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Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
And [one day] he looked in vain for [a particular one of] the birds; and so he said: How is it that I do not see the hoopoe? Or could he be among the absent
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
˹One day˺ he inspected the birds, and wondered, “Why is it that I cannot see the hoopoe? Or could he be absent?
Safi Kaskas   
[One day] he inspected the birds and said, "Why do I not see the hoopoe, or is he absent without permission?

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَتَفَقَّدَ ٱلطَّیۡرَ فَقَالَ مَا لِیَ لَاۤ أَرَى ٱلۡهُدۡهُدَ أَمۡ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَاۤىِٕبِینَ ۝٢٠
Transliteration (2021)   
watafaqqada l-ṭayra faqāla mā liya lā arā l-hud'huda am kāna mina l-ghāibīn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And he inspected the birds and said, "Why (for) me not I see the hoopoe or is he from the absent?

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
And [one day] he looked in vain for [a particular one of] the birds; and so he said: How is it that I do not see the hoopoe? Or could he be among the absent
M. M. Pickthall   
And he sought among the birds and said: How is it that I see not the hoopoe, or is he among the absent
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
˹One day˺ he inspected the birds, and wondered, “Why is it that I cannot see the hoopoe? Or could he be absent?
Safi Kaskas   
[One day] he inspected the birds and said, "Why do I not see the hoopoe, or is he absent without permission?
Wahiduddin Khan   
Then Solomon inspected the birds, and said, How is it that I do not see the hoopoe? Is he absent then
Shakir   
And he reviewed the birds, then said: How is it I see not the hoopoe or is it that he is of the absentees
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
And he reviewed the birds and said: Why see I not the hoopoe bird? Had it been among the ones who are absent?
T.B.Irving   
He inspected the birds, and said: "What´s wrong with me that I do not see the plover? Or could it be absent?
Abdul Hye   
He inspected the birds, and said: “What is the matter that I don’t see the hoopoe (old world bird) or is he among the absentees?
The Study Quran   
And he surveyed the birds and said, “How is it that I do not see the hoopoe? Or is he among those who are absent
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
He surveyed the birds and said, “What’s amiss that I don’t see the hoopoe? Could he be among the absentees?
Talal Itani (2012)   
Then he inspected the birds, and said, 'Why do I not see the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And (Sulaiman) made the (military) review of the (regiments of the) birds, and said: “What is (gone wrong) with me that I do not see the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees
M. Farook Malik   
He took a roll call of the birds and said: "I do not see the hoopoe, where is he? How could he be absent
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And he reviewed the birds; then he said, "what is it with me that I do not see the hoopoe? Or is he among the absent
Muhammad Sarwar   
(Solomon) inspected the birds and said, "How is it that I cannot see the hoopoe. Is he absent
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
And (once) he (Sulaiman) checked the birds and said, .How is it with me that I do not see the hudhud (hoopoe)? Rather he has disappeared
Shabbir Ahmed   
(Leaving the peaceful tribe of An-Naml alone, Solomon marched forward.) As he examined the cavalry, he said, "How is it that I do not see the commande
Dr. Munir Munshey   
(At another time) while inspecting a flock of birds, he said, "What is wrong? I do not see the swan here! Is he absent?"
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
And he took a troop of the birds, and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? (A bird with feathers like a crown on its head ) or is he from those absent
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And he took attendance of the birds and said, "Why do I not see the hoopoe - or is he among the absent
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
And he inspected the birds, then said: "Why do I not see the hoopoe, or is he among those absent"
Abdel Haleem   
Solomon inspected the birds and said, ‘Why do I not see the hoopoe? Is he absent
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
And he sought after the birds and said: what aileth me that I see not the hoopoe; is he among the absentees
Ahmed Ali   
When he reviewed the Tair, he said: "How is it I do not see Hud-hud? Is he absent
Aisha Bewley   
He inspected the birds and said, ´How is it that I do not see the hoopoe? Or is it absent without leave?
Ali Ünal   
(On another occasion) he inspected the birds and said: "How is it that I cannot see the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees
Ali Quli Qara'i   
[One day] he reviewed the birds, and said, ‘Why do I not see the hoopoe? Or is he absent?’
Hamid S. Aziz   
And he reviewed the birds, and said, "How is it that I see not the hoopoe (perhaps used as a spy, messenger or observer or symbolizing one)? Is he then amongst the absent
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And he inspected the birds, then he said: “What is with me that I do not see the hoopoe, is he absent?
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
And he looked over the birds and he said, “Why do I not see the hoopoe, or is it among the absentees
Musharraf Hussain   
One day, whilst looking for a missing bird, Sulayman said: “Why can’t I see the Hoopoe? He’s absent?
Maududi   
(On another occasion) Solomon inspected the birds and said: "Why is it that I do not see the hoopoe? Is he among the absentees
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
And he inspected the birds, then said: "Why do I not see the hoopoe, or is he among those absent?
Mohammad Shafi   
And he (Solomon) inspected the rank of the birds, and said, "How come I do not see the Hudhud ? Or is he among the absentees

