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Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
But [since] good and evil cannot be equal, repel thou [evil] with something that is better and lo! he between whom and thyself was enmity [may then become] as though he had [always] been close [unto thee], a true friend
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Good and evil cannot be equal. Respond ˹to evil˺ with what is best, then the one you are in a feud with will be like a close friend.
Safi Kaskas   
Good and evil are never equal. Repel evil with good, and your enemy will become like an intimate friend.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَلَا تَسۡتَوِی ٱلۡحَسَنَةُ وَلَا ٱلسَّیِّئَةُۚ ٱدۡفَعۡ بِٱلَّتِی هِیَ أَحۡسَنُ فَإِذَا ٱلَّذِی بَیۡنَكَ وَبَیۡنَهُۥ عَدَ ٰوَةࣱ كَأَنَّهُۥ وَلِیٌّ حَمِیمࣱ ۝٣٤
Transliteration (2021)   
walā tastawī l-ḥasanatu walā l-sayi-atu id'faʿ bi-allatī hiya aḥsanu fa-idhā alladhī baynaka wabaynahu ʿadāwatun ka-annahu waliyyun ḥamīmu
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And not (are) equal the good (deed) and the evil (deed). Repel by (that) which [it] (is) better; then behold! One who, between you and between him, (was) enmity, (will become) as if he (was) a friend intimate.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
But [since] good and evil cannot be equal, repel thou [evil] with something that is better and lo! he between whom and thyself was enmity [may then become] as though he had [always] been close [unto thee], a true friend
M. M. Pickthall   
The good deed and the evil deed are not alike. Repel the evil deed with one which is better, then lo! he, between whom and thee there was enmity (will become) as though he was a bosom friend
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Nor can goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better: Then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Good and evil cannot be equal. Respond ˹to evil˺ with what is best, then the one you are in a feud with will be like a close friend.
Safi Kaskas   
Good and evil are never equal. Repel evil with good, and your enemy will become like an intimate friend.
Wahiduddin Khan   
Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend
Shakir   
And not alike are the good and the evil. Repel (evil) with what is best, when lo! he between whom and you was enmity would be as if he were a warm friend
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
Not on the same level are benevolence or the evil deed. Drive back with what is fairer. Then, behold he who between thee and between him was enmity as if he had been a protector, a loyal friend.
T.B.Irving   
A good deed and an evil deed are not alike: repel [evil] with something (that is) finer, and notice how someone who is separated from you because of enmity will become a bosom friend!
Abdul Hye   
The good deed and the evil deed are not equal. Repel (evil) with one which is better. Then surely, one with whom you had enmity, will become your close friend.
The Study Quran   
The good deed and the evil deed are not equal. Repel by that which is better; then behold, the one between whom and thee there is enmity shall be as if he were a loyal, protecting friend
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
Good and evil aren’t equal. Repel by what’s better, and your former enemy may become a dear friend.
Talal Itani (2012)   
Good and evil are not equal. Repel evil with good, and the person who was your enemy becomes like an intimate friend
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And does not become equal (every) good deed, and nor (every) evil, (there are ranks and categories to every action). Repel (the evil) with that which is a better (than normal and usual behaviour) then immediately that one — there is enmity between you and between him — (may become) as if he is (to you) a sincere friend
M. Farook Malik   
Good deeds are not equal to the evil ones. WORSHIP/DECIPHERMENT Repel other’s evil deeds with your good deeds. You will see that he with whom you had enmity, will become your close friend
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And not equal are the fair deed and the odious deed. Repel with that which is fairest; then, only then, he between whom and you there is enmity will be as if he were an intimate constant patron
Muhammad Sarwar   
Virtue and evil are not equal. If you replace evil habits by virtuous ones, you will certainly find that your enemies will become your intimate friends
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Good and evil are not equal. Repel (evil) with what is best, and you will see that the one you had mutual enmity with him will turn as if he were a close friend
Shabbir Ahmed   
Since good conduct and bad conduct cannot be alike, repel evil words and deeds in a way that is decent. And, behold, he, between whom and you there was enmity, may become as though he was your bosom friend
Dr. Munir Munshey   
The good and the bad deeds are not alike. Respond to their bad deeds with good ones, and you will find that the person who was hostile and antagonistic towards you has turned into a bosom buddy
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
And good deeds and evil deeds cannot be equal. (So) give up (evil) with what is better: Then verily, he (the one) between whom and you, was hatred, will become like your friend and close companion (to you as a Muslim brother)
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Not equal are the good and the bad response. You shall resort to the one which is better. Thus, the one who used to be your enemy, may become your best friend
Abdel Haleem   
Good and evil cannot be equal. [Prophet], repel evil with what is better and your enemy will become as close as an old and valued friend
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Nor can good and evil be equal. Repel thou evil with that which is goodly then behold he between whom and thee there was enmity, will be as though he was a warm friend
Ahmed Ali   
Good and evil are not alike. Repel evil with what is good. Then you will find your erstwhile enemy like a close. affectionate friend
Aisha Bewley   
A good action and a bad action are not the same. Repel the bad with something better and, if there is enmity between you and someone else, he will be like a bosom friend.
Ali Ünal   
Goodness and evil can never be equal. Repel evil with what is better (or best). Then see: the one between whom and you there was enmity has become a bosom friend
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Good and evil [conduct] are not equal. Repel [evil] with what is best. [If you do so,] behold, he between whom and you was enmity, will be as though he were a sympathetic friend
Hamid S. Aziz   
And not alike are the good and the evil. Repel evil with what is best, when lo! He between whom and you was enmity would be as if he were an intimate friend
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And the good and the bad are not equal. Repel (and respond to badness) with what is better, then all of a sudden someone that there is an enmity between you and him becomes as if he is your close friend.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
And not equal are benefit and harm. Repel wrong with what is better. Then the two who hated each other will become close friends
Musharraf Hussain   
Good and evil aren’t the same; counter evil with goodness, and if there was any enmity between you and the other, he will become a dearest friend.
Maududi   
(O Prophet), good and evil are not equal. Repel (evil) with that which is good, and you will see that he, between whom and you there was enmity, shall become as if he were a bosom friend (of yours)
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Not equal are the good and the bad response. You shall resort to the one which is better. Thus, the one who used to be your enemy, may become your best friend.
Mohammad Shafi   
And good and evil are not alike. Repel evil with what is good. Then one, between whom and you there was enmity, will be like a close friend

