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Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
for, [if they did, they would know that] the life of this world is nothing but a passing delight and a play - whereas, behold, the life in the hereafter is indeed the only [true] life: if they but knew this
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
This worldly life is no more than play and amusement. But the Hereafter is indeed the real life, if only they knew.
Safi Kaskas   
The life of this world is only diversion and amusement, whereas the true life is in the Hereafter. If they only knew.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَمَا هَٰذِهِ الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا لَهْوٌ وَلَعِبٌ وَإِنَّ الدَّارَ الْآخِرَةَ لَهِيَ الْحَيَوَانُ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُون
Transliteration (2021)   
wamā hādhihi l-ḥayatu l-dun'yā illā lahwun walaʿibun wa-inna l-dāra l-ākhirata lahiya l-ḥayawānu law kānū yaʿlamūn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And not (is) this life (of) the world but amusement and play. And indeed, the Home (of) the Hereafter - surely, it (is) the life, if only they know.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
for, [if they did, they would know that] the life of this world is nothing but a passing delight and a play - whereas, behold, the life in the hereafter is indeed the only [true] life: if they but knew this
M. M. Pickthall   
This life of the world is but a pastime and a game. Lo! the home of the Hereafter - that is Life, if they but knew
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
What is the life of this world but amusement and play? but verily the Home in the Hereafter,- that is life indeed, if they but knew
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
This worldly life is no more than play and amusement. But the Hereafter is indeed the real life, if only they knew.
Safi Kaskas   
The life of this world is only diversion and amusement, whereas the true life is in the Hereafter. If they only knew.
Wahiduddin Khan   
The life of this world is nothing but sport and a diversion. It is the life of the Hereafter which is the only true life, if they but knew it
Shakir   
And this life of the world is nothing but a sport and a play; and as for the next abode, that most surely is the life-- did they but know
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
And this present life is not, but a diversion and a pastime. And, truly, the Last Abode is the eternal life if they had been knowing!
T.B.Irving   
What is this worldly life except an amusement and a game? Yet the final Home will mean [real] living, if they only realized it!
Abdul Hye   
This worldly life is nothing but amusement and play! Surely, the home of the Hereafter is indeed the life (that will never end), if they but knew.
The Study Quran   
The life of this world is naught but diversion and play. And surely the Abode of the Hereafter is life indeed, if they but knew
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And this, the life of this world is not but amusement and play! And truly, the home of the Hereafter — surely it is the real life, if they had been knowing
Farook Malik   
The life of this world is nothing but a pastime and play! It is the life of the hereafter that is the true life, if they but knew it
Talal A. Itani (new translation)   
The life of this world is nothing but diversion and play, and the Home of the Hereafter is the Life, if they only knew
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And in no way is this present life (Literally: this lowly life, i.e., the life of this world) anything except a diversion and a plaything; and surely the Last Home is indeed the (Eternal) Life, (Literally: the all-blessed life) if they know (the Truth)
Muhammad Sarwar   
The worldly life is not more than a childish game. It is the life hereafter which will be the real life, if only they knew it
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
This worldly life is nothing but an amusement and play, and the Last Abode is the real life indeed. Only if they know
Shabbir Ahmed   
For, (if they did, they would understand that) the life of this world is nothing but a pastime and play - whereas, behold, the life in the Home of the Hereafter is the true life, if they but knew (that their actions in this short life will determine their Eternal abode)
Dr. Munir Munshey   
The life of this world is nothing but (a brief) play and pastime. But the house of the hereafter is surely the (real) life. Alas! If only they knew
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
And what is the life of this world but an amusement and a play? But surely, the home in the Hereafter— That is (Eternal) life indeed, if they only knew
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
This worldly life is no more than fun and distraction, while the abode of the Hereafter is the reality, if they only knew
Abdel Haleem   
The life of this world is merely an amusement and a diversion; the true life is in the Hereafter, if only they knew
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
And this life of the world is but: sport and play. Verily the home of the Hereafter--that is life indeed, if they but knew
Ahmed Ali   
The life of this world is only a sport and play. It is surely the home of the Hereafter that will indeed be life extended and new, if only they knew
Aisha Bewley   
The life of this world is nothing but a game and a diversion. The abode of the Next World — that is truly Life if they only knew.
Ali Ünal   
The present, worldly life is nothing but a pastime and play, but the abode of the Hereafter is truly alive. If they but knew
Ali Quli Qara'i   
The life of this world is nothing but diversion and play, but the abode of the Hereafter is indeed Life, had they known
Hamid S. Aziz   
This life of the world is nothing but a pastime and game (or a sport and a play); but, verily, the abode of the Hereafter, that is life, if they did but knew
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And this world’s life is only an amusement and a play, and indeed the home of the hereafter is the (real) life, if they knew
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
What is the life of the present but entertainment and play? But indeed the home in the hereafter, that is life indeed, if they only knew
Musharraf Hussain   
This worldly life is little but fun and games; the home of the Hereafter is true life, if they knew.
Maududi   
The present life is nothing but sport and amusement. The true life is in the Abode of the Hereafter; if only they knew
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
And this worldly life is no more than distraction and play, while the abode of the Hereafter is the reality, if only they knew
Mohammad Shafi   
And this life of the world is nothing but pastime and play. And the home of the Hereafter — that is life indeed, if they but knew

