←Prev   Ayah al-Kahf (The Cave) 18:77   Next→ 

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
And so the two went on, till, when they came upon some village people, they asked them for food; but those [people] refused them all hospitality. And they saw in that (village] a wall which was on the point of tumbling down, and [the sage] rebuilt it [whereupon Moses] said: "Hadst thou so wished, surely thou couldst [at least] have obtained some payment for it?"
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
So they moved on until they came to the people of a town. They asked them for food, but the people refused to give them hospitality. There they found a wall ready to collapse, so the man set it right. Moses protested, “If you wanted, you could have demanded a fee for this.”
Safi Kaskas   
So they set out, until they reached the inhabitants of a town and they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they found a wall about to collapse, so the man restored it. [Moses] said, "If you wished, you could have been paid for [fixing] it."

Listen: 
Did you notice?

 You can SEARCH IslamAwakened: 

Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ قَالَ لَوْ شِئْتَ لَاتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرً
Transliteration (2021)   
fa-inṭalaqā ḥattā idhā atayā ahla qaryatin is'taṭʿamā ahlahā fa-abaw an yuḍayyifūhumā fawajadā fīhā jidāran yurīdu an yanqaḍḍa fa-aqāmahu qāla law shi'ta lattakhadhta ʿalayhi ajra
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
So they set out until when they came (to the) people (of) a town, they asked for food (from) its people, but they refused to offer them hospitality. Then they found in it a wall (that) want(ed) to collapse, so he set it straight. He said, "If you wished surely you (could) have taken for it a payment."

