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Muhammad Asad   
[And when the son was born and grew up, he was told,] "O John! Hold fast unto the divine writ with [all thy] strength!" - for We granted him wisdom "while he was yet a little boy
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
˹It was later said,˺ “O John! Hold firmly to the Scriptures.” And We granted him wisdom while ˹he was still˺ a child,
Safi Kaskas   
"John, take hold of the Book with steadfastness." And We gave him wisdom [while he was still] a boy

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
یَـٰیَحۡیَىٰ خُذِ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ بِقُوَّةࣲۖ وَءَاتَیۡنَـٰهُ ٱلۡحُكۡمَ صَبِیࣰّا ۝١٢
Transliteration (2021)   
yāyaḥyā khudhi l-kitāba biquwwatin waātaynāhu l-ḥuk'ma ṣabiyya
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
"O Yahya! Hold the Scripture with strength." And We gave him [the] wisdom (when he was) a child

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
[And when the son was born and grew up, he was told,] "O John! Hold fast unto the divine writ with [all thy] strength!" - for We granted him wisdom "while he was yet a little boy
M. M. Pickthall   
(And it was said unto his son): O John! Hold fast the Scripture. And we gave him wisdom when a child
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
(To his son came the command): "O Yahya! take hold of the Book with might": and We gave him Wisdom even as a youth
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
˹It was later said,˺ “O John! Hold firmly to the Scriptures.” And We granted him wisdom while ˹he was still˺ a child,
Safi Kaskas   
"John, take hold of the Book with steadfastness." And We gave him wisdom [while he was still] a boy
Wahiduddin Khan   
To John We said, Hold fast the Book, and while he was still a child, We bestowed upon him wisdom
Shakir   
O Yahya! take hold of the Book with strength, and We granted him wisdom while yet a chil
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
O Yahya! Take the Book with strength. And We gave him critical judgment while a lad,
T.B.Irving   
"John, hold firmly to the Book." We gave him discretion as a young boy
Abdul Hye   
(It was said to his son): “O John! Hold the Scripture with strength.” And We gave him wisdom while he was a child,
The Study Quran   
“O John! Take the Book with strength!” And We gave him judgment as a child
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
“O John, adhere firmly to the Scripture.” We endowed him with wisdom while he was still a youth.
Talal Itani (2012)   
'O John, hold on to the Scripture firmly,' and We gave him wisdom in his youth
Dr. Kamal Omar   
O Yahya! Hold Al-Kitab with firmness. And We bestowed him decisive power while yet a child. [Note that Allah addresses Yahya directly by name. This style is again available in Verse 38/26 when Allah directly addresses Daud. No other Prophet is directly addressed in Al-Kitab by name. The permanent and eternal Manual for mankind, revealed in original to each and every Prophet of Allah has many characteristics specific to itself, not applicable to any other book or literature whatsoever]
M. Farook Malik   
To John, when he became old enough, We said: " Hold firmly to the Book." We granted him wisdom, while he was yet a boy
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
"O Yahya, (John) take the Book powerfully." And We brought him judgment (when) a young boy
Muhammad Sarwar   
We commanded John, Zachariah's son, to follow the guidance of the Lord with due steadfastness. To John We gave knowledge and wisdom to John during his childhood
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
(When the child was born, Allah said to him,) .O YaHya, hold on to the Book firmly. And We gave him wisdom, while he was still a child
Shabbir Ahmed   
(John was born according to the good news.) We told him "O Yahya! Hold fast the Scripture." And We had granted him wisdom and good judgment when he was yet a little boy
Dr. Munir Munshey   
"Oh Yahya! Hold on to the book with all your might!" We gave him the wisdom even as a lad
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
(To his son came Allah's command), "O Yahya (John)! Hold on to the Book with strength": And even as (he was) a youth, We gave him Wisdom
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
[ Allah ] said, "O John, take the Scripture with determination." And We gave him judgement [while yet] a bo
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
"O John, take the Scripture with confidence." And We gave him authority while in his youth
Abdel Haleem   
[We said], ‘John, hold on to the Scripture firmly.’ While he was still a boy, We granted him wisdom
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
O Yahya! se hold fast the book. And We vouchsafed unto him wisdom, while yet a child
Ahmed Ali   
(We said:) "O John, hold fast to the Book;" and We gave him wisdom right from boyhood
Aisha Bewley   
´Yahya, take hold of the Book with vigour.´ We gave him judgement while still a child,
Ali Ünal   
(John was born and when he grew up, We commanded him:) "O John! Hold fast to the Book (the Torah) with (all your) strength!" And We granted him sound, wise judgment (and true understanding of God’s Law) while he was yet a little boy
Ali Quli Qara'i   
‘O John!’ [We said,] ‘Hold on with power to the Book!’ And We gave him judgement while still a child
Hamid S. Aziz   
(And it was said to his son) " O John! Hold fast the Book", and We gave him Wisdom even as a boy
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
Yahya, take the book firmly. And We gave him wisdom from childhood,
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
“O Yahya, take hold of the Book with might.” And We gave him wisdom even as a youth
Musharraf Hussain   
“Yahya, hold the Book firmly,” and We gave him wisdom in his childhood,
Maududi   
"O John! Hold the Book with all your strength." We had bestowed wisdom upon him while he was still a child
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
"O John, take the Book with confidence." And We gave him authority while in his youth
Mohammad Shafi   
"O John! Hold on to the Book firmly." And We granted him the authority over men while he was yet a child

