←Prev   Ayah al-An`am (Cattle, Livestock) 6:156   Next→ 

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
It has been given to you] lest you say, "Only unto two groups of people, [both of them] before our time, has a divine writ been bestowed from on high and we were indeed unaware of their teachings"
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
You ˹pagans˺ can no longer say, “Scriptures were only revealed to two groups before us and we were unaware of their teachings.”
Safi Kaskas   
so that you do not say, "a Book was only sent down to two groups before our time and we're unaware of their teachings,"

Listen: 
Did you notice?

 You can SEARCH IslamAwakened: 

Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
أَن تَقُولُوۤا۟ إِنَّمَاۤ أُنزِلَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبُ عَلَىٰ طَاۤىِٕفَتَیۡنِ مِن قَبۡلِنَا وَإِن كُنَّا عَن دِرَاسَتِهِمۡ لَغَـٰفِلِینَ ۝١٥٦
Transliteration (2021)   
an taqūlū innamā unzila l-kitābu ʿalā ṭāifatayni min qablinā wa-in kunnā ʿan dirāsatihim laghāfilīn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
Lest you say, "Only was revealed the Book on the two groups from before us, and indeed we were about their study certainly unaware."

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
It has been given to you] lest you say, "Only unto two groups of people, [both of them] before our time, has a divine writ been bestowed from on high and we were indeed unaware of their teachings"
M. M. Pickthall   
Lest ye should say: The Scripture was revealed only to two sects before us, and we in sooth were unaware of what they read
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Lest ye should say: "The Book was sent down to two Peoples before us, and for our part, we remained unacquainted with all that they learned by assiduous study:"
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
You ˹pagans˺ can no longer say, “Scriptures were only revealed to two groups before us and we were unaware of their teachings.”
Safi Kaskas   
so that you do not say, "a Book was only sent down to two groups before our time and we're unaware of their teachings,"
Wahiduddin Khan   
and not say, The Book was only sent down to the two groups before us and we were indeed unaware of their teachings
Shakir   
Lest you say that the Book was only revealed to two parties before us and We were truly unaware of what they read
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
so that you not say: The Book was only caused to descend to two sections before us. And, truly, we had been ones who are heedless of their study.
T.B.Irving   
lest you say: "The Book was sent down to only two factions before us. We have been unaware of what they study."
Abdul Hye   
Lest you (pagan Arabs) say: “The book was sent down only to 2 groups before us, and surely, we were unaware from their study,”
The Study Quran   
Lest you should say, “The Book was only sent down upon two groups before us, and we were indeed heedless of their study.
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
Lest you say, “The Scripture was revealed to two communities before us, and we were unaware of their teachings.”
Talal Itani (2012)   
Lest you say, 'The Scripture was revealed to two parties before us, and we were unaware of their teachings.'
Dr. Kamal Omar   
Lest you say: “Definitely it is that Al-Kitab is sent down to two groups before us and while we remain ignorant of the studies (and teachings available) to them
M. Farook Malik   
Lest you say: "The Book was revealed only to two parties before us and we were unaware of what they read,"
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
So that you may not say, "Surely the Book was sent down only upon two sections even before us, and decidedly we have indeed been heedless of their study."
Muhammad Sarwar   
and will not say that the Book was revealed only to two groups of people before you, or that you were ignorant of its knowledge
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
(Had We not sent this book,) you would (have an excuse to) say, .The Book was sent down only upon two groups before us, (i.e. the Jews and the Christians) and we were unaware of what they read
Shabbir Ahmed   
(It has been given to you) lest you say, "The Scripture was sent down to two groups (Jews and Christians) before our time, and we are unaware what they originally read."
Dr. Munir Munshey   
(It has been revealed to you) lest you would say, "The two groups _ (the Christians and the Jews) _ before our times had received the book while we remained ignorant and unaware of its study and knowledge."
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
In case that you should say: "The Book was sent down to two sects before us, and for our part, we remained unaware with all that they learned by serious study;"
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
[We revealed it] lest you say, "The Scripture was only sent down to two groups before us, but we were of their study unaware,"
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Lest you Say: "The Scripture was only sent down to two groups before us, and we were unaware of their study!"
Abdel Haleem   
lest you say, ‘Scriptures were only sent down to two communities before us: we were not aware of what they studied,’
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Lest ye should say: the Book was only sent down to the two sects before us, and we in sooth were unaware of their readings
Ahmed Ali   
Lest you say: "The Book that was sent before was meant only for two groups; we were not aware of their teachings;"
Aisha Bewley   
So you cannot say: ´The Book was only sent down to the two groups before us and we were ignorant of their studies.´
Ali Ünal   
(We have sent it down) lest you should say (as an excuse), "The Book was sent down only on the two groups of people before us and indeed we were unaware of what they were taught by it."
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Lest you should say, ‘The Book was sent down only to two communities before us, and we were indeed unaware of their studies,’
Hamid S. Aziz   
Lest you say, "The Book (Scripture) was only sent down to two sects before us; verily, we care naught for (or are unaware of) what they read."
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
and so that you do not say: “The book was only sent down to two groups before us, and we were certainly unaware of their studies.”
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Lest you should say, “The book was sent down to two peoples before us, and for our part, we remained unacquainted with all that they learned from their study.
Musharraf Hussain   
This is just in case you should say, “The Book was only sent to two groups before us, and we were unaware of what they had been taught,
Maududi   
(You may no longer) say now that the Book was revealed only to two groups of people before Us and that we had indeed been unaware of what they read
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Lest you say: "The Book was only sent down to two groups before us, and we were unaware of their study!"
Mohammad Shafi   
Lest you say, "The Book was sent down only to two groups before us, and We were truly unaware of lessons therein."