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
And so the two went on, till, when they came upon some village people, they asked them for food; but those [people] refused them all hospitality. And they saw in that (village] a wall which was on the point of tumbling down, and [the sage] rebuilt it [whereupon Moses] said: "Hadst thou so wished, surely thou couldst [at least] have obtained some payment for it?"
M. M. Pickthall   
So they twain journeyed on till, when they came unto the folk of a certain township, they asked its folk for food, but they refused to make them guests. And they found therein a wall upon the point of falling into ruin, and he repaired it. (Moses) said: If thou hadst wished, thou couldst have taken payment for it
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Then they proceeded: until, when they came to the inhabitants of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused them hospitality. They found there a wall on the point of falling down, but he set it up straight. (Moses) said: "If thou hadst wished, surely thou couldst have exacted some recompense for it!"
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
So they moved on until they came to the people of a town. They asked them for food, but the people refused to give them hospitality. There they found a wall ready to collapse, so the man set it right. Moses protested, “If you wanted, you could have demanded a fee for this.”
Safi Kaskas   
So they set out, until they reached the inhabitants of a town and they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they found a wall about to collapse, so the man restored it. [Moses] said, "If you wished, you could have been paid for [fixing] it."
Wahiduddin Khan   
So they went on until they came to a town. They asked its people for food, but were refused hospitality. They found a wall in the town which was about to fall down. His companion buttressed it and Moses said, Had you wished, you could have demanded payment for your labours
Shakir   
So they went on until when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they found in it a wall which was on the point of falling, so he put it into a right state. (Musa) said: If you had pleased, you might certainly have taken a recompense for it
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
Then, they both set out until when they approached a people of a town. They asked its people for food. But they refused to receive them as guests. Then, they found in it a wall that wants to tumble down, so he repaired it. Moses said: If thou hadst willed, certainly, thou wouldst have taken compensation to thyself for it.
T.B.Irving   
They both proceeded further till when they came to the people of a [certain] town, they asked its inhabitants for some food, and they refused to treat either of them hospitably. They found a wall there which was about to tumble down, so he set it straight. He said: "If you had wished, you might have accepted some payment for it."
Abdul Hye   
Then they both proceeded, till they came to the people of a town. They asked its people for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found in it a wall that was about to collapse, so Khidr set it up straight. Moses said: “If you had wished, surely you could have taken some wages for it!”
The Study Quran   
So they went on till they came upon the people of a town and sought food from them. But they refused to show them any hospitality. Then they found therein a wall that was about to fall down; so he set it up straight. He said, “Hadst thou willed, thou couldst have taken a wage for it.
Dr. Kamal Omar   
Then they both proceeded, till when both came to the residents of a town, both asked its residents for food but they refused to accept them as guests, (i.e., they avoided their request and did not provide anything to eat or drink). Then the two found therein a wall which intends that it should fall down, so he set it up straight. (Musa) said: “If you had wished, surely, you could have taken, for it, a sum as wages.”
Farook Malik   
They travelled on until they came to the people of a town. They asked them for some food, but they refused to receive them as their guests. There they found a wall on the point of falling down, so he restored it. Moses said: "If you wanted you could have demanded some payment for it!"
Talal A. Itani (new translation)   
So they set out. Until, when they reached the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to offer them hospitality. There they found a wall about to collapse, and he repaired it. He said, 'If you wanted, you could have obtained a payment for it.'
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
So they (both) went off until, when they came up to the population of a city, they asked its population for food, yet they refused to receive them hospitably (i.e. as guests). Then they found therein a wall that would have collapsed down, so he set it up. He said, "If you so decided, indeed you could have taken to yourself a reward for it."
Muhammad Sarwar   
They continued on their journey again until they reached a town. They asked the people there for food, but no one accepted them as their guests. They found there a wall of a house which was on the verge of tumbling to the ground. The companion of Moses repaired that wall. Moses said, "You should have received some money for your labor."
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Then, they moved ahead until they came to the people of a town; they asked its people for food, and they refused to host them. Then, they found there a wall tending to fall down. So he (KhaDir) set it right. He (Musa) said, .If you wished, you could have charged a fee for this
Shabbir Ahmed   
So they proceeded. When they reached a township, they asked its folk for food, but they refused them hospitality. Soon they saw a wall that was about to collapse, and he fixed it. Moses said, "If you had wished, you could taken a wage for that."
Dr. Munir Munshey   
The two men resumed (their journey), reached a town and requested food. The townfolks refused to put them up as guests. In the town, the man found a wall about ready to crumble. (The man) repaired it. (Musa) said, "Of course, if you wanted, you could have charged them for it."
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
Then they proceeded further: Until, when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to have them as guests. Then they found there a wall almost falling down, but he put it up straight. (Musa) said: "If you wanted, surely you could have asked for some repayment (wages) for it!"
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
So they set out, until when they came to the people of a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to offer them hospitality. And they found therein a wall about to collapse, so al-Khidh r restored it. [Moses] said, "If you wished, you could have taken for it a payment."
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
So they ventured forth until they came to the people of a town. They requested food from its people but they refused to host them. Then they found a wall which was close to collapsing, so he built it. He said: "If you wished, you could have asked a wage for it!"
Abdel Haleem   
And so they travelled on. Then, when they came to a town and asked the inhabitants for food but were refused hospitality, they saw a wall there that was on the point of falling down and the man repaired it. Moses said, ‘But if you had wished you could have taken payment for doing that.’
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Then the twain journeyed until when they came unto the people of a city, they begged food from the people thereof, but they refused to entertain the twain. Then they found therein a wall, about to fall down, and he set it upright. Musa said: hadst thou willed, thou mightest have taken therefor a hire
Ahmed Ali   
The two went on till they came upon some villagers, and asked the people for food, but they refused to entertain them. There they found a wall that was crumbling, which he repaired. Moses remarked: "You could have demanded wages for it if you liked."
Aisha Bewley   
So they went on until they reached the inhabitants of a town. They asked them for food but they refused them hospitality. They found there a wall about to fall down and he built it up. Musa said, ´If you had wanted, you could have taken a wage for doing that.´
Ali Ünal   
So they went on until when they came upon the people of a township, they asked its people for food, but they refused them hospitality. They found there a wall which was on the verge of tumbling down, and he (al-Khadr) restored it. (Moses) said: "If you had wished, you could have taken payment for it."
Ali Quli Qara'i   
So they went on. When they came to the people of a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to extend them any hospitality. There they found a wall which was about to collapse, so he erected it. He said, ‘Had you wished, you could have taken a wage for it.’
Hamid S. Aziz   
So they set out until when they came to the people of a city; and they asked the people thereof for food; but they refused to entertain them. And they found therein a wall which was about to fall into ruins, and he repaired it. Said Moses, "Had you
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
So they went on until when they came to inhabitants of a town, they asked its inhabitants for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found a wall in it that was about to fall down, so he set it up straight. He (Moses) said: if you wanted, you could have taken a wage for it
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Then they proceeded, until they came to the inhabitants of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused them hospitality. They found there a wall at the point of falling down, so he set it up straight. Moses said, “If you had wished, surely you could have received some compensation for it.
Musharraf Hussain   
So, they set off till they reached a village, here they asked the villagers for food, but they refused to take them as guests. They found a wall about to fall down, so Khidr rebuilt it. Musa complained, “You could have asked for a payment, if you wanted.
Maududi   
Then the two went forth until when they came to a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to play host to them. They found in that town a wall that was on the verge of tumbling down, and he buttressed it, whereupon Moses said: "If you had wished, you could have received payment for it."
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
So they ventured forth until they came to the people of a town. They requested food from its people but they refused to host them. Then they found a wall which was close to collapsing, so he built it. He said: "If you had wished, you could have asked a wage for it!"
Mohammad Shafi   
And they both went on until, when they came to a town, they requested its people to give them some food, but they refused to feed them as guests. They then found in it a wall which was about to collapse and Moses' companion set it right. Moses said, "You could certainly have taken some wages for it."

