Verses 90:8-18

Index · **Joined:** 08 May 2009, 14:16 **Posts:** 1994

Suggested translation^1,2:

-------
¹This translation may have been updated from the original suggested translation as a result of the discussions that follow.
²Click on the {verse number} of a translation to see other good translations of the verse.

Linguistic · **Posted:** 24 Nov 2009, 05:23

Quote:

{90:10} And have shown him the two ways?

A couple of translators used "two highways" which is more correct. I'd go for it:
{90:10} And have shown him the two highways?

Quote:

{90:11} But he has not broken through the difficult pass.

I suggest,
{90:11} Yet, he has not conquered the obstacle.

Quote:

{90:12} And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass?

I suggest,
{90:12} And what would have made you grasp what the obstacle is?

Quote:

{90:13} It is the freeing of a slave

I suggest,
{90:13} [It is] the untying of a neck (freeing a slave).

Quote:

{90:14} Or feeding on a day of severe hunger

I suggest,
{90:14} Or feeding on a day of privation,

Quote:

{90:15} An orphan of near relationship

I suggest,
{90:15} An orphan close by,

Quote:

{90:16} Or a needy person in misery

I suggest,
{90:16} Or a needy person dirt poor,

Quote:

{90:17} And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion.

I suggest,
{90:17} And then being among those who have believed and counseled one another of patience and counseled one another of compassion.

Quote:

{90:18} Those are the companions of the right.

While the translation "the right" is technically correct, it neglects the fact that the Arabic word is الميمنة and not اليمين, the latter being the one that means "the right." Asad noticed and I like his suggestion. I therefore suggest,
{90:18} Those are the companions of righteousness.

Pragmatic · **Posted:** 24 Nov 2009, 08:20

Linguistic wrote:

Quote:

{90:10} And have shown him the two ways?

A couple of translators used "two highways" which is more correct. I'd go for it:
{90:10} And have shown him the two highways?

There is a slang expression, but pretty common one, which uses "show him the highway" as in "show him the door" and that may interfere with the meaning here.

Quote:

{90:11} Yet, he has not conquered the obstacle.

I always understood this verse as "so, shouldn't he conquer..." rather than "yet, he hasn't conquered.." but I may be wrong.

Quote:

{90:13} [It is] the untying of a neck (freeing a slave).

I suggest "release" rather than "untying."

Quote:

While the translation "the right" is technically correct, it neglects the fact that the Arabic word is الميمنة and not اليمين, the latter being the one that means "the right." Asad noticed and I like his suggestion. I therefore suggest,
{90:18} Those are the companions of righteousness.

I concur.

Linguistic · **Posted:** 24 Nov 2009, 16:37

Pragmatic wrote:

There is a slang expression, but pretty common one, which uses "show him the highway" as in "show him the door" and that may interfere with the meaning here.

Hadn't thought of that. Thanks for noticing. How about Shakir's translation?
{90:10} And pointed out to him the two conspicuous ways?

Pragmatic wrote:

Linguistic wrote:

{90:11} Yet, he has not conquered the obstacle.

I always understood this verse as "so, shouldn't he conquer..." rather than "yet, he hasn't conquered.." but I may be wrong.

Me too, but I realized that there is no syntactic justification for this interpretation. If the Arabic said, فهلا instead, then the interpretation of "Shouldn't he then..." would be valid.

I can see that this verse is an explanation of 90:4. God is saying that the reason people live a tough life instead of an easy one is because they have not "conquered the obstacle!" This is supported by

TheMostReadBook.org

Verses 90:8-18

Who is online