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And this life of the world is nothing but sport and play. And undoubtedly the home of the Hereafter, necessarily that is the true life. What a good thing it was if they knew.
Rashad Khalifa   
This worldly life is no more than vanity and play, while the abode of the Hereafter is the real life, if they only knew.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
The life of this world is nothing but a diversion and play. Indeed, the Everlasting Residence is the Eternal Life, if they but knew
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And the life of this world is but a sport and a play. And the home of the Hereafter, that surely is the Life, did they but know
Muhammad Ahmed - Samira   
And this the life the present/worldly life is not except a play thing/amusement/diversion and playing/enjoyment , and that the end's (other life's) home/house (E) it is (E) the life if they were knowing
Bijan Moeinian   
The life of this world is nothing but a game [like the one that the students’ practices in the school to get some know how.] The real life starts in Hereafter, if they only knew
Faridul Haque   
And this worldly life is nothing but pastime and game; indeed the abode of the Hereafter - that is indeed the true life; if only they knew
Sher Ali   
And the life of this world is nothing but a pastime and a sport, and the Home of the Hereafter - that indeed is Life, if they but knew
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And, (O people,) the life of this world is nothing but sport and pastime and the Home of the Hereafter is the only (true) life. Would that they knew (this secret)
Amatul Rahman Omar   
The life of this world is nothing but futile and frivolous and the abode of the Hereafter is the real life (being eternal). If they but knew (they would have paid heed)
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
And this life of the world is only amusement and play! Verily, the home of the Hereafter, that is the life indeed (i.e. the eternal life that will never end), if they but kne

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
This present life is naught but a diversion and a sport; surely the Last Abode is Life, did they but know
George Sale   
This present life is no other than a toy, and a play-thing; but the future mansion of paradise is life indeed: If they knew this, they would not prefer the former to the latter
Edward Henry Palmer   
This life of the world is nothing but a sport and a play; but, verily, the abode of the next world, that is life,- if they did but know
John Medows Rodwell   
This present life is no other than a pastime and a disport: but truly the future mansion is life indeed! Would that they knew this
N J Dawood (2014)   
The life of this world is but a sport and a diversion. It is the life to come that is the true life: if they but knew it

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
The life of this world is only amusement and entertainment. Truly the home of the hereafter is [real] life, if they only knew.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
What is this worldly life except an amusement and a game? Yet the final Home will mean [real] living, if they only realized it!
Sayyid Qutb   
The life of this world is but amusement and play. It is the life to come that is the only true life, if they but knew it.
Ahmed Hulusi   
And this apparent and perceived worldly life (the lowest state of consciousness) is no other than an amusement (a delusive diversion in relation to the real) and a game (in which we merely play our roles in the script)! As for the eternal abode, that is the true state of conscious life. If only they could comprehend!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
And this life of the world is nothing but a sport and a play and verily the abode of the hereafter, is certainly the (real) life: did they but know
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim   
Life here is but an illusive and rapid change of feeling, fancy and thought and an amusement bringing happiness to those who cannot think. Whereas the Hereafter -which you should keep in mind and work for- is the life that is meaningful and significant, purposeful and blissful and above all eternal if only they knew
Mir Aneesuddin   
And this life of the world is nothing but a pastime and play and the home of the hereafter, that certainly is life, if they but know.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
What is the life of this world but amusement and play? but verily the Home in the Hereafter,- that is life indeed, if they but knew
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And not (is) this life (of) the world but amusement and play. And indeed, the Home (of) the Hereafter - surely, it (is) the life, if only they know