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Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
SAY: "If all the sea were ink for my Sustainer's words, the sea would indeed be exhausted ere my Sustainer's words are exhausted! And [thus it would be] if we were to add to it sea upon sea."
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “If the ocean were ink for ˹writing˺ the Words of my Lord, it would certainly run out before the Words of my Lord were finished, even if We refilled it with its equal.”
Safi Kaskas   
Say, "If the sea were ink for [writing] the words of my Lord, the sea would run out long before the words of my Lord ran out, even if We were to add another sea to it."

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
قُل لَّوْ كَانَ الْبَحْرُ مِدَادًا لِّكَلِمَاتِ رَبِّي لَنَفِدَ الْبَحْرُ قَبْلَ أَن تَنفَدَ كَلِمَاتُ رَبِّي وَلَوْ جِئْنَا بِمِثْلِهِ مَدَدً
Transliteration (2021)   
qul law kāna l-baḥru midādan likalimāti rabbī lanafida l-baḥru qabla an tanfada kalimātu rabbī walaw ji'nā bimith'lihi madada
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
Say, "If were the sea ink, for (the) Words (of) my Lord, surely (would be) exhausted the sea before [that] (were) exhausted (the) Words (of) my Lord, even if We brought (the) like (of) it (as) a supplement."

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
SAY: "If all the sea were ink for my Sustainer's words, the sea would indeed be exhausted ere my Sustainer's words are exhausted! And [thus it would be] if we were to add to it sea upon sea."
M. M. Pickthall   
Say: Though the sea became ink for the Words of my Lord, verily the sea would be used up before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even though We brought the like thereof to help
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Say: "If the ocean were ink (wherewith to write out) the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words of my Lord, even if we added another ocean like it, for its aid."
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “If the ocean were ink for ˹writing˺ the Words of my Lord, it would certainly run out before the Words of my Lord were finished, even if We refilled it with its equal.”
Safi Kaskas   
Say, "If the sea were ink for [writing] the words of my Lord, the sea would run out long before the words of my Lord ran out, even if We were to add another sea to it."
Wahiduddin Khan   
Tell them, If the ocean became ink for writing the words of my Lord, surely the ocean would be exhausted before the words of my Lord came to an endeven if We were to add another ocean to it
Shakir   
Say: If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord, the sea would surely be consumed before the words of my Lord are exhausted, though We were to bring the like of that (sea) to ad
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
Say: If the sea had been ink for the Words of my Lord, the sea would come to an end before the Words of my Lord came to an end even if We brought about replenishment the like of it.
T.B.Irving   
SAY: "If the sea were an inkwell for the words of my Lord, the sea would be drained before my Lord´s words would be spent even though we brought the same again to replenish it.
Abdul Hye   
Say (O Muhammad to mankind): “If the sea were ink for (writing) the Words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the Words of my Lord would be exhausted, even if We brought (another sea) like it for its aid.”
The Study Quran   
Say, “If the sea were ink for the Words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the Words of my Lord were exhausted, even if We brought the like thereof to replenish it.
Dr. Kamal Omar   
Say: “If the sea were ink for (writing) the Statements of my Nourisher-Sustainer, surely the sea would be exhausted before the Statements of my Nourisher-Sustainer would be completed, even if We brought like it, in assistance (i.e., another sea of ink).
Farook Malik   
O Muhammad tell them: "If the ocean were ink with which to write the words of my Lord, the ocean would surely be consumed before the words of my Lord are finished, even if We brought similar quantity of ink to replenish it
Talal A. Itani (new translation)   
Say, 'If the ocean were ink for the words of my Lord, the ocean would run out, before the words of my Lord run out,' even if We were to bring the like of it in addition to it
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
Say, "If the sea were (a constant) supply (Some interpret the word as "ink") for the Words of my Lord, indeed the sea would be depleted before the Words of my Lord are depleted, (even) if We come with a replenishment the like of it."
