Sura 2: AL-BAQARA (THE COW) - Juz' 1

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَالَّذِينَ هَادُوا وَالنَّصَارَى وَالصَّابِئِينَ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ عِنْدَ رَبِّهِمْ وَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ ﴿۶۲﴾
Qarib: Those who believe, Jews, Nazarenes and Sabaeans whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good deeds shall be rewarded by their Lord; they have nothing to fear nor are they saddened.
Sarwar: However, those who have become believers (the Muslims), and the Jews, the Christians and the Sabaeans who believe in God and the Day of Judgment and strive righteously will receive their reward from the Lord and will have nothing to fear nor will they be grieved.
Shakir: Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the f Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last day and does good, they shall have their reward from their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve
Pickthall: Lo! Those who believe (in that which is revealed unto thee, Muhammad), and those who are Jews, and Christians, and Sabaeans - whoever believeth in Allah and the Last Day and doeth right - surely their reward is with their Lord, and there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve.
Yusufali: Those who believe (in the Qur'an), and those who follow the Jewish (scriptures), and the Christians and the Sabians,- any who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and work righteousness, shall have their reward with their Lord; on them shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.
وَإِذْ أَخَذْنَا مِيثَاقَكُمْ وَرَفَعْنَا فَوْقَكُمُ الطُّورَ خُذُوا مَا آتَيْنَاكُمْ بِقُوَّةٍ وَاذْكُرُوا مَا فِيهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿۶۳﴾
Qarib: And when We made a covenant with you and raised the Mount above you, (saying) 'Take what We have given you forcefully and remember what is in it, so that you will be cautious, '
Sarwar: Children of Israel, recall when We made a covenant with you, raised Mount Tur (Sinai) above you and told you to receive earnestly what We had given to you and bear it in mind so that you would protect yourselves against evil.
Shakir: And when We took a promise from you and lifted the mountain over you: Take hold of the law (Tavrat) We have given you with firmness and bear in mind what is in it, so that you may guard (against evil)
Pickthall: And (remember, O Children of Israel) when We made a covenant with you and caused the mount to tower above you, (saying): Hold fast that which We have given you, and remember that which is therein, that ye may ward off (evil).
Yusufali: And remember We took your covenant and We raised above you (The towering height) of Mount (Sinai) : (Saying): "Hold firmly to what We have given you and bring (ever) to remembrance what is therein: Perchance ye may fear Allah."
ثُمَّ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ ذَلِكَ فَلَوْلَا فَضْلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَتُهُ لَكُنْتُمْ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ ﴿۶۴﴾
Qarib: yet after that you turned away, but for the Grace of Allah and His Mercy you would have surely been among the losers.
Sarwar: Again you turned away. Had God's Grace and His Mercy not existed in your favor, you would certainly have been lost.
Shakir: Then you turned back after that; so were it not for the grace of Allah and His mercy on you, you would certainly have been among the losers
Pickthall: Then, even after that, ye turned away, and if it had not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy ye had been among the losers.
Yusufali: But ye turned back thereafter: Had it not been for the Grace and Mercy of Allah to you, ye had surely been among the lost.
وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمُ الَّذِينَ اعْتَدَوْا مِنْكُمْ فِي السَّبْتِ فَقُلْنَا لَهُمْ كُونُوا قِرَدَةً خَاسِئِينَ ﴿۶۵﴾
Qarib: You have surely known of those amongst you who transgressed the Sabbath. We said to them: 'Be apes, despised! '
Sarwar: You certainly knew about those among you who were transgressors on the Sabbath. We commanded them, "Become detested apes,"
Shakir: And certainly you have known those among you who exceeded the limits of the Sabbath, so We said to them: Be (as) apes, despised and hated
Pickthall: And ye know of those of you who broke the Sabbath, how We said unto them: Be ye apes, despised and hated!
Yusufali: And well ye knew those amongst you who transgressed in the matter of the Sabbath: We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected."
فَجَعَلْنَاهَا نَكَالًا لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهَا وَمَا خَلْفَهَا وَمَوْعِظَةً لِلْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿۶۶﴾
Qarib: We made it a punishment for the former times and for the latter, an exhortation to the cautious.
Sarwar: in order to set up an example for their contemporaries and coming generations and to make it a reminder for the pious.
Shakir: So We made them an example to those who witnessed it and those who came after it, and an admonition to those who guard (against evil)
Pickthall: And We made it an example to their own and to succeeding generations, and an admonition to the Allah-fearing.
Yusufali: So We made it an example to their own time and to their posterity, and a lesson to those who fear Allah.
وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَى لِقَوْمِهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تَذْبَحُوا بَقَرَةً قَالُوا أَتَتَّخِذُنَا هُزُوًا قَالَ أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِينَ ﴿۶۷﴾
Qarib: When Moses said to his nation: 'Allah commands you to slaughter a cow, ' they replied: 'Are you taking us in mockery? ' 'I seek protection with Allah lest I should be one of the ignorant' he said.
Sarwar: When Moses said to his people, "God commands you to sacrifice a cow," they asked, "Are you mocking us?" "God forbid, how would I be so ignorant," said Moses.
