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Muhammad Asad   
Whereupon, in their utter confusion, they will only [be able to] say: "By God, our Sustainer, we did not [mean to] ascribe divinity to aught beside Him!"
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Their only argument will be: “By Allah, our Lord! We were never polytheists.”
Safi Kaskas   
In their utter confusion, they will only say, "By God, our Lord, we did not mean to associate partners with Him."

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
ثُمَّ لَمۡ تَكُن فِتۡنَتُهُمۡ إِلَّاۤ أَن قَالُوا۟ وَٱللَّهِ رَبِّنَا مَا كُنَّا مُشۡرِكِینَ ۝٢٣
Transliteration (2021)   
thumma lam takun fit'natuhum illā an qālū wal-lahi rabbinā mā kunnā mush'rikīn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
Then not will be (for) them a plea except that they say, "By Allah, our Lord, not we were those who associated others (with Allah)."

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
Whereupon, in their utter confusion, they will only [be able to] say: "By God, our Sustainer, we did not [mean to] ascribe divinity to aught beside Him!"
M. M. Pickthall   
Then will they have no contention save that they will say: By Allah, our Lord, we never were idolaters
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
There will then be (left) no subterfuge for them but to say: "By Allah our Lord, we were not those who joined gods with Allah."
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Their only argument will be: “By Allah, our Lord! We were never polytheists.”
Safi Kaskas   
In their utter confusion, they will only say, "By God, our Lord, we did not mean to associate partners with Him."
Wahiduddin Khan   
Then they will have no excuse but to say, By God our Lord, we have never been polytheists
Shakir   
Then their excuse would be nothing but that they would say: By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
Again, their dissent will not be but that they would say: By God! Our Lord! We had not been ones who are polytheists.
T.B.Irving   
Then there will be no test for them unless they say: "By God our Lord, we have not been associators!"
Abdul Hye   
They will not have arguments but will say: “By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists.”
The Study Quran   
Then their contention will be but to say, “By God, our Lord, we were not idolaters.
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
Their only response will be, “By God, our Lord, we were not polytheists.”
Talal Itani (2012)   
Then their only argument will be to say, 'By God, our Lord, we were not idolaters.'
Dr. Kamal Omar   
Thereafter there remains no excuse (or argument) from them except that they said: “By Allah, Our Nourisher-Sustainer, we were not polytheists.”
M. Farook Malik   
They will have no argument but to say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not at all pagan."
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
Thereafter they will have no temptation (i.e., contention, subterfuge. Literally: their temptation will be (nothing) except that they (will) say, "By Allah, our Lord, in no way were we associators (of other gods with Allah)."
Muhammad Sarwar   
Attempting to answer, they will say, "Lord, we swear by Your Name that we were not pagans"
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Then, they will have no other mischievous move but that they will say, .By Allah, our Lord, we ascribed no partners to Allah
Shabbir Ahmed   
They will hardly have a response, but they will swear," By Allah, our Lord, we never were idolaters."
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Then, they will not have any recourse except to say, "(We swear) by Allah, our Lord, we did not associate partners (with Allah)."
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
Then there will be (left) no escape for them except to say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined in worship other gods with Allah."
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
Then there will be no [excuse upon] examination except they will say, "By Allah , our Lord, we were not those who associated."
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Then, their only excuse was to Say: "By God, our Lord, we did not set up partners!"
Abdel Haleem   
they will only say, ‘By God, our Lord, we have not set up partners beside Him!’
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Then they will have no excuse but to say: by God our Lord, we have not been associaters
Ahmed Ali   
Then their excuse will be but to say: "By God our Lord, we were not idolaters."
Aisha Bewley   
Then they will have no recourse except to say, ´By Allah, our Lord, we were not idolaters.´
Ali Ünal   
Then they will have no argument except to say: "By God, our Lord, we were not of those who associated partners with God."
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Then their only excuse will be to say, ‘By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists.’
Hamid S. Aziz   
Then they will have no excuse but to say, "By Allah our Lord, we did not associate gods with Allah!"
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
Then their only temptation is to say: “By God our Lord, we were not idolators.”
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
There will then be no plea for them except to say, “By God Our Lord, we were not those who joined gods with God.
Musharraf Hussain   
In their confused state they will say, “By Allah, Our Lord, we never worshipped false gods.
Maududi   
Then they will be able to play no mischief but will say (falsely): ´By Allah, our Lord, we associated none (with You in Your divinity).´
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Then, their only excuse was to say: "By God, our Lord, we were not polytheists!"
Mohammad Shafi   
They will then be left with no excuse but to say, "By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists."

