وَمَا And not wamā you were kunta on (the) side bijānibi western l-gharbiyi when idh We decreed qaḍaynā to ilā Musa mūsā the Commandment l-amra and not wamā you were kunta among mina the witnesses l-shāhidīna
And you, [O Muḥammad], were not on the western side [of the mount] when We revealed to Moses the command, and you were not among the witnesses [to that].
وَلَـٰكِنَّآ But We walākinnā [We] produced anshanā generations qurūnan and prolonged fataṭāwala for them ʿalayhimu the life l-ʿumuru And not wamā you were kunta a dweller thāwiyan among fī (the) people ahli (of) Madyan madyana reciting tatlū to them ʿalayhim Our Verses āyātinā but We walākinnā [We] were kunnā the Senders mur'silīna
But We produced [many] generations [after Moses], and prolonged was their duration.1 And you were not a resident among the people of Madyan, reciting to them Our verses, but We were senders [of this message].2
وَمَا And not wamā you were kunta at (the) side bijānibi (of) the Tur l-ṭūri when idh We called nādaynā But walākin (as) a mercy raḥmatan from min your Lord rabbika so that you warn litundhira a people qawman not mā (had) come to them atāhum any min warner nadhīrin before you min before you qablika so that they may laʿallahum remember yatadhakkarūna
And you were not at the side of the mount when We called [Moses] but [were sent] as a mercy from your Lord to warn a people to whom no warner had come before you that they might be reminded.
وَلَوْلَآ And if not walawlā [that] an struck them tuṣībahum a disaster muṣībatun for what bimā had sent forth qaddamat their hands aydīhim and they would say fayaqūlū Our Lord rabbanā Why not lawlā You sent arsalta to us ilaynā a Messenger rasūlan so we (could have) followed fanattabiʿa Your Verses āyātika and we (would) have been wanakūna of mina the believers l-mu'minīna
And if not that a disaster should strike them for what their hands put forth [of sins] and they would say, "Our Lord, why did You not send us a messenger so we could have followed Your verses and been among the believers?"...1
فَلَمَّا But when falammā came to them jāahumu the truth l-ḥaqu from Us min from Us ʿindinā they said qālū Why not lawlā he was given ūtiya (the) like mith'la (of) what mā was given ūtiya (to) Musa mūsā Did not awalam they disbelieve yakfurū in what bimā was given ūtiya (to) Musa mūsā before min before qablu They said qālū Two magic (works) siḥ'rāni supporting each other taẓāharā And they said waqālū Indeed, we innā in all bikullin (are) disbelievers kāfirūna
But when the truth came to them from Us, they said, "Why was he not given like that which was given to Moses?" Did they not disbelieve in that which was given to Moses before? They said, "[They are but] two works of magic supporting each other,1 and indeed we are, in both, disbelievers."
قُلْ Say qul Then bring fatū a Book bikitābin from Allah min from Allah ʿindi from Allah l-lahi which huwa (is) a better guide ahdā than both of them min'humā that I may follow it attabiʿ'hu if in you are kuntum truthful ṣādiqīna
Say, "Then bring a scripture from Allāh which is more guiding than either of them that I may follow it, if you should be truthful."
فَإِن But if fa-in not lam they respond yastajībū to you laka then know fa-iʿ'lam that only annamā they follow yattabiʿūna their desires ahwāahum And who waman (is) more astray aḍallu than (one) who mimmani follows ittabaʿa his own desire hawāhu without bighayri guidance hudan from mina Allah l-lahi Indeed inna Allah l-laha (does) not lā guide yahdī the people l-qawma the wrongdoers l-ẓālimīna
But if they do not respond to you - then know that they only follow their [own] desires. And who is more astray than one who follows his desire without guidance from Allāh? Indeed, Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.