Muhammad Sarwar   
(Muhammad), tell them, "Had the seas been used as ink to write down the words of my Lord, they would have all been consumed before the words of my Lord could have been recorded, even though replenished with a like quantity of ink
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Say, .If the ocean were to be ink for (writing) the Words of my Lord, the ocean would have been consumed before the Words of my Lord are exhausted, even though we were to bring another (ocean) like it in addition
Shabbir Ahmed   
Say, "If all the sea were ink for my Sustainer's Words, the sea would indeed be exhausted before my Sustainer's Words are exhausted! And thus it would be if We were to add to it sea upon sea." (31:27)
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Say, "Had the ocean served as ink to write about Allah, then surely the ocean would run out, but the narrative about Allah would not. Even if We supplied that much more ink as a refill!"
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
Say: "If the ocean were ink (to write with), the words of (Praise for) my Lord, sooner would the ocean be dry than would the words of my Lord would be finished, even if We added another ocean like it, for its help."
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
Say, "If the sea were ink for [writing] the words of my Lord, the sea would be exhausted before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even if We brought the like of it as a supplement."
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Say: "If the sea were an inkwell for the words of my Lord, then the sea would run out before the words of my Lord run out;" even if We were to bring another like it for its aid
Abdel Haleem   
Say [Prophet], ‘If the whole ocean were ink for writing the words of my Lord, it would run dry before those words were exhausted’- even if We were to add another ocean to it
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Say thou: were the sea to become ink for the words of my Lord, the sea would surely exhaust ere the words of my Lord exhausted, even though We brought onot her like thereof for support
Ahmed Ali   
Say: "If the ocean turned to ink for writing down the colloquy of my Lord, the ocean itself would be exhausted ere the words (and wonders) of my Lord come to end, even if we brought another like it for replenishment."
Aisha Bewley   
Say: ´If all the sea was ink to write down the Words of my Lord, it would run out long before the Words of my Lord ran out,´ even if We were to bring the same amount of ink again.
Ali Ünal   
Say: "If all the sea were ink to write my Lord’s words (the acts, decrees, and manifestations of all His Names and Attributes), the sea would indeed be exhausted before my Lord’s words are exhausted, even if We were to bring the like of it in addition to it."
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Say, ‘If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord, the sea would be spent before the words of my Lord are spent, though We brought another like it for replenishment.’
Hamid S. Aziz   
Say, "Were the oceans ink for the Words of my Lord, the ocean would surely fail before the Words of my Lord fail; aye, though We brought as much ink again
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
Say: if the sea becomes ink for (writing) the words of my Master, the sea certainly run out before the words of my Master run out, even if we bring another (sea) like it as hel
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Say, “If the ocean were ink with which to write the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words of my Lord.” Even if We added another ocean like it to supplement it.
Musharraf Hussain   
Say: “If the seas became ink for writing down the words of My Lord, the seas would quickly run dry before My Lord’s words were finished, even if We added sea upon sea to it.”
Maududi   
Say: "If the sea were to become ink to record the Words of my Lord, indeed the sea would be all used up before the Words of my Lord are exhausted, and it would be the same even if We were to bring an equal amount of ink."
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Say: "If the sea were an inkwell for the words of my Lord, then the sea would run out before the words of my Lord run out;" even if We were to bring another like it as an extension.
Mohammad Shafi   
Say, "If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord, the sea would surely be exhausted before the words of my Lord are exhausted, though We were to bring the like of it (sea) in aid."

