Qarib: If you do not go forth, He will punish you with a painful punishment and replace you by another nation. You will in no way harm Him; for Allah has power over all things.
Sarwar: If you do not march for His cause, He will afflict your with a painful punishment and replace you by another nation and your (destruction) will not harm Him at all. God has power over all things.
Shakir: If you do not go forth, He will chastise you with a painful chastisement and bring in your place a people other than you, and you will do Him no harm; and Allah has power over all things
Pickthall: If ye go not forth He will afflict you with a painful doom, and will choose instead of you a folk other than you. Ye cannot harm Him at all. Allah is Able to do all things.
Yusufali: Unless ye go forth, He will punish you with a grievous penalty, and put others in your place; but Him ye would not harm in the least. For Allah hath power over all things.

Qarib: If you do not help him, Allah will help him as He helped him when he was driven out with one other (Abu Bakr) by the unbelievers. When the two were in the cave, he said to his companion: 'Do not sorrow, Allah is with us. ' Then Allah caused His tranquility (shechina) to descend upon him and supported him with legions (of angels) you did not see, and He made the word of the unbelievers the lowest, and the Word of Allah is the highest. Allah is Mighty, Wise.
Sarwar: If you do not help him, (Muhammad), God has already helped him. When the unbelievers expelled him and he was one of the two people in the cave telling his friend, "Do not worry; God is with us," then God gave him confidence and supported him with an army which you did not see and He defeated the cause of the disbelievers and made His own cause stand supreme. God is Majestic and All-wise.
Shakir: If you will not aid him, Allah certainly aided him when those who disbelieved expelled him, he being the second of the two, when they were both in the cave, when he said to his companion: Grieve not, surely Allah is with us. So Allah sent down His tranquillity upon him and strengthened him with hosts which you did not see, and made lowest the word of those who disbelieved; and the word of Allah, that is the highest; and Allah is Mighty, Wise
Pickthall: If ye help him not, still Allah helped him when those who disbelieve drove him forth, the second of two; when they two were in the cave, when he said unto his comrade: Grieve not. Lo! Allah is with us. Then Allah caused His peace of reassurance to descend upon him and supported him with hosts ye cannot see, and made the word of those who disbelieved the nethermost, while Allah's Word it was that became the uppermost. Allah is Mighty, Wise.
Yusufali: If ye help not (your leader), (it is no matter): for Allah did indeed help him, when the Unbelievers drove him out: he had no more than one companion; they two were in the cave, and he said to his companion, "Have no fear, for Allah is with us": then Allah sent down His peace upon him, and strengthened him with forces which ye saw not, and humbled to the depths the word of the Unbelievers. But the word of Allah is exalted to the heights: for Allah is Exalted in might, Wise.

Qarib: Whether lightly or heavily, march on and fight for the Way of Allah, with your wealth and your persons. This will be best for you, if you but knew.
Sarwar: Whether unarmed or well equipped, march and fight for the cause of God with your possessions and in person. This would be better for you, if only you knew it.
Shakir: Go forth light and heavy, and strive hard in Allah's way with your property and your persons; this is better for you, if you know
Pickthall: Go forth, light-armed and heavy-armed, and strive with your wealth and your lives in the way of Allah! That is best for you if ye but knew.
Yusufali: Go ye forth, (whether equipped) lightly or heavily, and strive and struggle, with your goods and your persons, in the cause of Allah. That is best for you, if ye (but) knew.

Qarib: Had the gain been immediate or the journey easy, they would have followed you; but the distance seemed far to them. Yet they will swear by Allah: 'Had we been able, we would have gone out with you. ' They bring destruction upon their souls. Allah knows that they are lying.
Sarwar: Had the gain been immediate or the journey shorter, they (hypocrites) would certainly have followed you, (Muhammad), but it was too far for them. They will swear by God, "Had we had the ability, we would certainly have marched with you." They destroy only themselves and God knows that they are lying.
Shakir: Had it been a near advantage and a short journey, they would certainly have followed you, but the tedious journey was too long for them; and they swear by Allah: If we had been able, we would certainly have gone forth with you; they cause their own souls to perish, and Allah knows that they are most surely
Pickthall: Had it been a near adventure and an easy journey they had followed thee, but the distance seemed too far for them. Yet will they swear by Allah (saying): If we had been able we would surely have set out with you. They destroy their souls, and Allah knoweth that they verily are liars.
Yusufali: If there had been immediate gain (in sight), and the journey easy, they would (all) without doubt have followed thee, but the distance was long, (and weighed) on them. They would indeed swear by Allah, "If we only could, we should certainly have come out with you": They would destroy their own souls; for Allah doth know that they are certainly lying.

