←Prev   Ayah al-Isra` (Children of Israel, The Israelites) 17:53   Next→ 

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
AND TELL My servants that they should speak in the most kindly manner [unto those who do not share their beliefs]: verily, Satan is always ready to stir up discord between men - for, verily, Satan is man's open foe
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Tell My ˹believing˺ servants to say only what is best. Satan certainly seeks to sow discord among them. Satan is indeed a sworn enemy to humankind.
Safi Kaskas   
Tell my worshipers to say always that which is best: truly, Satan is always ready to stir trouble among them-Satan is clearly man's enemy.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَقُل لِّعِبَادِي يَقُولُوا الَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَنزَغُ بَيْنَهُمْ إِنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ كَانَ لِلْإِنسَانِ عَدُوًّا مُّبِينً
Transliteration (2021)   
waqul liʿibādī yaqūlū allatī hiya aḥsanu inna l-shayṭāna yanzaghu baynahum inna l-shayṭāna kāna lil'insāni ʿaduwwan mubīna
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And say to My slaves (to) say that which (is) best. Indeed, the Shaitaan sows discord between them. Indeed, the Shaitaan is to the man an enemy clear.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
AND TELL My servants that they should speak in the most kindly manner [unto those who do not share their beliefs]: verily, Satan is always ready to stir up discord between men - for, verily, Satan is man's open foe
M. M. Pickthall   
Tell My bondmen to speak that which is kindlier. Lo! the devil soweth discord among them. Lo! the devil is for man an open foe
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Say to My servants that they should (only) say those things that are best: for Satan doth sow dissensions among them: For Satan is to man an avowed enemy
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Tell My ˹believing˺ servants to say only what is best. Satan certainly seeks to sow discord among them. Satan is indeed a sworn enemy to humankind.
Safi Kaskas   
Tell my worshipers to say always that which is best: truly, Satan is always ready to stir trouble among them-Satan is clearly man's enemy.
Wahiduddin Khan   
Tell My servants that they should always say what is best. Satan stirs up discord among them. Surely, Satan is an outright enemy to man
Shakir   
And say to My servants (that) they speak that which is best; surely the Shaitan sows dissensions among them; surely the Shaitan is an open enemy to man
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
And say to My servants they should say what is fairer. Truly, Satan sows enmity among them. Truly, Satan had been to the human being, a clear enemy.
T.B.Irving   
Tell My servants that they should say whatever is politest. Satan stirs up trouble among them; Satan is an open enemy to man!"
Abdul Hye   
And say to My servants (true believers) that they should only say those words that are the best. Surely, Satan sows (disagreements) among them. Surely, Satan is a plain enemy to mankind.
The Study Quran   
Say unto My servants that they should say that which is more virtuous. Surely Satan provokes ill feeling between them. Surely Satan is a manifest enemy unto man
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And say to My Ibad that they may utter which is better (and tender). Surely, the Satan sows disagreements and dissensions amongst them. Certainly, the Satan is an evident enemy to mankind
Farook Malik   
Tell My servants that they should speak only what is the best. Surely Satan stirs up trouble among them. The fact is that Satan is an open enemy to mankind
Talal A. Itani (new translation)   
Tell My servants to say what is best. Satan sows discord among them. Satan is to man an open enemy.
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And say to My bondmen (that) they say that which is fairest, (i.e., which is kindest) (for) surely Ash-Shaytan (The all-vicious, i.e., the Devil) incites (discord) between them. Surely Ash-Shaytan has been an evident enemy to man
Muhammad Sarwar   
(Muhammad), tell My servants to say what is best. Satan sows dissension among them; he is the sworn enemy of human beings
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Tell My servants that they should speak that which is best. Surely, Satan creates discord among them. Indeed, Satan is an open enemy to mankind
Shabbir Ahmed   
(They must do good in this short life-span, so) Tell My servants to speak to one another in a kind manner and treat one another nicely. Verily, Satan, their selfishness, creates discord among them. For, verily, Satan is man's open foe
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Tell My servants to always say the right thing! Surely, Shaitan incites them to do evil. Shaitan is the professed enemy of the human beings
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
And say to My servants that they should (only) say those words that are best: Verily, Satan brings in disagreements and disharmony between them: Surely, Satan is to man an open enemy
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And tell My servants to say that which is best. Indeed, Satan induces [dissension] among them. Indeed Satan is ever, to mankind, a clear enemy
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
And say to My servants to speak that which is best. The devil plants animosity between them. The devil was to mankind a clear enemy
Abdel Haleem   
[Prophet], tell My servants to say what is best. Satan sows discord among them: Satan is a sworn enemy of man
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Say thou unto My bondmen that they should say that which is best, Verily the Satan would stir up strife between them; verily the Satan is unto men ever an enemy manifest
Ahmed Ali   
Tell My creatures only to speak words that are good. Verily Satan sows dissensions: Satan is indeed the acknowledged enemy of mankind
Aisha Bewley   
Say to My slaves that they should only say the best. Shaytan wants to stir up trouble between them. Shaytan is an outright enemy to man.
Ali Ünal   
And say to My servants that they should always speak (even when disputing with others) that which is the best. Satan is ever ready to sow discord among them. For Satan indeed is a manifest enemy for humankind
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Tell My servants to speak in a manner which is the best. Indeed Satan incites ill feeling between them, and Satan is indeed man’s manifest enemy
Hamid S. Aziz   
And tell My servants to speak only that which is best (kindly, reasonably, truthfully, beautifully, usefully to enemy, friend and relative). Truly, Satan does sow dissension (or ill will) among them, for Satan is ever unto man an open foe
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And tell My servants to say that which is the best (and in the best manner). Indeed Satan brings about animosity between them. Indeed Satan is an obvious enemy for the human being
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Say to My servants that they should say those things which are best, for Satan sows dissensions among them, for Satan is to humanity a sworn enemy
Musharraf Hussain   
Tell My servants: “Always be courteous when speaking”, or else Satan will stir disagreement among you; surely Satan is the sworn enemy of humanity.
Maududi   
Tell My servants, (O Muhammad), to say always that which is best. Verily it is Satan who sows discord among people. Satan indeed is an open enemy to mankind
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
And say to My servants to speak that which is best. The devil makes bitterness between them. The devil is to man a clear enemy.
Mohammad Shafi   
And say to My human creatures, who all ought to obey Me, that they speak that which is most appropriate and proper. Indeed, the Satan sows discord among them. The Satan is indeed an open enemy to man

