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Muhammad Asad   
Vile is that [false pride] for which they have sold their own selves by denying the truth of what God has bestowed from on high, out of envy that God should bestow aught of His favour upon whomsoever He wills of His servants: and thus have they earned the burden of God's condemnation, over and over. And for those who deny the truth there is shameful suffering in store
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Miserable is the price they have sold their souls for—denying Allah’s revelation and resenting Allah for granting His grace to whoever He wills of His servants! They have earned wrath upon wrath. And such disbelievers will suffer a humiliating punishment.
Safi Kaskas   
They sell their souls for nothing of value, denying what God has revealed out of resentment that God reveals his grace to whomever He will from among his worshipers. They angered God more and more. The unbelievers will have a shameful punishment.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
بِئْسَمَا اشْتَرَوْا بِهِ أَنفُسَهُمْ أَن يَكْفُرُوا بِمَا أَنزَلَ اللَّهُ بَغْيًا أَن يُنَزِّلَ اللَّهُ مِن فَضْلِهِ عَلَىٰ مَن يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ فَبَاءُوا بِغَضَبٍ عَلَىٰ غَضَبٍ وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِين
Transliteration (2021)   
bi'samā ish'taraw bihi anfusahum an yakfurū bimā anzala l-lahu baghyan an yunazzila l-lahu min faḍlihi ʿalā man yashāu min ʿibādihi fabāū bighaḍabin ʿalā ghaḍabin walil'kāfirīna ʿadhābun muhīnu
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
Evil (is) that (for) which they have sold with themselves, that they disbelieve in what has revealed Allah, grudging that sends down Allah of His Grace on whom He wills from His servants. So they have drawn (on themselves) wrath upon wrath. And for the disbelievers (is) a punishment humiliating.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
Vile is that [false pride] for which they have sold their own selves by denying the truth of what God has bestowed from on high, out of envy that God should bestow aught of His favour upon whomsoever He wills of His servants: and thus have they earned the burden of God's condemnation, over and over. And for those who deny the truth there is shameful suffering in store
M. M. Pickthall   
Evil is that for which they sell their souls: that they should disbelieve in that which Allah hath revealed, grudging that Allah should reveal of His bounty unto whom He will of His slaves. They have incurred anger upon anger. For disbelievers is a shameful doom
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Miserable is the price for which they have sold their souls, in that they deny (the revelation) which Allah has sent down, in insolent envy that Allah of His Grace should send it to any of His servants He pleases: Thus have they drawn on themselves Wrath upon Wrath. And humiliating is the punishment of those who reject Faith
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Miserable is the price they have sold their souls for—denying Allah’s revelation and resenting Allah for granting His grace to whoever He wills of His servants! They have earned wrath upon wrath. And such disbelievers will suffer a humiliating punishment.
Safi Kaskas   
They sell their souls for nothing of value, denying what God has revealed out of resentment that God reveals his grace to whomever He will from among his worshipers. They angered God more and more. The unbelievers will have a shameful punishment.
Wahiduddin Khan   
What they have sold their souls for is evil: to the denial of God's own revelation, grudging that He should reveal His bounty to whom He chooses from among His servants! They have incurred wrath upon wrath. Humiliating punishment awaits those who deny the truth
Shakir   
Evil is that for which they have sold their souls-- that they should deny what Allah has revealed, out of envy that Allah should send down of His grace on whomsoever of His servants He pleases; so they have made themselves deserving of wrath upon wrath, and there is a disgraceful punishment for the unbelievers
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
Miserable was that for which they sold out themselves for it, that they are ungrateful for what God caused to descend, resenting that God sends down of His grace on whom He wills of His servants. They drew the burden of anger on anger. And for the ones who are ungrateful, there is a despised punishment.
T.B.Irving   
How wretchedly have they sold their own souls by disbelieving in what God has sent down to them, begrudging that God should send down some of His bounty on any of His servants He may wish. They have brought an exchange of anger for anger on themselves; disbelievers will have shameful torment.
Abdul Hye   
How bad is that (for which) they have sold their own selves, that they should disbelieve in which Allah has revealed (the Qur’an), grudging that Allah should reveal His Grace on whom He wills of His servants! So they have drawn (on themselves) wrath upon wrath. And for the disbelievers, there is a disgraceful punishment.