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And good and evil will not be equal O listener,' repel the evil with good, then he between whom and you there was enmity will become as though he was your warm friend.
Rashad Khalifa   
Not equal is the good response and the bad response. You shall resort to the nicest possible response. Thus, the one who used to be your enemy, may become your best friend.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Good and evil deeds are not equal. Repel with that which is most just, and see, the one whom there is enmity between you will be as if he were a loyal guide
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And not alike are the good and the evil. Repel (evil) with what is best, when lo! he between whom and thee is enmity would be as if he were a warm friend
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
And the good/goodness does not become equal/alike and nor the sin/crime, pay/push/repel with which it is best , so then who (is) between you and between him animosity as though/as if he (is a) concerned guardian/ally
Bijan Moeinian   
(Mohammad), know that goodness and evil are not equal. Therefore resort to the nicest response [to the worse treatment]. It is only then that your worse enemy may turn to be your best friend one day
Faridul Haque   
And the good deed and the evil deed will never be equal; O listener! Repel the evil deed with a good one, thereupon the one between whom and you was enmity, will become like a close friend
Sher Ali   
And good and evil are not alike. Repel evil with that which is best. And lo, he, between whom and thyself was enmity, will become as though he were a warm friend
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And good and evil cannot be equal. And remove the evil in a better (way) with the result that the one with whom you had rivalry becomes your most warmhearted friend
Amatul Rahman Omar   
And good and evil are not alike. Repel (evil) with that (benign and graceful way) which is best, and lo, the person between whom and you there is enmity will behave as if he were your warm-hearted friend
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allah ordered the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly), then verily! he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Not equal are the good deed and the evil deed. Repel with that which is fairer and behold, he between whom and thee there is enmity shall be as if he were a loyal friend
George Sale   
Good and evil shall not be held equal. Turn away evil with that which is better; and behold, the man between whom and thyself there was enmity, shall become, as it were, thy warmest friend
Edward Henry Palmer   
Good and evil shall not be deemed alike; repel (evil) with what is best, and lo! He between whom and thyself was enmity is as though he were a warm patron
John Medows Rodwell   
Moreover, good and evil are not to be treated as the same thing. Turn away evil by what is better, and lo! he between whom and thyself was enmity, shall be as though he were a warm friend
N J Dawood (2014)   
Good deeds and evil deeds are not equal. Requite evil with what is better and lo, he who is your enemy now will become as if your intimate friend

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
And the good and the evil are not equal. Pushback [evil] with that which is most excellent and one between you and him there is an enmity, lo! It is as though he is an ally and an intimate friend.
Munir Mezyed   
Not equal are the good deed and the evil deed. Repel against the evil deed with one which is better. Thus, it could be possible that the one who used to be your enemy might become (one day) your best friend.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
And the good deed and the bad deed are not the same; repel with that which is better, then the one with enmity between you and him will become like a dear friend.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Righteousness and evil cannot be equal. Repel [evil] with what is better, and then you may make an intimate friend of one with whom there was hatred.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
For good and evil are never equal. Repel (evil) with that which is better, and thereupon the one between whom and yousg is enmity becomes like an intimate ally.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
A good deed and an evil deed are not alike: repel [evil] with something (that is) finer, and notice how someone who is separated from you because of enmity will become a bosom friend!
Samy Mahdy   
And not equal is the excellence deed and the bad deed. Push by that which is best; so thereupon, the one whom between you and between him is enmity, will be as like an intimate guardian.
Ahmed Hulusi   
The good deed and the bad deed are not equal! Repel (the bad) with that which is best... Then you will see, the person who had enmity towards you will be like as though he was a devoted friend!
Mir Aneesuddin   
And the good and the evil are not equal, repel ( evil ) with that which is better, then he between whom and you was enemity would become an intimate friend.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Nor does a deed crowned with equity and good will compare with a deed tinted with evil and ill - will. Therefore repel what affects you with distaste and aversion by what is morally and spiritually sublime, and there you will find that he who harbours to you enmity and ill - will has come to be as though he were a friend actuated with the feeling of sincerity

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Nor can goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better: Then will he between whom and thee was hatred become as it were thy friend and intimate
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And not (are) equal the good (deed) and the evil (deed). Repel by (that) which [it] (is) better; then behold! One who, between you and between him, (was) enmity, (will become) as if he (was) a friend intimate
OLD Transliteration   
Wala tastawee alhasanatu wala alssayyi-atu idfaAA biallatee hiya ahsanu fa-itha allathee baynaka wabaynahu AAadawatun kaannahu waliyyun hameemun