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.

Qarib: Among them are some that say: 'Give us leave and do not expose us to temptation. ' Surely, they have already succumbed to temptation. Gehenna shall encompass the unbelievers.
Sarwar: Some of them ask you, "Make us exempt from taking part in the battle and do not try to tempt us by telling us what we may gain from the battle; many people have died in the battle." Hell certainly encompasses the unbelievers.
Shakir: And among them there is he who says: Allow me and do not try me. Surely into trial have they already tumbled down, and most surely hell encompasses the unbelievers
Pickthall: Of them is he who saith: Grant me leave (to stay at home) and tempt me not. Surely it is into temptation that they (thus) have fallen. Lo! hell verily is all around the disbelievers.
Yusufali: Among them is (many) a man who says: "Grant me exemption and draw me not into trial." Have they not fallen into trial already? and indeed Hell surrounds the Unbelievers (on all sides).

Qarib: If good comes to you, it grieves them; but if hardship befalls you, they say: 'We have taken our precautions, ' and they turn away, rejoicing.
Sarwar: If you gain success, it grieves them but if you suffer hardship, they turn away from you saying, "It's good that we took our affairs into our own hands".
Shakir: If good befalls you, it grieves them, and if hardship afflicts you, they say: Indeed we had taken care of our affair before; and they turn back and are glad
Pickthall: If good befalleth thee (O Muhammad) it afflicteth them, and if calamity befalleth thee, they say: We took precaution, and they turn away well pleased.
Yusufali: If good befalls thee, it grieves them; but if a misfortune befalls thee, they say, "We took indeed our precautions beforehand," and they turn away rejoicing.