The Study Quran   
Evil is that for which they sold their souls, that they should disbelieve in what God sent down, out of envy that God should send down His Grace unto whomsoever He will among His servants. They earn a burden of wrath upon wrath, and the disbelievers shall have a humiliating punishment
Dr. Kamal Omar   
Bad is that for which they have sold their selves — that they should disbelieve, grudging that Allah should send down from His grace on whom He thinks proper out of His Ibad. So they have drawn on themselves wrath upon wrath. And for those who reject Al-Kitab is a punishment, most humiliating
Farook Malik   
Ridiculous is the price for which they have sold away their souls, that they deny Allah’s revelation merely because of their grudge, that Allah should send His grace (on an Israelite rather than) on whom He pleases from His servants (Muhammad)! They have drawn on themselves wrath upon wrath, and for such disbelievers there is a disgraceful punishment
Talal A. Itani (new translation)   
Miserable is what they sold their souls for—rejecting what God has revealed, out of resentment that God would send down His grace upon whomever He chooses from among His servants. Thus they incurred wrath upon wrath. And there is a demeaning punishment for the disbelievers.
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
Miserable is that (for which) they have traded themselves, that they have disbelieved in what Allah has sent down, inequitably (grudging) that Allah should (be) sending down of His Grace upon whomever He decides of His bondmen. So they incurred anger upon anger; and for the disbelievers is a degrading torment
Muhammad Sarwar   
Evil is that for which they have sold their souls: They have refused to accept God's revelations in rebellion against the servant of God whom He has, by His Grace, chosen to grant His message. They have brought upon themselves God's wrath in addition to the wrath that they had incurred upon themselves for their previous sins. The disbelievers will suffer a humiliating torment
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Vile is that for which they have sold out their selves: that they should deny what Allah has revealed, grudging that Allah should send down some of His bounty to whomsoever He wills from among His servants. So, they came out with wrath upon wrath. And for the unbelievers, there is humiliating punishment
Shabbir Ahmed   
Miserable indeed is for which they sell their 'Selves' - that they deny that which Allah has revealed. (Grudgingly, they cannot get over the fact that Allah has chosen a Messenger who is not an Israelite). And that Allah should reveal His bounty to whomever He chooses among His servants. And so (for their discriminatory attitude) they have invited Requital upon Requital. And for all those who thanklessly deny the Guidance and choose to live in darkness, is a logical consequence of suffering that brings them low
Dr. Munir Munshey   
They have knowingly rejected the truth because of their animosity of a people, one of whom has been chosen by Allah as a messenger. Allah showers His blessings upon whomever He wishes! So, they earned Allah´s wrath even as He was already angry at them. A disgraceful punishment awaits the disbelievers
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
How bad is the price for which they have sold their souls, because they reject (the teachings) with hate; Which Allah has sent down; Allah by His Grace sends it (the teachings) to any of His servants He pleases. Thus they have drawn on themselves Anger upon Anger. And humiliating is the punishment for those who reject Faith
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
How wretched is that for which they sold themselves - that they would disbelieve in what Allah has revealed through [their] outrage that Allah would send down His favor upon whom He wills from among His servants. So they returned having [earned] wrath upon wrath. And for the disbelievers is a humiliating punishment
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Miserable indeed is what they purchase with their souls, that they disbelieve in what God has sent down as a resentment that God would send down from His grace to whom He pleases of His servants; thus they have incurred wrath upon wrath. And the rejecters will have a humiliating retribution
Abdel Haleem   
Low indeed is the price for which they have sold their souls by denying the God-sent truth, out of envy that God should send His bounty to any of His servants He pleases. The disbelievers have ended up with wrath upon wrath, and a humiliating torment awaits them
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Vile is that for which they have bartered their souls, that they should disbelieve that which Allah hath sent down, out of envy that Allah should reveal, out of His grace, unto whosoever of His bond men He listeth. Wherefore they have drawn upon themselves wrath upon wrath, and unto the infidel shall be a torment ignominious
Ahmed Ali   
They bartered their lives ill denying the revelation of God out of spite that God should bestow His grace among His votaries on whomsoever He will, and thus earned wrath upon wrath. The punishment for disbelievers is ignominious
Aisha Bewley   
What an evil thing they have sold themselves for in rejecting what Allah has sent down, outraged that Allah should send down His favour on whichever of His slaves He wills. They have brought down anger upon anger on themselves. The kafirun will have a humiliating punishment.