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
'O Yahya, (John) hold fast the Book. And We bestowed him prophet hood in his childhood.
Rashad Khalifa   
"O John, you shall uphold the scripture, strongly." We endowed him with wisdom, even in his youth.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
(We said): 'O John, hold fast to the Book', and We bestowed on him judgment while yet a chil
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
O John, take hold of the Book with strength. And We granted him wisdom when a child
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
You John/Yahya, take The Book with power/strength, and We gave/brought him the judgment/rule (as) a boy/child/infant
Bijan Moeinian   
I ordered Zechariah’s son: “John, you shall observe the laws (as revealed in the Scripture) with the utmost respect.” Evan as a child I blessed John with wisdom
Faridul Haque   
"O Yahya - hold the Book firmly"; and We gave him Prophethood in his infancy. (Prophet Yahya was only 2 years old at that time.
Sher Ali   
God said, `O Yahya, hold fast the Book.' And WE gave him wisdom while yet a child
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
O Yahya (John)! Hold fast to (Our) Book (the Torah). And We granted him wisdom and vision (i.e., Prophethood) whilst yet a child
Amatul Rahman Omar   
(We said to John,) `Yahya! hold fast the (divine) Book.' And while he was yet a child We gave him wisdom
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
(It was said to his son): "O Yahya (John)! Hold fast the Scripture (the Taurat (Torah))." And We gave him wisdom while yet a child

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
'O John, take the Book forcefully'; and We gave him judgment, yet a little child
George Sale   
And We said unto his son, O John, receive the book of the law, with a resolution to study and observe it. And We bestowed on him wisdom, when he was yet a child
Edward Henry Palmer   
'O John! take the Book with strength;' and we gave him judgment when a boy
John Medows Rodwell   
We said: "O John! receive the Book with purpose of heart:" - and We bestowed on him wisdom while yet a child
N J Dawood (2014)   
To John We said: ‘Observe the Book with a firm resolve.‘ We bestowed on him from Ourself wisdom

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
“O Yahaya! Hold the book with all your strength and We had given him the wisdom while still a child.
Munir Mezyed   
(We Said): ‘O’ John, hold fast to the Scripture". And We granted him the Gift of Prophecy even in his childhood,
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
Oh Yahya (John), adopt the book with strength, and We gave him sound judgement as a young boy.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
[After John’s birth:] “O John, secure the Book with valor.” We gave him wisdom even as a youth.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
“O John, hold on to the Scripture firmly,” and We gave him wise judgment in his youth
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
"John, hold firmly to the Book (the Torah)." We gave him discretion as a young boy
Samy Mahdy   
“O John (Yahya), Take the Book with force,” and We gave him the judgment as a boy (child).
Sayyid Qutb   
[To his son We said]: 'John! Hold fast to the book with [all your] strength.' We granted him wisdom while he was still a youth,
Ahmed Hulusi   
“O John! Hold firmly onto the knowledge of the reality!” When We taught (John) the reasons underlying matters and the ability to read the system, he was only a child!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
'O' Yahya! Take hold of the Book with might.'And We gave him wisdom (apostleship) while yet a child
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
"O Yahya", he was told, "take the Book AL-Tawrah (the Torah) adhere to all that We have imparted to you and observe the code of discipline and body of regulations and hold them in esteem and hold to your promise and pay attention. Regard to it and be mindful of Our commandments", and We imbued him with wisdom in his childhood
Mir Aneesuddin   
"O Yahya ! hold the book with strength." And We gave him wisdom (in) childhood (itself),

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
(To his son came the command): "O Yahya! take hold of the Book with might": and We gave him Wisdom even as a youth
OLD Literal Word for Word   
"O Yahya! Hold the Scripture with strength." And We gave him [the] wisdom (when he was) a chil
OLD Transliteration   
Ya yahya khuthi alkitaba biquwwatin waataynahu alhukma sabiyyan