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
Again both went on till they came to the people of a village, they asked the villagers for food, but they refused to entertain them, then the two found a wall about to fall, he set it up right. Musa said, 'if you had wished, you could have taken a wage for it'.
Rashad Khalifa   
So they went. When they reached a certain community, they asked the people for food, but they refused to host them. Soon, they found a wall about to collapse, and he fixed it. He said, "You could have demanded a wage for that!"
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
So they departed and thereafter they came to the inhabitants of a village. They asked its inhabitants for some food, but they declined to host them. There, they found a wall about to fall down whereupon his companion restored it. He (Moses) said: 'Had you wished, you could have taken payment for that.
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
So they went on, until, when they came to the people of a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they found in it a wall which was on the point of falling, so he put it into a right state, (Moses) said: If thou hadst wished, thou couldst have taken a recompense for it
Muhammad Ahmed - Samira   
So they (B) left/set out until when they (B) came (to) a village/urban city, they asked its people to be fed, so they refused/hated that they have them (B) as guests/help them , so they (B) found in it a wall wanting that to fall down/be wrecked, so he raised it, he (Moses) said: "If you wanted/willed you would have taken/received on (for) it a wage/fee ."
Bijan Moeinian   
They went on till they reached a village. They ask the people for food but they found them not so hospitable. Soon they found a wall about to collapse. The wise man took upon himself to fix the wall. Moses said: “You should have asked a wage for what you did (so that we could buy some food.)”
Faridul Haque   
So they both set out again; until they came to the people of a dwelling – they asked its people for food - they refused to invite them – then in the village they both found a wall about to collapse, and the chosen bondman straightened it; said Moosa, "If you wished, you could have taken some wages for it!"
Sher Ali   
So they went on till, when they came to the people of a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to receive them as their guests. And they found therein a wall which was about to fall and he repaired it. Moses said, If thou hadst so desired, thou couldst have taken payment for it.
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
Then both set off, until they reached the people of a town; both asked its residents for food but they refused to entertain them. Then they found there a wall, which was about to fall. (Khidr) erected it. Musa (Moses) said: ‘If you desired, you could take wages for this (construction work).
Amatul Rahman Omar   
So both of them again set out till when they came upon the inhabitants of a town they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they found therein (- the town) a wall which was on the point of falling down and he (- the divine being) repaired it. (Moses) said, `If you had wanted, you could have charged for it.
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
Then they both proceeded, till, when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found therein a wall about to collapse and he (Khidr) set it up straight. (Moosa (Moses)) said: If you had wished, surely, you could have taken wages for it!"