Ali Ünal   
How evil is that for which they have sold themselves: (they have disbelieved in what God has sent down) begrudging that God should send down out of His grace the Book (and bestow Messengership) on whomever He wills of His servants. So they have earned wrath upon wrath. And, (as with other unbelievers who, defeated by their haughtiness, malicious envy, racial prejudice, worldly desires and ambitions, knowingly reject the truth) for those unbelievers is a shameful, humiliating punishment
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Evil is that for which they have sold their souls, by defying what Allah has sent down, out of envy, that Allah should bestow His grace on any of His servants that He wishes. Thus they earned wrath upon wrath, and there is a humiliating punishment for the faithless
Hamid S. Aziz   
For a miserable price have they sold their souls, in not believing what Allah has revealed, grudging because Allah sends down of His grace on whomsoever of His servants He will; and they have brought on themselves wrath after wrath and for the disbelieve
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
What they sold themselves (their soul) for it, was bad, that out of jealousy they disbelieved in what God sent down, that which God sends down from His grace to any one of His servants that He wants. So they were stricken with anger upon anger, and there is a humiliating punishment for the disbelievers.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Miserable is the price for which they have sold their souls, for they deny that which God has sent down, because in insolent envy they disapprove that God, of His grace, should send it to any of His servants He pleases. So they have drawn on themselves wrath upon wrath, and humiliating is the punishment for those who reject faith
Musharraf Hussain   
What a miserable price they have sold themselves for, denying rudely what Allah has revealed, because Allah sends down His favour on anyone of His Servants He wills! That is whythey have brought down on themselves wrath upon wrath; for suchdisbelievers is humiliating punishment.
Maududi   
What a mean thing it is with which they delude their minds. They reject the Guidance which Allah has sent down merely because of their grudge why Allah has in His bounty sent it to whom He chose from amongst His servants. They have thus incurred wrath after wrath, and for such disbelievers there is a disgraceful doom
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Miserable indeed is what they purchase with their souls, that they disbelieve in what God has sent down as a resentment that God would send down from His grace to whom He pleases of His servants; thus they have incurred wrath upon wrath. And the rejecters will have a humiliating retribution.
Mohammad Shafi   
Disgusting is what theyh sell their own selves for! They suppress the truth about Allah's revelations, rebelliously, just because Allah, in His Grace, bestows His revelations upon whomsoever He wills among His worshippers. They have thus incurred wrath upon wrath. And for the suppressors of Truth is a disgaceful punishment

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
They sold their souls, for what a miserable price that they deny what Allah has sent down, with this jealousy that, Allah of His grace send revelation on whomsoever of His devotees He pleases. Thus they became worthy of wrath upon wrath and there is humiliating torment for the infidels.
Rashad Khalifa   
Miserable indeed is what they sold their souls for - rejecting these revelations of GOD out of sheer resentment that GOD should bestow His grace upon whomever He chooses from among His servants. Consequently, they incurred wrath upon wrath. The disbelievers have incurred a humiliating retribution.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Evil is that for which they have bartered away their souls, that they disbelieve what Allah has sent down, grudging that Allah should send down from His bounty to whom He chooses from His worshipers! They have incurred wrath over wrath. For the unbelievers there is a humiliating punishment
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
Evil is that for which they sell their souls -- that they should deny that which Allah has revealed, out of envy that Allah should send down of His grace on whomsoever of His servants He pleases; so they incur wrath upon wrath. And there is an abasing chastisement for the disbelievers
Muhammad Ahmed - Samira   
How bad (it is what), they bought/volunteered with it themselves, that they disbelieve with what God descended, corrupting/transgressing that God descends from His grace/favour on whom He wants/wills from His worshippers/slaves, so they returned/resided with anger on anger, and to the disbelievers (is) a humiliating torture
Bijan Moeinian   
What a shame when someone decides to sell his own soul by choosing to disbelieve in the guidance sent by God; and what for? That God has [not revealed it to whom they wished and that He has] revealed it to the one that He has chosen out of His Grace! In this way they have earned curse upon curse and there is an awful punishment in reserve for the disbelievers
Faridul Haque   
How abject is the price for which they exchange their lives that they should disbelieve in what Allah has sent down, jealous that Allah should reveal of His grace to whomever He wills of His bondmen! So they deserved wrath upon wrath; and for the disbelievers is a disgraceful punishment
Sher Ali   
Evil is that which they have sold their souls - that they should disbelieve in what ALLAH has revealed, grudging that ALLAH should send down HIS grace on whomsoever of HIS servants HE pleases. So they have incurred wrath upon wrath; and there is a humiliating chastisement for the disbelievers
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
How evil a bargain they made in exchange for their lives: that they deny the Book revealed by Allah merely begrudging that Allah bestows (His Revelation) out of His bounty upon any of His servants He wills. So they earned manifold wrath of Allah, and there is a humiliating torment for the disbelievers
Amatul Rahman Omar   
