Ahmed Hulusi
Say, “Travel throughout the earth and see the end met by those before you! Most of them were dualists!”
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli
Say: �Travel in the land, then see how was the end of those before, most of them were polytheists
Say to them: "Journey through the land and use your minds' eyes to see what was the end of those who came to this world before you; most of them were polytheists who incorporated with Allah other deities
Mir Aneesuddin
Say, “Travel in the earth and see how the end of those before (you) was (brought about), most them were polytheists.”