The Holy Quran, tr. by Yusuf Ali, [1934]
16. Ami ittakhatha mimma yakhluqu banatin waasfakum bialbaneena
16. What! Has He taken
Daughters out of what He
Himself creates, and granted
To you sons for choice?
17. Wa-itha bushshira ahaduhum bima daraba lilrrahmani mathalan thalla wajhuhu muswaddan wahuwa katheemun
17. When news is brought
To one of them of (the birth
Of) what he sets up
As a likeness to (God)
Most Gracious, his face
Darkens, and he is filled
With inward grief!
18. Awaman yunashshao fee alhilyati wahuwa fee alkhisami ghayru mubeenin
18. Is then one brought up
Among trinkets, and unable
To give a clear account
In a dispute (to be
Associated with God)?
19. WajaAAaloo almala-ikata allatheena hum AAibadu alrrahmani inathan ashahidoo khalqahum satuktabu shahadatuhum wayus-aloona
19. And they make into females
Angels who themselves serve
God. Did they witness
Their creation? Their evidence
Will be recorded, and they
Will be called to account!
20. Waqaloo law shaa alrrahmanu ma AAabadnahum ma lahum bithalika min AAilmin in hum illa yakhrusoona
20. ("Ah!") they say, "If
It had been the Will
Of (God) Most Gracious,
We should not have
Worshipped such (deities)!"
Of that they have
No knowledge! They
Do nothing but lie!
21. Am ataynahum kitaban min qablihi fahum bihi mustamsikoona
21. What! have We given them
A Book before this,
To which they are
Holding fast?
22. Bal qaloo inna wajadna abaana AAala ommatin wa-inna AAala atharihim muhtadoona
22. Nay! they say: "We found
Our fathers following
A certain religion,
And we do guide ourselves
By their footsteps."
23. Wakathalika ma arsalna min qablika fee qaryatin min natheerin illa qala mutrafooha inna wajadna abaana AAala ommatin wa-inna AAala atharihim muqtadoona
23. Just in the same way,
Whenever We sent a Warner
Before thee to any people,
The wealthy ones among them
Said: "We found our fathers
Following a certain religion,
And we will certainly
Follow in their footsteps."
24. Qala awa law ji/tukum bi-ahda mimma wajadtum AAalayhi abaakum qaloo inna bima orsiltum bihi kafiroona
24. He said: "What!
Even if I brought you
Better guidance than that
Which ye found
Your fathers following?"
They said: "For us,
We deny that ye (prophets)
Are sent (on a mission
At all)."
25. Faintaqamna minhum faonthur kayfa kana AAaqibatu almukaththibeena
25. So We exacted retribution
From them: now see
What was the end
Of those who rejected (Truth)!