Evil is that thing they have sold themselves for that they should reject that (source of guidance) which Allah has revealed, grudging that Allah should send down His grace on such of His servants as He pleases. Thus they have incurred (His) displeasure after displeasure. There awaits these disbelievers a humiliating punishment
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
How bad is that for which they have sold their ownselves, that they should disbelieve in that which Allah has revealed (the Quran), grudging that Allah should reveal of His Grace unto whom He will of His slaves. So they have drawn on themselves wrath upon wrath. And for the disbelievers, there is disgracing torment

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Evil is the thing they have sold themselves for, disbelieving in that which God sent down, grudging that God should send down of His bounty on whomsoever He will of His servants, and they were laden with anger upon anger; and for unbelievers awaits a humbling chastisement
George Sale   
For a vile price have they sold their souls, that they should not believe in that which God hath sent down; out of envy, because God sendeth down his favours to such of his servants as he pleaseth: Therefore they brought on themselves indignation on indignation; and the unbelievers shall suffer an ignominious punishment
Edward Henry Palmer   
For a bad bargain have they sold their souls, not to believe in what God has revealed, grudging because God sends down of His grace on whomsoever of His servants He will; and they have brought on themselves wrath after wrath and for the misbelievers is there shameful woe
John Medows Rodwell   
For a vile price have they sold themselves, by not believing what God hath sent down, envious of God's sending down his grace on such of his servants as he pleaseth: and they have brought on themselves wrath upon wrath. And for the unbelievers is a disgraceful chastisement
N J Dawood (2014)   
Evil is that for which they have bartered their souls. To deny God‘s own revelation, grudging that He should reveal His bounty to whom He chooses from among His servants! They have incurred God‘s most inexorable ire. Ignominious punishment awaits the unbelievers

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
The price for which they have sold their souls is miserable. They deny what Allah has sent. They are jealous that Allah, out of His grace, would send it to anyone He wanted [instead of somebody they consider special]. Because of their attitude, they have caused Allah to be mad at them. The punishment is shameful for those who reject faith.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
How wretchedly have they sold their own souls by disbelieving in what Allah (God) has sent down to them (the Quran), begrudging that Allah (God) should send down some of His bounty on any of His servants He may wish. They have brought an exchange of anger for anger on themselves; disbelievers will have shameful torment.
Sayyid Qutb   
Vile is that for which they have bartered their souls, because they have denied what God has revealed, grudging that He should, by His grace, send down His revelations to whom He chooses from among His servants. Thus they have incurred God's wrath over and over again. Ignominious suffering is in store for the unbelievers.
Ahmed Hulusi   
How wretched it is that out of envy they deny a servant of Allah, whom Allah revealed from His grace (from one’s essence to his consciousness), and because of this denial they cover the absolute reality within the ‘self’! Because of this they were subjected to wrath upon wrath (they were reduced to an unconscious state of living, veiled from their essential reality). And for those who deny the reality (disbelievers) there is a humiliating punishment.
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
Evil is the thing they have sold themselves for, denying in what Allah has sent down, out of envy that Allah should send down of His grace on whomever He wills of His servants, and they have incurred Wrath upon Wrath, and for the disbelievers awaits a humiliating punishment
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim   
How worthless is the price they received for selling their souls to immorality and wickedness, inequitably rejecting the truth received from Allah guiding into all truth; a defying impiety induced by transgression -natural to them- and by base envy reflecting sincere hatred upon those whom Allah Has mercifully granted, the prerogative of Prophethood, an unreachable excellence. There and then they came again within the measure of Allah's wrath and incurred wrath upon wrath, and the punishment is humiliating to those who deny Allah and ignore His commands
Mir Aneesuddin   
Evil is that for which they sell themselves, by rejecting that which Allah has sent down, being oppressed that Allah sends down from His grace (the book) on whom He wills from among His servants. Therefore they became deserving of anger upon anger, and for the infidels there is a disgraceful punishment.
The Ascendant Qur‘an, Muhammad H. al-‘Asi   
Vile is that [false pride] for which they have sold their own selves by denying the truth of what Allah has bestowed from on high, out of envy that Allah should bestow aught of His favor upon whomsoever He wills of His servants; and thus have they earned the burden of Allah’s condemnation, over and over. And for those who deny the truth there is shameful suffering in store

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Miserable is the price for which they have sold their souls, in that they deny (the revelation) which God has sent down, in insolent envy that God of His Grace should send it to any of His servants He pleases: Thus have they drawn on themselves Wrath upon Wrath. And humiliating is the punishment of those who reject Faith
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Evil (is) that (for) which they have sold with themselves, that they disbelieve in what has revealed Allah, grudging that sends down Allah of His Grace on whom He wills from His servants. So they have drawn (on themsel wrath upon wrath. And for the disbelievers (is) a punishment humiliating