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Muhammad Asad   
AND [know that] all mankind were once but one single community, and only later did they begin to hold divergent views. And had it not been for a decree- that had already gone forth from thy Sustainer, all their differences would indeed have been settled [from the outset]
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Humanity was once nothing but a single community ˹of believers˺, but then they differed. Had it not been for a prior decree from your Lord, their differences would have been settled ˹at once˺.
Safi Kaskas   
People were once a single community, but later they began to hold divergent views. Had it not been for a prior decree from your Lord, their differences would already have been settled

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَمَا كَانَ النَّاسُ إِلَّا أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً فَاخْتَلَفُوا وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ فِيمَا فِيهِ يَخْتَلِفُون
Transliteration (2021)   
wamā kāna l-nāsu illā ummatan wāḥidatan fa-ikh'talafū walawlā kalimatun sabaqat min rabbika laquḍiya baynahum fīmā fīhi yakhtalifūn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And not was the mankind but community one, then they differed. And had (it) not been a word (that) preceded from your Lord, surely, it (would) have been judged between them concerning what [therein] they differ.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
AND [know that] all mankind were once but one single community, and only later did they begin to hold divergent views. And had it not been for a decree- that had already gone forth from thy Sustainer, all their differences would indeed have been settled [from the outset]
M. M. Pickthall   
Mankind were but one community; then they differed; and had it not been for a word that had already gone forth from thy Lord it had been judged between them in respect of that wherein they differ
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Mankind was but one nation, but differed (later). Had it not been for a word that went forth before from thy Lord, their differences would have been settled between them
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Humanity was once nothing but a single community ˹of believers˺, but then they differed. Had it not been for a prior decree from your Lord, their differences would have been settled ˹at once˺.
Safi Kaskas   
People were once a single community, but later they began to hold divergent views. Had it not been for a prior decree from your Lord, their differences would already have been settled
Wahiduddin Khan   
Mankind was only one community, but then they differed, and had it not been for a prior word from your Lord, their differences would have been settled for them
Shakir   
And people are naught but a single nation, so they disagree; and had not a word already gone forth from your Lord, the matter would have certainly been decided between them in respect of that concerning which they disagree
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
And humanity had not been but one community, but, then, they became at variance. And if it were not for a Word that preceded from thy Lord, it would be decided between them immediately about what they are at variance in it.
T.B.Irving   
Mankind was once just one nation; then they disagreed. If word had not come on ahead from your Lord, what they had been disagreeing over would have been settled for them.
Abdul Hye   
Mankind was once one community (one religion); then they differed later (inventing different creeds). Had it not been for a word that went forth before from your Lord, it would have been settled between them regarding what they differed in it.
The Study Quran   
Mankind was but one community, then they differed. And if not for a Word that had preceded from thy Lord, judgment would have been made between them concerning that wherein they differed
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And mankind is not but one single community, then they (due to various reasons) differed (among themselves). And if a commitment was not already given from your Nourisher-Sustainer, surely (the matter) would have been settled between them regarding what they differ therein
Farook Malik   
Mankind was once just one nation; later on they became divided through inventing different creeds. If your Lord had not already given His word ( specified time for the life of mankind on Earth), the matters in which they differ would have certainly been decided
Talal A. Itani (new translation)   
Mankind was a single community; then they differed. Were it not for a prior decree from your Lord, the matters over which they had disputed would have been settled
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And in no way were mankind anything except one nation, then they differed among themselves; and had it not been for a Word that went before from your Lord, wherein they differed, (it) would indeed have been decreed between them. (i.e., what they differed about would nave been settled
Muhammad Sarwar   
All people (once) followed one belief. Then they began to follow different beliefs. Had not a word of your Lord (His decision to give every one time and free will) been decreed, God would already have settled their differences
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
All the people were no more than a single community; later, they differed. But for a word from your Lord that had already come to pass, a decisive judgment would have been made about their mutual differences
Shabbir Ahmed   
All mankind were but one community (and are meant to be so); then they differed (2:213). Had not your Lord decreed the Law of free will for humans, He would have judged their disputes immediately (2:30), (2:256), (11:118), (16:9), (76:2-3)
Dr. Munir Munshey   
To begin with, people had only one religion. Later on, they differed. Their disputes would have been settled, but the word has already gone out from your Lord (that this world is a test, the next is for punishment and reward)
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
Mankind was only one nation, but differed later. If it was not because of a Word from your Lord that came before their differences would have been settled between them
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And mankind was not but one community [united in religion], but [then] they differed. And if not for a word that preceded from your Lord, it would have been judged between them [immediately] concerning that over which they differ
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
The people were but one nation, then they differed. And had it not been for a previous command from your Lord, the matter would have been immediately judged between them for what they differed
Abdel Haleem   
All people were originally one single community, but later they differed. If it had not been for a word from your Lord, the preordained judgement would already have been passed between them regarding their differences
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
And mankind were not but a single ccmmunity then they differed. And had not a word from thy Lord gone forth, it would have been decreed between them in respect of that wherein they differ
Ahmed Ali   
Men were once a community of one faith; but they differed (and followed different ways). Had it not been for the word proclaimed by your Lord before, their differences would have been resolved
Aisha Bewley   
Mankind was only one community but then they differed, and had it not been for a prior Word from your Lord, they would already have been judged in respect of the differences between them.
Ali Ünal   
Humankind (in the beginning) were but one community following one single way but later they differed and began following different ways. Had it not been for a decree already issued by your Lord (postponing the final, decisive judgment until an appointed term), it would indeed have been judged between them in respect of all that they differ on
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Mankind were but a single [religious] community; then they differed. And were it not for a prior decree of your Lord, decision would have been made between them concerning that about which they differ
Hamid S. Aziz   
Mankind were but one nation once, then they disagreed; and had it not been for a Word (decree) from your Lord which had already gone out, their differences would have been settled between them already
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
People were only a single community then they disagreed, and if it was not for a word that previously issued from your Master, it would have been judged between them about what they disagreed about it
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Humanity was once one people, and then became diverse. Had it not been for a word that went forth before from your Lord, their differences would have been settled between them
Musharraf Hussain   
At one time all people were a single community, then they started to disagree, and if it had not been for an earlier decree of Your Lord, the differences between them would have been settled long ago.
Maududi   
Once all men were but a single community; then they disagreed (and formulated different beliefs and rites). Had it not been that your Lord had already so ordained, a decisive judgement would have been made regarding their disagreements.
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
The people were but one nation, then they differed. And had it not been for a previous command from your Lord, the matter would have been immediately judged between them for what they differed.
Mohammad Shafi   
And mankind is naught but a single community, and yet they differ. Had it not been for a word already gone forth from your Lord, the issues, on which they differ, would have certainly been decided among them