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
Say you, 'if the sea be the ink for the words of my Lord, then necessarily, the sea would be exhausted and the words of my Lord would not come to an end, though We may bring the like of it for help.'
Rashad Khalifa   
Say, "If the ocean were ink for the words of my Lord, the ocean would run out, before the words of my Lord run out, even if we double the ink supply."
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Say: 'If the sea were ink for the Words of my Lord, the sea would surely be spent before the Words of my Lord are spent, even if We brought its like for replenishment.
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
Say: If the sea were ink for the words of my Lord, the sea would surely be exhausted before the words of my Lord were exhausted, though We brought the like of it to add (thereto)
Muhammad Ahmed - Samira   
Say: "If the sea/ocean was ink/writing liquid for my Lord's words/expressions, the sea/ocean would have been depleted/exhausted (E) before that my Lord's words/expressions deplete/exhaust , and even if We came with equal/alike to it (to the sea/ocean) (for) ink/writing liquid (as) an extension/spread."
Bijan Moeinian   
Say: “If the oceans were ink for [writing] the Words of my Lord, the ocean would run out, before the words of my Lord would be finished. Even doubling the ocean would not be enough.”
Faridul Haque   
Proclaim, "If the sea became ink for the Words of my Lord, the sea would indeed be used up and the Words of my Lord would never - even if we bring another like it for help."
Sher Ali   
Say, `If every ocean become ink for the words of my Lord, surely, the ocean would be exhausted before the words of my Lord were exhausted, even though WE brought the like thereof as further help.
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
Say: ‘If the ocean turns into ink for the Words of my Lord, that ocean will exhaust before the Words of my Lord come to an end, even if We bring another similar (ocean or ink) to refill.
Amatul Rahman Omar   
Say, `If every ocean became ink for (recording) the words and creation of my Lord, surely, the oceans would be spent up before the words and creation of my Lord came to an end, even if we brought to add (therewith) as many more (oceans)
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind). "If the sea were ink for (writing) the Words of my Lord, surely, the sea would be exhausted before the Words of my Lord would be finished, even if we brought (another sea) like it for its aid."

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Say:. 'If the sea were ink for the Words of my Lord, the sea would be spent before the Words of my Lord are spent, though We brought replenishment the like of it.
George Sale   
Say, if the sea were ink to write the words of my Lord, verily the sea would fail, before the words of my Lord would fail; although We added another sea like unto it as a farther supply
Edward Henry Palmer   
Say, 'Were the sea ink for the words of my Lord, the sea would surely fail before the words of my Lord fail; aye, though we brought as much ink again!
John Medows Rodwell   
SAY: Should the sea become ink, to write the words of my Lord, the sea would surely fail ere the words of my Lord would fail, though we brought its like in aid
N J Dawood (2014)   
Say: ‘If the sea were ink with which to write the words of my Lord, the sea would surely run dry before the words of my Lord were finished, though we found another sea to replenish it.‘

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Say, “If the ocean was ink for the words of my Lord, the ocean would be exhausted before the words of my Lord would end, even if We added another [such ocean] like it to supplement it.”
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
SAY: "If the sea were an inkwell for the words of my Lord, the sea would be drained before my Lord's words would be spent even though we brought the same again to replenish it.
Sayyid Qutb   
Say: 'If the sea were ink for my Lord's words, the sea would surely dry up before my Lord's words are exhausted, even though we were to add to it another sea to replenish it.'
Ahmed Hulusi   
Say, “If the ocean were ink for the words (the manifest meanings) of my Rabb, surely the ocean will be exhausted before the words of my Rabb came to an end! Even if we added another ocean like it!”
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
Say: 'If the sea became ink for (writing) the Words of my Lord, the sea would certainly be exhausted before the Words of my Lord were exhausted, even though We brought the like of it to help'.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim   
Say to them –the people- "If the vast body of water on the surface of the globe were ink serving the purpose of committing my Creator's words to writing, sooner would the vast body of water -now ink- be exhausted than would the words of my Creator even if we make this immense expanse twice as much"
Mir Aneesuddin   
Say, "Had the sea been ink for (writing down) the statements of my Fosterer, the sea would get exhausted before the statements of my Fosterer got exhausted, even if We were to bring (another sea) like it to supplement."

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Say: "If the ocean were ink (wherewith to write out) the words of my Lord, sooner would the ocean be exhausted than would the words of my Lord, even if we added another ocean like it, for its aid."
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Say, "If were the sea ink, for (the) Words (of) my Lord, surely (would be) exhausted the sea before [that] (were) exhausted (the) Words (of) my Lord, even if We brought (the) like (of) it (as) a supplement.