←Prev   Ayah an-Nahl (The Bee) 16:94   Next→ 

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
And do not use your oaths as a means of deceiving one another-or else [your] foot will slip after having been firm, and then you will have to taste the evil [consequences] of your having turned away from the path of God, with tremendous suffering awaiting you [in the life to come]
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
And do not take your oaths as a means of deceiving one another or your feet will slip after they have been firm. Then you will taste the evil ˹consequences˺ of hindering ˹others˺ from the Way of Allah, and you will suffer a tremendous punishment.
Safi Kaskas   
So do not use your oaths as a means of deceiving each other- or else your foot will slide after having been firmly in place, and you will then taste the miserable consequences of your having turned from God's path and incredible suffering will await you.

Listen: 
Did you notice?

 You can SEARCH IslamAwakened: 

Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَلَا تَتَّخِذُوا أَيْمَانَكُمْ دَخَلًا بَيْنَكُمْ فَتَزِلَّ قَدَمٌ بَعْدَ ثُبُوتِهَا وَتَذُوقُوا السُّوءَ بِمَا صَدَدتُّمْ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَلَكُمْ عَذَابٌ عَظِيم
Transliteration (2021)   
walā tattakhidhū aymānakum dakhalan baynakum fatazilla qadamun baʿda thubūtihā watadhūqū l-sūa bimā ṣadadttum ʿan sabīli l-lahi walakum ʿadhābun ʿaẓīmu
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And (do) not take your oaths (as) a deception between you, lest, should slip a foot after it is firmly planted, and you would taste the evil for what you hindered from (the) way (of) Allah and for you (is) a punishment great.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
And do not use your oaths as a means of deceiving one another-or else [your] foot will slip after having been firm, and then you will have to taste the evil [consequences] of your having turned away from the path of God, with tremendous suffering awaiting you [in the life to come]
M. M. Pickthall   
Make not your oaths a deceit between you, lest a foot should slip after being firmly planted and ye should taste evil forasmuch as ye debarred (men) from the way of Allah, and yours should be an awful doom
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
And take not your oaths, to practise deception between yourselves, with the result that someone's foot may slip after it was firmly planted, and ye may have to taste the evil (consequences) of having hindered (men) from the Path of Allah, and a Mighty Wrath descend on you
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
And do not take your oaths as a means of deceiving one another or your feet will slip after they have been firm. Then you will taste the evil ˹consequences˺ of hindering ˹others˺ from the Way of Allah, and you will suffer a tremendous punishment.
Safi Kaskas   
So do not use your oaths as a means of deceiving each other- or else your foot will slide after having been firmly in place, and you will then taste the miserable consequences of your having turned from God's path and incredible suffering will await you.
Wahiduddin Khan   
Do not use your oaths to deceive each other lest any foot should slip after being firmly placed and lest you should taste the penalty for having hindered others from the path of God, for then you will have a terrible punishment
Shakir   
And do not make your oaths a means of deceit between you, lest a foot should slip after its stability and you should taste evil because you turned away from Allah's way and grievous punishment be your (lot)
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
Take not your oaths to yourselves in mutual deceit among yourselves, that your footing should not backslide after standing firm and you experience the evil of having barred from the way of God. And for you will be a serious punishment.
T.B.Irving   
Do not use your oaths to take advantage of one another. Still one´s foot may slip after it has felt secure, and you may taste evil for having blocked off God´s way. You will have serious torment.
Abdul Hye   
Don’t take your oaths as a means of deception among yourselves, lest your foot slip after being firmly fixed; and you may have to taste the punishment for hindering people from the Way of Allah, and there will be a great punishment for you.
The Study Quran   
Take not your oaths to practice deception among yourselves, lest a foot slip after it had been firmly planted, and you taste evil for your having turned from the way of God, and yours should be a great punishment
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And make not your oaths a means of deception amongst yourselves, lest a foot may slip after its getting firmly planted and (thus) you may taste the evil because of what you hindered from the way of Allah, and for you would be a great punishment
Farook Malik   
O believers! Do not take oaths to deceive each other, lest your foot slip after being firmly fixed upon guidance; and taste the evil consequences for debarring others from the Way of Allah and incur a mighty punishment
Talal A. Itani (new translation)   
And do not use your oaths to deceive one another, so that a foot may not slip after being firm, and you taste misery because you hindered from God's path, and incur a terrible torment
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And do not take to yourselves your oaths fraudulently among yourselves for that a foot should slide back after firm (steadiness) and you should taste the odious (reward) for that you barred from the way of Allah; and you will have a tremendous torment
