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Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
[Moses] exclaimed: "That [was the place] which we were seeking!, And the two turned back, retracing their footsetps
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Moses responded, “That is ˹exactly˺ what we were looking for.” So they returned, retracing their footsteps.
Safi Kaskas   
[Moses] said, "That is what we were seeking." So they returned, following their own footprints.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
قَالَ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِ فَارْتَدَّا عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصً
Transliteration (2021)   
qāla dhālika mā kunnā nabghi fa-ir'taddā ʿalā āthārihimā qaṣaṣa
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
He said, "That (is) what we were seeking." So they returned on their footprints, retracing.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
[Moses] exclaimed: "That [was the place] which we were seeking!, And the two turned back, retracing their footsetps
M. M. Pickthall   
He said: This is that which we have been seeking. So they retraced their steps again
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Moses said: "That was what we were seeking after:" So they went back on their footsteps, following (the path they had come)
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Moses responded, “That is ˹exactly˺ what we were looking for.” So they returned, retracing their footsteps.
Safi Kaskas   
[Moses] said, "That is what we were seeking." So they returned, following their own footprints.
Wahiduddin Khan   
Moses said, That is just what we were looking for. So they went back the way they had come
Shakir   
He said: This is what we sought for; so they returned retracing their footsteps
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
He said: That is what we had been looking for! So they went back following their footsteps.
T.B.Irving   
He said: "That is just what we´ve been searching for." So they retraced their steps the way they had come.
Abdul Hye   
(Moses) said: “That is what we have been seeking.” So they went back retracing their footsteps.
The Study Quran   
He said, “That is what we were seeking!” So they turned back, retracing their steps
Dr. Kamal Omar   
(Musa) said: “That is what we have been seehead of state." So they both returned in the light of the footsteps of the two, retracing (the overrun site)
Farook Malik   
Moses said: "That is the place we were looking for," so they went back retracing their footsteps
Talal A. Itani (new translation)   
He said, 'This is what we were seeking.' And so they turned back retracing their steps
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
He said, "That is what we were seeking!" So they (both) turned back upon their tracks retracing them
Muhammad Sarwar   
Moses said, "That is exactly what we are seeking. They followed their own foot prints back (to the rock)."
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
He said, .That was what we were looking for. So they returned, retracing their footsteps
Shabbir Ahmed   
Moses said, "That is what we were seeking!" And the two turned back retracing their footsteps. (Moses retired to rest in deep thought)
Dr. Munir Munshey   
(Musa) said, "That (sign) is precisely what we were looking for!" So they retraced their steps and went back (to that cliff)
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
[Musa (Moses)] said: "That was what we were searching for:" So they went back on their (own) footsteps, following (the way that they had come)
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
[Moses] said, "That is what we were seeking." So they returned, following their footprints
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
He said: "That is what we have been seeking!" So they went back retracing their steps
Abdel Haleem   
Moses said, ‘Then that was the place we were looking for.’ So the two turned back, retraced their footsteps
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Musa said: that is that which we have been seeking. So they turned back upon their footsteps, retracing
Ahmed Ali   
Moses said: "But that is exactly what we were seeking." So they retraced their steps
Aisha Bewley   
He said, ´That is the very thing that we were looking for!´ So, following their footsteps, they retraced their route.
Ali Ünal   
He (Moses) said: "That is what we have been seeking!" So they retraced their footsteps
Ali Quli Qara'i   
He said, ‘That is what we were after!’ So they returned, retracing their footsteps
Hamid S. Aziz   
Moses said, "This is what we were searching for." So they retraced their steps again
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
He (Moses) said: that is where we were looking for. So they returned backtracking on their footsteps
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Moses said, “That was what we were seeking.” So they retraced their steps
Musharraf Hussain   
Musa said, “That’s the place we were looking for.” So they turned back, carefully retracing their footsteps.
Maududi   
Moses said: "That is what we were looking for." So the two turned back, retracing their footsteps
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
He said: "That is what we have been seeking!" So they went back retracing their steps.
Mohammad Shafi   
Moses said, "That was the spot we had sought for!" They then retraced their footsteps back to the spot

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
Musa said, 'that is what we wanted; then turned back retracing their footsteps.
Rashad Khalifa   
(Moses) said, "That was the place we were looking for." They traced their steps back.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
'This is what we have been seeking! ' said he, and they retraced their footstep
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
He said: This is what we sought for. So they returned retracing their footsteps
Muhammad Ahmed - Samira   
He said: "That (is) not (what) we were wishing/desiring ." So they (B) returned on their (B)'s tracks/marks following/tracking
Bijan Moeinian   
Moses said: “That was [the sign revealed by God to indicate] the place we were looking for. Therefore, they retraced their footsteps back
Faridul Haque   
Said Moosa, "This is exactly what we wanted"; so they came back retracing their steps
Sher Ali   
He said, `That is what we have been seeking.' So they both returned, retracing their footsteps
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
Musa (Moses) said: ‘That is the place we were looking for.’ So both returned to (the same place), tracing the (same path), following their footsteps
Amatul Rahman Omar   
(Moses) said, `That is (the place) which we have been seeking.' So both of them returned retracing their steps
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
(Moosa (Moses)) said: "That is what we have been seeking." So they went back retracing their footsteps

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Said he, 'This is what we were seeking!' And so they returned upon their tracks, retracing them
George Sale   
Moses said, this is what we sought after. And they both went back, returning by the way they came
Edward Henry Palmer   
Said he, 'This is what we were searching for.' So they turned back upon their footsteps, following them up
John Medows Rodwell   
He said, "It is this we were in quest of." And they both went back retracing their footsteps
N J Dawood (2014)   
This is what we have been seeking,‘ he said. They went back the way they came

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
(Moses) said, “That [place] was what we were seeking.” They traced back their footsteps.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
He said: "That is just what we've been searching for." So they retraced their steps the way they had come.
Sayyid Qutb   
[Moses] said: 'That is [the place] we are seeking!' So they turned back, retracing their footsteps,
Ahmed Hulusi   
(Moses) said, “That is what we have been seeking!”... So they returned, following their footprints.
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
He (Moses) said: ' That was what we were seeking for!' So they returned, retracing their footsteps
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim   
"This is exactly the place" said Mussa, "We were questing", they went back retracing their footsteps
Mir Aneesuddin   
He (Musa) said, "That is what we have been seeking for.” So they returned retracing their footsteps,

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Moses said: "That was what we were seeking after:" So they went back on their footsteps, following (the path they had come)
OLD Literal Word for Word   
He said, "That (is) what we were seeking." So they returned on their footprints, retracing