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And he reviewed the birds, that he said, 'what happened to me that I do not see the hoopoe (Hud-Hud)? Or he is really not present.
Rashad Khalifa   
He inspected the birds, and noted: "Why do I not see the hoopoe? Why is he missing?
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
He reviewed the birds and said: 'Why is it that I do not see the hoopoe here? Or is he among the absent
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And he reviewed the birds, then said: How is it I see not Hudhud, or is it that he is one of the absentees
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
And he seeked/searched the bird/birds , so he said: "Why (it is) not for me, I do not see the hoopoe bird/clucking bird , or he was from the absent? I will torture him strong (severe) torture."
Bijan Moeinian   
Once he summoned all birds in his army. When he took the attendance, he realized that the Hoopoe was absent
Faridul Haque   
And he surveyed the birds – he therefore said, “What is to me that I do not see the Hudhud (hoopoe), or is he really absent?”
Sher Ali   
And he reviewed the birds and said, `How is it that I do not see Hudhud? Is he deliberately absent
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And Sulayman (Solomon) inspected the birds and said: ‘How is it that I do not see the hoopoe? Or has he (really) vanished
Amatul Rahman Omar   
And (once) he reviewed the birds and the (cavalry of) swift running horses and said, `How is it that I do not see (my officer named) Hudhud? Is he deliberately absent
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
He inspected the birds, and said: "What is the matter that I see not the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
And he reviewed the birds; then he said, 'How is it with me, that I do not see the hoopoe? Or is he among the absent
George Sale   
And he viewed the birds, and said, what is the reason that I see not the lapwing? Is she absent
Edward Henry Palmer   
And he reviewed the birds, and said, 'How is it I see not the hoopoe? is he then amongst the absent
John Medows Rodwell   
And he reviewed the birds, and said, "How is it that I see not the lapwing? Is it one of the absent
N J Dawood (2014)   
He inspected the birds and said: ‘Why is it that I do not see the lapwing? Is he not here

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
And he inspected the birds and then he said, “Why is it that I see not the hoopoe or is he one of the absentees?
Munir Mezyed   
He inspected the birds and said: "How is it that I don’t see the hoopoe here? Or is it among the absentees?
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
Then he inspected the birds and said: how come I don´t see the hoopoe (Hudhud) or is he absent?
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
He reviewed the birds and said, “Why do I not see the hoopoe? Is he among those absent?
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
Then he inspected the birds and said, “What is it with me? Can I not see the hoopoe, or is he among the absentees?
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
He inspected the birds, and said: "What's wrong with me that I do not see the hoopoe? Or could it be absent?
Samy Mahdy   
And he inspected the birds, so he said, “What is the matter with me? I do not see the hoopoe? Or is it from the absentees?
Sayyid Qutb   
He inspected the birds and said: 'Why is it that I do not see the hoopoe? Is he among the absentees?
Ahmed Hulusi   
Then (one day, Solomon) inspected the birds and said, “Why can’t I see Hoopoe... Is he lost?”
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
And he reviewed the birds; then he said: �How is it with me that I do not see the hoopoe? Or is it that he is of the absentees?
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
And he inspected the birds and took a muster of them, only to find one missing, he said: "Why do I not see the hoopoe or has he been among the absentees!" (A bird of the family upupidae especially the typical upupa epops, conspicuous by its variegated plumage and large erectile crest)
Mir Aneesuddin   
And he sought for the birds, then said, "How is it that I do not see the hoopoe or is he among those who arc absent?

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And he inspected the birds and said, "Why not I see the hoopoe or is he from the absent
OLD Transliteration   
Watafaqqada alttayra faqala ma liya la ara alhudhuda am kana mina algha-ibeena