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
So they departed; until, when they reached the people of a city, they asked the people for food, but they refused to receive them hospitably. There they found a wall about to tumble down, and so he set it up. He said, 'If thou hadst wished, thou couldst have taken a wage for that.
George Sale   
They went forwards therefore, until they came to the inhabitants of a certain city: And they asked food of the inhabitants thereof; but they refused to receive them. And they found therein a wall, which was ready to fall down; and he set it upright. Whereupon Moses said unto him, if thou wouldest, thou mightest doubtless have received a reward for it
Edward Henry Palmer   
So they set out until when they came to the people of a city; and they asked the people thereof for food; but they refused to entertain them. And they found therein a wall which wanted to fall to pieces, and he set it upright. Said (Moses), 'Hadst thou pleased thou mightst certainly have had a hire for this.
John Medows Rodwell   
They went on till they came to the people of a city. Of this people they asked food, but they refused them for guests. And they found in it a wall that was about to fall, and he set it upright. Said Moses, "If thou hadst wished, for this thou mightest have obtained pay."
N J Dawood (2014)   
They travelled on until they came to a city. They asked its people for some food, but they declined to receive them as their guests. There they found a wall on the point of falling down. He re-erected it, and Moses said: ‘Had you wished, you could have demanded payment.‘

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
They proceeded until they came to the residents of a town. They asked (the residents) for food. (The residents) refused hospitality to them. (Moses and the instructor) discovered a wall that was about to fall down. (The instructor) repaired it. (Moses) said, “If you had wanted, surely you could have gotten paid for doing that.”
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
They both proceeded further till when they came to the people of a [certain] town, they asked its inhabitants for some food, and they refused to treat either of them hospitably. They found a wall there which was about to tumble down, so he set it straight. He said: "If you had wished, you might have accepted some payment for it."
Sayyid Qutb   
And so the two went on until they came to a town, where they asked its people for food, but they refused them all hospitality. There they found a wall on the point of falling down, and [the sage] rebuilt it. Moses said: 'Had you wished, you could have taken payment for what you did.'
Ahmed Hulusi   
So they continued on their way... Finally they reached a town and asked for some food from its people... But they refused to offer their hospitality... Then they (Moses and Khidr) saw a wall about to collapse. (Khidr) restored the wall. (Moses) said, “If you wished you could have obtained a payment for this job.”
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
So they twain departed; until, when they reached the people of a town. They asked its people for food, but they refused to make them guests. Then they found in it a wall about to fall, and he (Khidr) set it up. He (Moses) said: 'If you had wished you could have taken a wage for it!'
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim   
Again they made their way onward until they came across a town where they asked the people for food but the people neither offered nor afforded welcome or entertainment to strangers and consequently denied then hospitality. So they made their way onward only to find a wall about to fall and he -the teacher- repaired it and brought it back to its original state, and there Mussa exclaimed: "Had you willed you could have charged a price for it"
Mir Aneesuddin   
Then they proceeded until when they came to a people of a town. They asked its inhabitants for food but they refused to make them guests. Then they found in it a wall on the point of falling down, so he set it right. He (Musa) said, "Had you willed you could have taken a reward for it."

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Then they proceeded: until, when they came to the inhabitants of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused them hospitality. They found there a wall on the point of falling down, but he set it up straight. (Moses) said: "If thou hadst wished, surely thou couldst have exacted some recompense for it!"
OLD Literal Word for Word   
So they set out until when they came (to the) people (of) a town, they asked for food (from) its people, but they refused to offer them hospitality. Then they found in it a wall (that) want(ed) to collapse, so he set it straight. He said, "If you wished surely you (could) have taken for it a payment.