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Muhammad Asad   
notwithstanding that we were established in positions [which we had thought well-suited] to listening to [whatever secrets might be in] it: and anyone who now [or ever] tries to listen will [likewise] find a flame lying in wait for him
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
We used to take up positions there for eavesdropping, but whoever dares eavesdrop now will find a flare lying in wait for them.
Safi Kaskas   
We used to take up certain positions to listen in; but anyone trying to listen now finds a projectile in wait for him.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَأَنَّا كُنَّا نَقۡعُدُ مِنۡهَا مَقَـٰعِدَ لِلسَّمۡعِۖ فَمَن یَسۡتَمِعِ ٱلۡءَانَ یَجِدۡ لَهُۥ شِهَابࣰا رَّصَدࣰا ۝٩
Transliteration (2021)   
wa-annā kunnā naqʿudu min'hā maqāʿida lilssamʿi faman yastamiʿi l-āna yajid lahu shihāban raṣada
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And that we used to sit there in positions for hearing, but (he) who listens now will find for him a flaming fire waiting.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
notwithstanding that we were established in positions [which we had thought well-suited] to listening to [whatever secrets might be in] it: and anyone who now [or ever] tries to listen will [likewise] find a flame lying in wait for him
M. M. Pickthall   
And we used to sit on places (high) therein to listen. But he who listeneth now findeth a flame in wait for him
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
'We used, indeed, to sit there in (hidden) stations, to (steal) a hearing; but any who listen now will find a flaming fire watching him in ambush
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
We used to take up positions there for eavesdropping, but whoever dares eavesdrop now will find a flare lying in wait for them.
Safi Kaskas   
We used to take up certain positions to listen in; but anyone trying to listen now finds a projectile in wait for him.
Wahiduddin Khan   
we used to take up a position to listen, but whoever listens now finds a flaming fire lying in wait for hi
Shakir   
And that we used to sit in some of the sitting-places thereof to steal a hearing, but he who would (try to) listen now would find a flame lying in wait for him
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
And we had been sitting in positions having the ability to hear. But whoever listens now will find a burning flame and watchers for him.
T.B.Irving   
We used to squat in some of its seats to listen, though anyone who eavesdrops now finds a shooting star lurking there for him.
Abdul Hye   
We used to sit there at stations (heaven) to steal a hearing, but those who listen now find flaming fire (stars) watching in ambush for them.
The Study Quran   
We used to sit in places thereof to listen, but whosoever listens now finds a flaming star lying in wait for him
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
We used to occupy places there to eavesdrop. But now, whoever attempts to listen finds a blazing meteor lying in wait for him.
Talal Itani (2012)   
We used to take up positions to listen in; but whoever listens now finds a projectile in wait for him
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And that we used to sit on some of its seats for tapping the information; but any one who listens in the current circumstances, he will find for him a firing and shooting missile waiting in ambush
M. Farook Malik   
Before this we used to find a seat in heaven for eavesdropping, but now eavesdroppers find shooting stars lying in ambush for them
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And that we used to sit (there) on seats for (over)hearing; yet whoever listens now finds a flaming (meteor) (closely) observing him
Muhammad Sarwar   
We used to sit near by and try to listen to the heavens, but shooting flames now await those who try to do that
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
and that we used to sit at places therein to listen; but if one will (try to) listen now, he will find a flame in ambush for him
Shabbir Ahmed   
(The nomads continued), "And we used to sit on places listening to the 'heavenly news'. But now whoever listens will find a flame waiting for him." (The brilliant flame of Divine Revelation is now ever-ready to torch the conjecture of the astrologers (37:6-9), (67:5))
Dr. Munir Munshey   
"Indeed, we used to seek places (in the sky) to sit and eavesdrop (on the angels). But now whoever attempts to eavesdrop finds a flaming meteor lurking around (to strike him)."
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
" ‘And verily, we used indeed, to sit there in (the hidden) places, to listen in but anyone who listens now will find a flaming fire (and shooting stars) watching him in hiding (to drive him away)
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And we used to sit therein in positions for hearing, but whoever listens now will find a burning flame lying in wait for him
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
"And we used to sit in it in places of listening, but anyone who sits now finds a projectile homing in on him."
Abdel Haleem   
we used to sit in places there, listening, but anyone trying to listen now will find a shooting star lying in wait for him–&ndash
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
And we were wont to sit on seats therein to listen; but whosoever listeneth now findeth for him a dartin meteor in wait
Ahmed Ali   
We sat in observatories to listen; but any one who listened found a shooting star in wait for him
Aisha Bewley   
We used to sit there on special seats to listen in. But anyone listening now finds a fiery meteor in wait for him.
Ali Ünal   
‘We used to be established in position to overhear (its inhabitants); but now whoever attempts to listen finds a flaming fire in wait for him
Ali Quli Qara'i   
We used to sit in its positions to eavesdrop, but anyone listening now finds a flame waiting for him
Hamid S. Aziz   
"And we used to sit in some high hidden places therein to steal a hearing, but he who would try to listen now would find a flame lying in wait for him
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
and we used to sit there in positions for listening, but anyone who listens now finds a shooting flame waiting for him.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
“ ‘We used to sit there in position to listen, but any who listen now will find a flaming fire watching them in ambush
Musharraf Hussain   
We sat in there waiting to eavesdrop, but now whoever listens in will have comets lying in wait for him.
Maududi   
and that "we would take up stations in the heaven to try to hear but anyone who now attempts to listen finds a shooting meteor in wait for him"
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
"And we used to sit in it in places of listening, but anyone who sits now finds a projectile seeking him."
Mohammad Shafi   
"`And that we did sit on seats therein to listen. But, now, he who listens finds a flame in wait for him.'"