Qarib: Allah has forgiven you! Why did you give them leave (to stay behind) until it was clear to you which of them was truthful and knew those who lied?
Sarwar: May God forgive you! (Muhammad), why did you not let them join the army so that you could discern the liars from the truthful ones?
Shakir: Allah pardon you! Why did you give them leave until those who spoke the truth had become manifest to you and you had known the liars?
Pickthall: Allah forgive thee (O Muhammad)! Wherefor didst thou grant them leave ere those who told the truth were manifest to thee and thou didst know the liars?
Yusufali: Allah give thee grace! why didst thou grant them until those who told the truth were seen by thee in a clear light, and thou hadst proved the liars?

Qarib: Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day will not ask your permission so that they may struggle with their wealth and their selves. Allah knows best the righteous.
Sarwar: Those who believe in God and the Day of Judgment do not ask you whether they should fight for the cause of God with their property and in person, or not. God knows all about the pious ones.
Shakir: They do not ask leave of you who believe in Allah and the latter day (to stay away) from striving hard with their property and their persons, and Allah knows those who guard (against evil)
Pickthall: Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day ask no leave of thee lest they should strive with their wealth and their lives. Allah is Aware of those who keep their duty (unto Him).
Yusufali: Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day ask thee for no exemption from fighting with their goods and persons. And Allah knoweth well those who do their duty.

Qarib: Only those who ask your permission do not believe in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts are filled with doubt. And in their doubt, they waiver.
Sarwar: Only those who do not believe in God and the Day of Judgment ask you such questions because their hearts are full of doubts and they cannot make any final decisions.
Shakir: They only ask leave of you who do not believe in Allah and the latter day and their hearts are in doubt, so in their doubt do they waver
Pickthall: They alone ask leave of thee who believe not in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts feel doubt, so in their doubt they waver.
Yusufali: Only those ask thee for exemption who believe not in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts are in doubt, so that they are tossed in their doubts to and fro.

Qarib: Had they intended to set forth with you, they would have prepared themselves for it. But Allah did not like their going forth and held them back, and it was said: 'Stay back with those who stay back. '
Sarwar: Had they (the hypocrites) wanted to join your army, they would have prepared themselves, but God did not wish to motivate them, so He caused them to linger behind with those whose joining you in battle would be of no use.
Shakir: And if they had intended to go forth, they would certainly have provided equipment for it, but Allah did not like their going forth, so He withheld them, and it was said (to them): Hold back with those who hold back
Pickthall: And if they had wished to go forth they would assuredly have made ready some equipment, but Allah was averse to their being sent forth and held them back and it was said (unto them): Sit ye with the sedentary!
Yusufali: If they had intended to come out, they would certainly have made some preparation therefor; but Allah was averse to their being sent forth; so He made them lag behind, and they were told, "Sit ye among those who sit (inactive)."

Qarib: Had they gone forth among you, they would only have increased your burden, and run to and fro in your midst, seeking to stir up sedition between you; and some of you would listen to them; and Allah knows the harmdoers.
Sarwar: Had they joined you, they would have been of no help to you but would have just caused confusion and trouble among you by sneaking through the ranks where some of you would be ready to listen to them. God knows best the unjust.
Shakir: Had they gone forth with you, they would not have added to you aught save corruption, and they would certainly have hurried about among you seeking (to sow) dissension among you, and among you there are those who hearken for their sake; and Allah knows the unjust
Pickthall: Had they gone forth among you they had added to you naught save trouble and had hurried to and fro among you, seeking to cause sedition among you; and among you there are some who would have listened to them. Allah is Aware of evil-doers.
Yusufali: If they had come out with you, they would not have added to your (strength) but only (made for) disorder, hurrying to and fro in your midst and sowing sedition among you, and there would have been some among you who would have listened to them. But Allah knoweth well those who do wrong.

Qarib: Beforehand they had already sought to stir up sedition, and turned things upside down for you, until the truth came, and the command of Allah appeared, although they were averse.
Sarwar: Even prior to this, they tried to cause trouble and to turn your affairs upside-down until the truth came and the cause of God triumphed against their desires.
Shakir: Certainly they sought (to sow) dissension before, and they meditated plots against you until the truth came, and Allah's commandment prevailed although they were averse (from it)
Pickthall: Aforetime they sought to cause sedition and raised difficulties for thee till the Truth came and the decree of Allah was made manifest, though they were loth.
Yusufali: Indeed they had plotted sedition before, and upset matters for thee, until,- the Truth arrived, and the Decree of Allah became manifest much to their disgust.