Muhammad Sarwar   
Do not consider your oaths as a means of deceit lest you damage the firmness of your faith, suffer from evil by creating obstacles in the way that leads to God, and incur a great torment upon yourselves
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Do not make your oaths a means of mischief among yourselves, lest a foot should slip after it is firmly placed, and you taste evil consequences for your having prevented (others) from the path of Allah, and you incur a great punishment
Shabbir Ahmed   
Do not abuse the oaths among you. When you make pledges with people or sign treaties with other nations, be not deceitful. If you did that, you would be hindering people from the Path of Allah. And, you will lose the confidence of people and nations. Your feet will slip after being firmly planted and you will suffer a heavy punishment
Dr. Munir Munshey   
And do not employ your oaths as ploys, lest you stumble again just as you are becoming steady on your feet. If you prevent people from the path of Allah, you will experience a calamity and a terrible punishment
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
And do not make your promises to (hide the) acts of dishonesty (and deception) between yourselves, with the effect that someone's foot may slip after it was firmly placed, and you may have to taste the evil (penalty) for having blocked (men) from the Path of Allah, and the mighty Anger (of Allah) come upon you
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And do not take your oaths as [means of] deceit between you, lest a foot slip after it was [once] firm, and you would taste evil [in this world] for what [people] you diverted from the way of Allah , and you would have [in the Hereafter] a great punishment
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
And do not use your oaths as a means of deception between you, that a foot will falter after it had been firm, and you will taste the evil of turning away from the path of God, and you will have a great retribution
Abdel Haleem   
Do not use your oaths to deceive each other lest any foot should slip after being firmly placed and lest you should taste the penalty for having hindered others from the path of God, and suffer terrible torment
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
And make not your oaths a means of discord amongst you lest a foot may slip after the fixture thereof, and ye may taste evil for having hindered others from the way of Allah, and unto you there shall be a torment mighty
Ahmed Ali   
So do not make your oaths a means of deceiving one another, lest your foot should slip after having found its hold, and you taste of evil for having hindered (others) from the way of God, and suffer a grievous punishment
Aisha Bewley   
Do not make your oaths a means of deceiving one another or your foot will slip after it was firmly placed and you will taste evil for barring access to the Way of Allah and you will have a terrible punishment.
Ali Ünal   
Do not make your oaths a means of deception and wrongdoing among yourselves, lest feet should slip (from the way of guidance) after having been firm (on it, and that others too may be misled by your misconduct); and you should taste the evil (consequences) of your barring from God’s way. And (in the Hereafter) there is a mighty punishment for you
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Do not make your oaths a means of [mutual] deceit among yourselves lest feet should stumble after being steady and [lest] you suffer ill for barring from the way of Allah and there be a great punishment for you
Hamid S. Aziz   
Take not therefore your oaths for mutual deceit, lest a foot slip after being planted firmly, and you taste of evil in that you turned folks off the path of Allah, and your s should be a mighty doom
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And do not take your oaths as a means of deception among you, so a foot slips after its steadiness and you taste the suffering because you obstructed God’s way, and you have a great punishment.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
And do not make promises to practice deception between yourselves with the result that someone’s foot may slip after it was firmly planted, or you will taste the wrong of having hindered the people from the path of God, and a mighty punishment will descend on you
Musharraf Hussain   
Don’t take oaths to deceive others; this will shake you after being steadfast, and you must taste the evil consequences of stopping people from Allah’s path, and there will be grievous punishment for you
Maududi   
Do not make your oaths a means of deceiving one another or else your foot may slip after having been firm, and you may suffer evil consequences because of hindering people from the way of Allah. A mighty chastisement awaits you
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
And do not use your oaths as a means of deception between you, that a foot will slip after it has been made firm, and you will taste the evil of turning away from the path of God, and you will have a great retribution
Mohammad Shafi   
And take not your oaths as means of interference in one another's affairs, lest a footstep should stumble after it is firmly taken and you should taste adversity because you hindered someone from Allah's Path. And grievous punishment should be your lot