Shakir: And when Musa said to his people: Surely Allah commands you that you should sacrifice a cow; they said: Do you ridicule us? He said: I seek the protection of Allah from being one of the ignorant
Pickthall: And when Moses said unto his people: Lo! Allah commandeth you that ye sacrifice a cow, they said: Dost thou make game of us? He answered: Allah forbid that I should be among the foolish!
Yusufali: And remember Moses said to his people: "Allah commands that ye sacrifice a heifer." They said: "Makest thou a laughing-stock of us?" He said: "Allah save me from being an ignorant (fool)!"
قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا هِيَ قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَا فَارِضٌ وَلَا بِكْرٌ عَوَانٌ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ فَافْعَلُوا مَا تُؤْمَرُونَ ﴿۶۸﴾
Qarib: 'Call on your Lord, ' they said, 'to make known to us what she shall be. ' He said: "He says she is a cow neither old, nor virgin, middling between both." Therefore, do as you have been ordered. '
Sarwar: They demanded, "Ask your Lord to describe the kind of cow He wants us to slaughter." Moses explained, "It must be neither too old nor too young, thus do whatever you are commanded to do." Moses then told them to do as they were ordered.
Shakir: They said: Call on your Lord for our sake to make it plain to us what she is. Musa said: He says, Surely she is a cow neither advanced in age nor too young, of middle age between that (and this); do therefore what you are commanded
Pickthall: They said: Pray for us unto thy Lord that He make clear to us what (cow) she is. (Moses) answered: Lo! He saith, Verily she is a cow neither with calf nor immature; (she is) between the two conditions; so do that which ye are commanded.
Yusufali: They said: "Beseech on our behalf Thy Lord to make plain to us what (heifer) it is!" He said; "He says: The heifer should be neither too old nor too young, but of middling age. Now do what ye are commanded!"
قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا لَوْنُهَا قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ صَفْرَاءُ فَاقِعٌ لَوْنُهَا تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرِينَ ﴿۶۹﴾
Qarib: 'Call on your Lord, ' they said, 'to make known to us what her color shall be. ' 'Your Lord says: "The cow is yellow, a rich yellow pleasing to the onlookers." '
Sarwar: They further demanded Moses to ask the Lord what color the cow has to be. Moses answered, "The Lord says that the cow must be yellow, a beautiful yellow".
Shakir: They said: Call on your Lord for our sake to make it plain to us what her color is. Musa said: He says, Surely she is a yellow cow; her color is intensely yellow, giving delight to the beholders
Pickthall: They said: Pray for us unto thy Lord that He make clear to us of what colour she is. (Moses) answered: Lo! He saith: Verily she is a yellow cow. Bright is her colour, gladdening beholders.
Yusufali: They said: "Beseech on our behalf Thy Lord to make plain to us Her colour." He said: "He says: A fawn-coloured heifer, pure and rich in tone, the admiration of beholders!"
قَالُوا ادْعُ لَنَا رَبَّكَ يُبَيِّنْ لَنَا مَا هِيَ إِنَّ الْبَقَرَ تَشَابَهَ عَلَيْنَا وَإِنَّا إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ لَمُهْتَدُونَ ﴿۷۰﴾
Qarib: 'Call on your Lord, ' they said, 'to make known to us which cow she shall be; to us cows look alike. If Allah wills, we shall be guided. '
Sarwar: They said, "We are confused about the cow, for to us all cows look alike. Ask your Lord to tell us exactly what the cow looks like, so that God willing, we shall have the right description."
Shakir: They said: Call on your Lord for our sake to make it plain to us what she is, for surely to us the cows are all alike, and if Allah please we shall surely be guided aright
Pickthall: They said: Pray for us unto thy Lord that He make clear to us what (cow) she is. Lo! cows are much alike to us; and Lo! if Allah wills, we may be led aright.
Yusufali: They said: "Beseech on our behalf Thy Lord to make plain to us what she is: To us are all heifers alike: We wish indeed for guidance, if Allah wills."
قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَا ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ الْأَرْضَ وَلَا تَسْقِي الْحَرْثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لَا شِيَةَ فِيهَا قَالُوا الْآنَ جِئْتَ بِالْحَقِّ فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُوا يَفْعَلُونَ ﴿۷۱﴾
Qarib: He replied: 'He says: "She is a cow, neither worn out plowing the earth nor watering the field, one kept secure free from any blemish." ' 'Now you have brought us the truth, ' they answered. And they slaughtered her, after they had been reluctant to do so.
Sarwar: (Moses) said, "The Lord says that it must not have even tilled the soil nor irrigated the fields and it must be free of blemishes and flaws." They said, "Now you have given us the right description." After almost failing to find it, they slaughtered the cow.
Shakir: Musa said: He says, Surely she is a cow not made submissive that she should plough the land, nor does she irrigate the tilth; sound, without a blemish in her. They said: Now you have brought the truth; so they sacrificed her, though they had not the mind to do (it)
Pickthall: (Moses) answered: Lo! He saith: Verily she is a cow unyoked; she plougheth not the soil nor watereth the tilth; whole and without mark. They said: Now thou bringest the truth. So they sacrificed her, though almost they did not.
Yusufali: He said: "He says: A heifer not trained to till the soil or water the fields; sound and without blemish." They said: "Now hast thou brought the truth." Then they offered her in sacrifice, but not with good-will.