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
Lest you should say, The book was sent down to the two peoples before us, and we were unaware of their reading and teaching.
Rashad Khalifa   
Now you can no longer say, "The scripture was sent down to two groups before us, and we were unaware of their teachings."
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
lest you should say: 'The Book was sent down only to two parties before us; we are inattentive to their study.
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
Lest you should say that the Book was revealed only to two parties before us and we were truly unaware of what they read
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
That you say: "But The Book was descended on two groups from before us, and that we were about their studies/readings ignoring/disregarding (E) ."
Bijan Moeinian   
Now [that you have received this Qur'an] you can no longer [come up with any excuse and] say, "The Lord's Book was sent only to the two nations before us (Jews and Christians) and that we were not aware of its teachings."
Faridul Haque   
For you (the disbelievers) may say, “The Book was sent down only to two groups (Jews and Christians) before us; and we were totally unaware of what they read and taught.”
Sher Ali   
Lest you should say, `The Book was sent down only to two peoples before us, and we were indeed unaware of what they read;
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
(The Qur’an has been revealed lest) you (should) say: ‘The (heavenly) Book was only sent down before us to the two communities (the Jews and the Christians), and undoubtedly, we were unaware of their reading and teaching.
Amatul Rahman Omar   
(We have revealed this blessed Book) lest you should say, `The Book has only been revealed to two communities (- the Jews and the Christians) before us, and (as for us) we remained unaware of what those (Books) read.
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
Lest you (pagan Arabs) should say: "The Book was only sent down to two sects before us (the Jews and the Christians), and for our part, we were in fact unaware of what they studied."

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
lest you should say, 'The Book was sent down only upon two parties before us, and we have indeed been heedless of their study'
George Sale   
Lest ye should say, the scriptures were only sent down unto two people before us; and we neglected to peruse them with attention
Edward Henry Palmer   
Lest ye say, 'The Book was only sent down to two sects before us; verily, we, for what they read, care naught.
John Medows Rodwell   
Lest ye should say, "The Scriptures were indeed sent down only unto two peoples before us, but we were not able to go deep into their studies:"
N J Dawood (2014)   
and not say: ‘The Book was revealed only to two¹ communities before us; though of their studies we were surely heedless‘

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
Lest you say, “The book was only sent on two groups before us and we indeed were surely oblivious about the study of them.”
Munir Mezyed   
(We have sent it down) lest you should say: “The Scripture was revealed only to two groups before us, and we had no knowledge of their teachings,
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
In case you might say: the book has been revealed to the two groups before us and we were unaware of their studies.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Now you cannot say, “Scriptures were sent to two peoples before our time, and we never knew what they learned.”
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
Lest youpl say, “The Scripture was sent down to two factions before us, and we were indeed oblivious of their teachings.”
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
lest you say: "The Book was sent down to only two factions (Jews and Christians) before us. We have been unaware of what they study."
Samy Mahdy   
Lest you say, “The Book was sent down only upon two categories before us, and we were inattentive about their studying.”
Sayyid Qutb   
[It has been given to you] lest you say, “Only two groups of people before our time have received revelations from on high; and we were unaware of what they learned.”
Ahmed Hulusi   
So that you do not say, “Knowledge has only been revealed upon the two groups before us (Jews and Christians); we were unaware of what they read and evaluated”...
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
Lest you should say : The Book was sent down only to two parties (the Jews and the Christians) before us, and we were truely unaware of their studies
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
We have sent it down as the spirit of truth guiding into all truth lest you people render such a reason as to say: "The Book sent down to the people of Mussa and to those of Isa aforetime was expressed in their own tongues, in languages, we were not taught nor did we understand"; an excuse which it shall no longer be possible to justify
Mir Aneesuddin   
lest you should say, that, "The book was sent down only to two parties before us and we were unaware of what they read,"

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Lest ye should say: "The Book was sent down to two Peoples before us, and for our part, we remained unacquainted with all that they learned by assiduous study:"
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Lest you say, "Only was revealed the Book on the two groups before us, and indeed we were about their study certainly unaware.
OLD Transliteration   
An taqooloo innama onzila alkitabu AAala ta-ifatayni min qablina wa-in kunna AAan dirasatihim laghafileena