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And that we used to sit on some seats to listen in the first heaven, but whoso now listens finds a flame of fire in wait for him.
Rashad Khalifa   
" `We used to sit there in order to spy. Anyone who listens is pursued by a powerful projectile.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
There, we would sit to eavesdrop, but now an eavesdropper finds a flame in wait for him
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And we used to sit in some of the sitting-places thereof to steal a hearing. But he who tries to listen now finds a flame lying in wait for him
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
'And that we, we were sitting/remaining (in position) from it (in) seats/sitting places (positions) for the hearing/listening, so who hears/listens now finds for him a light from a fire source/star/flame (shooting star) watching/observing (ambushing) (him).
Bijan Moeinian   
“And we were used to seat in some places in the space, monitoring intergalactic bands of noises/voices. But those places now are in the projectile of dangerous meteors.”
Faridul Haque   
‘And that we sometimes used to sit in some places in the sky, to listen; so whoever now listens finds a fiery comet waiting for him.’
Sher Ali   
`And we used to sit in some of its seats to listen. But whoso listens now finds a shooting star in ambush for him
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And that we used to sit on certain seats (in the heavens previously, to listen to the news), but if someone now seeks to listen, then he will find a flame of fire (waiting) for him in ambush
Amatul Rahman Omar   
"And that we used to sit in some of the observatories to listen to something. But he that tries to listen (in order to forecast some event) now (with the advent of Islam) finds a shooting star in ambush for him
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
And verily, we used to sit there in stations, to (steal) a hearing, but any who listens now will find a flaming fire watching him in ambush

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
We would sit there on seats to hear; but any listening now finds a meteor in wait for him
George Sale   
And we sat on some of the seats thereof to hear the discourse of its inhabitants; but whoever listeneth now, findeth a flame laid in ambush for him, to guard the celestial confines
Edward Henry Palmer   
and we did sit in certain seats thereof to listen; but whoso of us listens now finds a shooting-star for him on guard
John Medows Rodwell   
And we sat on some of the seats to listen, but whoever listeneth findeth an ambush ready for him of flaming darts
N J Dawood (2014)   
We sat eavesdropping, but eavesdroppers find comets in wait for them

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
And that indeed we used to take up stations there at for eavesdropping. But whosoever eavesdrops now, he will find a flame lying in wait for him.
Munir Mezyed   
We used, indeed, to sit in some of its seats and try to listen. But whoever tries to listen will find a meteor lying in wait form him.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
And we sat on listening posts there, but whoever listens now, he finds a shooting star waiting for him.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
And that we used to take up positions to listen in, but whoever listens now finds a meteor in wait for him.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
“‘We used to sit in hidden realms to hear, but anyone who tries to listen now will find flaming fire waiting in ambush.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
We used to squat in some of its seats to listen, though anyone who eavesdrops now finds a shooting star lurking there for him.
Samy Mahdy   
And surely, we were sat from it, seats of the listening; so, whoever listens now finds for him shooting star flame is lookout.
Thomas Cleary   
‘And we used to sit in some of its seats to listen: but whoever listens now' will find a blaze lying in wait for him.
Ahmed Hulusi   
“And we used to take up positions therein to listen, but whoever listens now will find a burning flame lying in wait for him.”
Mir Aneesuddin   
And we used to sit in some of the sitting places thereof to hear, but now whoever hears, he finds a flame waiting for him.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
"Long did we sit peering deep into heaven to spy what is being said or discussed in the heaven's realm. But now he of us who endeavours to pry into the realm is followed by a fiery celestial body and suffers annihilation"

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
'We used, indeed, to sit there in (hidden) stations, to (steal) a hearing; but any who listen now will find a flaming fire watching him in ambush
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And that we used to sit there in positions for hearing, but (he) who listens now will find for him a flaming fire waiting
OLD Transliteration   
Waanna kunna naqAAudu minha maqaAAida lilssamAAi faman yastamiAAi al-ana yajid lahu shihaban rasadan