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
Then there remained not any fabrication for them but to say, 'by Allah, Our Lord, We were not polytheists.
Rashad Khalifa   
Their disastrous response will be, "By GOD our Lord, we never were idol worshipers."
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Then it was not their trial, but they will say: 'By Allah, our Lord we have never been idolaters.
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
Then their excuse would be nothing but that they would say: By Allah, our Lord! we were not polytheists
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
Then their false tales/misguidance (excuse was not), except that they said: "By God, our Lord, we were not sharing (with God)."
Bijan Moeinian   
As they cannot come with any excuse, they will reply [as their last lie]: "By Lord we were never idol worshipers!"
Faridul Haque   
Then they had no fabrication except that they said, “By Allah, our Lord, we were never polytheists!”
Sher Ali   
Then they will have no excuse save that they shall say, `By ALLAH, our Lord, we were not idolaters.
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
Then they will be left with no other excuse except that they (will) say: ‘By Allah, our Lord, we did not associate partners with Allah.
Amatul Rahman Omar   
(On that Day) they would have no excuse, but that they would say, `By Allah, Our Lord, we were never polytheists.
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
There will then be (left) no Fitnah (excuses or statements or arguments) for them but to say: "By Allah, our Lord, we were not those who joined others in worship with Allah."

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Then they shall have no proving, but to say, 'By God our Lord, we never associated other gods with Thee.
George Sale   
Then they will have no excuse save that they shall say, 'By God, our Lord, we were not idolaters.
Edward Henry Palmer   
Then they will have no excuse but to say, 'By God our Lord, we did not associate (others with thee)!
John Medows Rodwell   
Then shall they find no other excuse than to say, "By God our Lord! we joined not companions with Him."
N J Dawood (2014)   
They will then have no case to argue, but will only say: ‘By God, our Lord, we have never worshipped idols.‘

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
But nothing increased them in their tribulation except that they said, “By Allah, Our Lord, We were not those who ascribed partners to you.”
Munir Mezyed   
Then they will have no excuse except that they will say: "By Allâh, our Lord, we were not Polytheists.”
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
Then they will try to say: By Allah our Lord, we were not idolaters.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
No plea will they have except to claim, “By Allah, our Lord, we were not idolaters.”
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
Then their only turmoil was when they said, “By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists.”
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Then there will be no response [for the test] except they say: "By Allah (God) our Lord, we have not been associators!"
Samy Mahdy   
Then it was not their infatuation except that they said, "By Allah, our Lord, we were not polytheists (Other Gods)."
Sayyid Qutb   
They will have no contention then other than to say, “By God, our Lord, we have never associated partners with Him.”
Ahmed Hulusi   
They can cause no more provocation other than saying, “By Allah, our Rabb, we were not of the dualists”!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
Then their excuse would be nothing but that they would say : 'By Allah, our Lord ! we were not polytheists '
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Not knowing what to do nor which way to turn they shall say: "By Allah, our Creator, never did we incorporate with Allah other deities"
Mir Aneesuddin   
Then they will be tempted to do nothing but to say, "By Allah our Fosterer, we were not polytheists."

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
There will then be (left) no subterfuge for them but to say: "By God our Lord, we were not those who joined gods with God."
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Then not will be (for) them a plea except that they say, "By Allah, our Lord, not we were those who associated others (
OLD Transliteration   
Thumma lam takun fitnatuhum illa an qaloo waAllahi rabbina ma kunna mushrikeena