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And say to My bondmen that they should speak that which is best. No doubt, the devil (Satan) provokes strife among them. Verily the devil is an open enemy to man.
Rashad Khalifa   
Tell My servants to treat each other in the best possible manner, for the devil will always try to drive a wedge among them. Surely, the devil is man's most ardent enemy.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Tell My worshipers, that they should say words that are the finest, satan would arouse discord among them; he is the clear enemy of mankind
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And say to My servants that they speak what is best. Surely the devil sows dissensions among them. The devil is surely an open enemy to man
Muhammad Ahmed - Samira   
And say to My worshippers/slaves, they (should) say which it is best , that the devil spoils/urges to evil between them, that the devil was/is to the human/mankind (a) clear/evident enemy
Bijan Moeinian   
Tell My servants (the believers) to exchange the kindest words among themselves as Satan is waiting to create disagreement among them. Never forget that Satan is the man’s worse enemy
Faridul Haque   
And tell My bondmen to speak that which is the best; undoubtedly Satan sows discord among them; indeed Satan is man’s open enemy
Sher Ali   
And say to MY servants that they should always speak what is best. Surely, Satan, stirs up discord among them. Surely, Satan is an open enemy to man
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And tell My servants that they should say things that are most balanced. Surely, Satan causes contention amongst people. Indeed, Satan is man’s declared enemy
Amatul Rahman Omar   
And say to My servants that they should speak only what is gracious, for satan (is keen to) provoke discord among them. Satan indeed is an enemy to the people, disuniting (one another)
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
And say to My slaves (i.e. the true believers of Islamic Monotheism) that they should (only) say those words that are the best. (Because) Shaitan (Satan) verily, sows disagreements among them. Surely, Shaitan (Satan) is to man a plain enemy

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
And say to My servants, that they say words that are kindlier. For surely Satan provokes strife between them, and Satan is ever a manifest foe to man
George Sale   
Speak unto my servants, that they speak mildly unto the unbelievers, lest ye exasperate them, for Satan soweth discord among them, and Satan is a declared enemy unto man
Edward Henry Palmer   
And say to my servants that they speak in a kind way; verily, Satan makes ill-will between them; verily, Satan was ever unto man an open foe
John Medows Rodwell   
Enjoin my servants to speak in kindly sort: Verily Satan would stir up strifes among them, for Satan is man's avowed foe
N J Dawood (2014)   
And tell My servants to be courteous in their speech. Satan would sow discord among them; Satan is surely the veritable enemy of man

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Say to My servants that they should speak tactfully, because Satan instigates conflicts among them. Satan is an avowed enemy to humanity.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Tell My servants that they should say whatever is politest. Satan stirs up trouble among them; Satan is an open enemy to man!"
Sayyid Qutb   
Tell My servants that they should always say that which is best. Satan tries to sow discord between them. Satan is indeed man's open foe.
Ahmed Hulusi   
Tell My servants to say that which is best! Indeed, Satan (the ego-self, assuming you are only the body) induces dissension among them... Indeed, Satan is a clear enemy to man!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
And say to My servants to speak what is best. Verily, the Satan sows dissensions among them. Verily the Satan unto man is an open enemy.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim   
Tell My servants O Muhammad who declare or state in words a specified fact, thought, opinion or intention, an event or a remark or the like to say what is friendly, favourable and laudatory and to keep a civil tongue in their heads, for AL-Shaytan is on the alert for an occasion to divide mankind and set them at variance and to stir up enmity among them. Indeed AL-Shaytan has always been to man an avowed enemy
Mir Aneesuddin   
And say to My servants, “Speak that which is the best,” the devil certainly instigates (evil) between them. The devil is certainly an open enemy of man.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Say to My servants that they should (only) say those things that are best: for Satan doth sow dissensions among them: For Satan is to man an avowed enemy
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And say to My slaves (to) say that which (is) best. Indeed, the Shaitaan sows discord between them. Indeed, the Shaitaan is to the man an enemy clear