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And do not make your oaths as unfounded excuse amongst yourselves lest any foot may slip after its being made firm and you may have to taste evil for you used to hinder from the path of Allah and a great torment descend on you.
Rashad Khalifa   
Do not abuse the oaths among you, lest you slide back after having a strong foothold, then you incur misery. Such is the consequence of repelling from the path of GOD (by setting a bad example); you incur a terrible retribution.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Do not take oaths to deceive each other, lest your foot should slip after its firmness, lest you should taste evil, for you barred others from the Path of Allah, and lest a mighty punishment awaits you
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And make not your oaths a means of deceit between you, lest a foot should slip after its stability, and you should taste evil because you hinder (men) from Allah’s way and grievous chastisement be your (lot)
Muhammad Ahmed - Samira   
And do not take your rights/oaths (as) deceit/blemishes between you, so (a) foot/foothold in goodness and knowledge slips/falls/sins after its steadfastness/stability/strength , and you taste/experience the bad/evil/harm because (of) what you prevented/obstructed from God's way/path , and for you (is) a great torture
Bijan Moeinian   
When you promise something to somebody, take it seriously. Do not let your foot to slip (after having firmly held on the ground) and end up in misery. Such is the consequence of tempting people to leave the path of God. If you do so, an awful punishment will be waiting for you
Faridul Haque   
And do not make your oaths phoney excuses between yourselves, so that a foot may not slip after being steadfast and you may taste evil because you were preventing from Allah’s way; and lest you be severely punished
Sher Ali   
And make not your oaths a means of deceit between you; or you foot will slip after it has been firmly established and you will taste evil because by acting thus you have turned people away from the path of ALLAH, and you will have a severe punishment
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And do not use your oaths as a means of deceiving amongst you lest your foot should quiver after it is set firmly (in Islam), and you will taste the evil result because you used to hinder (the people) from the path of Allah. And there is severe torment for you
Amatul Rahman Omar   
Do not use your oaths to deceive one another or you will lose your foothold (again) after having gained stability and you will suffer evil consequences for your barring (the people) from (following) Allah's way and for forsaking the path of Allah and you shall receive great punishment
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
And make not your oaths, a means of deception among yourselves, lest a foot may slip after being firmly planted, and you may have to taste the evil (punishment in this world) of having hindered (men) from the Path of Allah (i.e. Belief in the Oneness of Allah and His Messenger, Muhammad SAW), and yours will be a great torment (i.e. the Fire of Hell in the Hereafter)

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Take not your oaths as mere mutual deceit, lest any foot should slip after it has stood firm, and you should taste evil, for that you barred from the way of God, and lest there should await you a mighty chastisement
George Sale   
Therefore take not your oaths between you deceitfully, lest your foot slip, after it hath been stedfastly fixed, and ye taste evil in this life, for that ye have turned aside from the way of God; and ye suffer a grievous punishment in the life to come
Edward Henry Palmer   
Take not therefore your oaths for mutual intrigue, lest a foot slip after being planted firmly, and ye taste of evil for that ye turned folks off the path of God, and for you there be mighty woe
John Medows Rodwell   
Therefore take not your oaths with mutual fraud, lest your foot slip after it hath been firmly fixed, and ye taste of evil because ye have turned others aside from the way of God, and great be your punishment
N J Dawood (2014)   
And you shall not take oaths to deceive each other, lest a foot should slip after being rightly guided, and lest you taste misfortune for debarring others from the path of God: for then indeed you should incur a grievous punishment

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Do not make oaths in order to practice deception among yourselves, or someone may slip after his/her feet were firmly planted. You would have to taste the bitterness of having been a hindrance from the path of Allah. A mighty wrath will descend upon you.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Do not use your oaths to take advantage of one another. Still one's foot may slip after it has felt secure, and you may taste evil for having blocked off Allah (God)'s way. You will have serious torment.
Sayyid Qutb   
Do not use your oaths as a means to deceive one another, lest your foot should slip after it has been firm, and lest you should be made to suffer the evil [consequences] of your having debarred others from the path of God, with tremendous suffering awaiting you.
Ahmed Hulusi   
Do not use your oaths among each other as means of deceit! Lest your feet slip after being firm (in Islam) and you experience wretchedness for straying away from the path of Allah... And incur a great suffering.
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
And do not make your oaths a means of deceit among you, lest any foot might slip after its stability and you should taste evil for that you hindered ( people) from the path of Allah, and for you there will be a great torment.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim   
And do not carelessly use your oaths among yourselves to practise deception lest one's foot should slide and lose its hold after it has been holding in a stable position and you suffer the evil consequence for precluding Allah's spirit of truth from guiding into all truth and you suffer the torment laid upon the damned
Mir Aneesuddin   
And do not take your oaths (as a means of) deceit between you, so that your foot should slip after its establishment, and you should taste evil because you turned away (people) from the way of Allah and there should be a great punishment for you.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
And take not your oaths, to practise deception between yourselves, with the result that someone's foot may slip after it was firmly planted, and ye may have to taste the evil (consequences) of having hindered (men) from the Path of God, and a Mighty Wrath descend on you
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And (do) not take your oaths (as) a deception between you, lest, should slip a foot after it is firmly planted, and you would the evil for what you hindered from (the) way (of) Allah and for you (is) a punishment great