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And the people were only one nation, then differed. And if a word from your Lord has not occurred before, then their differences would have been decided between them.
Rashad Khalifa   
The people used to be one congregation, then they disputed. If it were not for a predetermined word from your Lord, they would have been judged immediately regarding their disputes.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
(Before) mankind were but one nation, then they differed with one another. But for a Word that preceded from your Lord, it (the matters) over which they differed had already been decided
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And (all) people are but a single nation, then they disagree. And had not a word already gone forth from thy Lord, the matter would have certainly been decided between them in respect of that wherein they disagree
Muhammad Ahmed - Samira   
And the people were not except one nation , so they differed/disagreed/disputed, and where it not for a word preceded from your Lord, (it) would have executed/ended (E) between them, in what they are in it differing/disagreeing
Bijan Moeinian   
The people were used to belong to only one nation; then they created opposing communities. If it was not the pre-determined will of God (to let them keep their freedom of choice), He would have immediately judged among them [and would have prevented their separation.]
Faridul Haque   
Mankind were only one nation * and then they differed, and had it not been for a promise ** from your Lord, the matters in which they differed would have been decided here itself. (* On one proper faith. ** The account on the Last Day.
Sher Ali   
And mankind were but one community, then they differed among themselves; and had it not been for a word that had gone before from thy Lord, it would have already been decided between them concerning that in which they differed
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And the entire mankind was one Umma ([Community] in the beginning). Then they (differed amongst themselves and) disintegrated. And if it had not been decreed by your Lord (that the torment would not be hastened), the matters would have been settled between them in which they disagreed
Amatul Rahman Omar   
And mankind were but a single nation, then they fell into variance. Had it not been for a word (-the postponement of their punishment, see 8:33) that preceded from your Lord (as His promise), the issue wherein they disagreed would have (long been) decided between them
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
Mankind were but one community (i.e. on one religion - Islamic Monotheism), then they differed (later), and had not it been for a Word that went forth before from your Lord, it would have been settled between them regarding what they differed

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Mankind were only one nation, then they fell into variance. But for a word that preceded from thy Lord, it had been decided between them already touching their differences
George Sale   
Men were professors of one religion only, but they dissented therefrom; and if a decree had not previously issued from thy Lord, deferring their punishment, verily the matter had been decided between them, concerning which they disagreed
Edward Henry Palmer   
People were but one nation once, then they disagreed; and had it not been for thy Lord's word already passed, there would have been decided between them that concerning which they disagreed
John Medows Rodwell   
Men were of one religion only: then they fell to variance: and had not a decree (of respite) previously gone forth from thy Lord, their differences had surely been decided between them
N J Dawood (2014)   
There was a time when mankind were but one community. Then they disagreed among themselves: and but for a Word from your Lord, long since decreed, their differences would have been surely resolved

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Humanity was only one community. Then they began to disagree. If it had not been for a word already issued from your Lord, their differences would have already been settled.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Mankind was once just one nation [with one religion]; then they disagreed [so some stayed believers and others became disbelievers]. If word [of delayed punishment] had not come on ahead from your Lord, what they had been disagreeing over would have been settled for them.
Sayyid Qutb   
All mankind were once but one single community, and then they disagreed among themselves. Had it not been for a decree from your Lord that had already gone forth, all their differences would have been resolved.
Ahmed Hulusi   
Mankind was not but a single nation (created upon the natural disposition of Islam), but then they differed! (This is a reference to an ongoing phenomenon rather than a one-time incident. It denotes the reality that every human, in terms of its creation, is based on the natural disposition of Islam, yet differs after identifying with the belief system of the parents.) Had it not been for a word that preceded from their Rabb (the decree regarding living the requirements of servitude), He would have judged between them about what they differ.
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
And mankind were only one community, then they differed, and had not a Word already gone forth from your Lord, their differences would have been judged between them.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim   
People were but one single nation, then they differed among themselves in opinion and each group cherished a certain view and belief and were altogether set at variance. Had it not been for Allah's word proclaimed beforehand to delay the decision on matters of doubt and dispute among them and to put punishment in respite, their Hereafter would have been planted in the now
Mir Aneesuddin   
And mankind were but a single community, then they disagreed. And had a word not gone forth from your Fosterer, the matter in which they had disagreed among themselves would have been settled (once for all). for all).

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Mankind was but one nation, but differed (later). Had it not been for a word that went forth before from thy Lord, their differences would have been settled between them
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And not was the mankind but one community, then they differed. And had (it) not been a word (that) preceded from your Lord, surely, it (would) have been j between them concerning what [therein] they differ