Comparative Study
English Translations of Quran 3:47
16 scholarly English translations of verse 47 from Surah Ali 'Imran, presented for comparative study.
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Yusuf Ali
Abdullah Yusuf AliShe said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man hath touched me?" He said: "Even so: Allah createth what He willeth: When He hath decreed a plan, He but saith to it, 'Be,' and it is!
Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali & Muhsin Khan
Hilali & Muhsin KhanShe said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me." He said: "So (it will be) for Allah creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: "Be!" and it is.
She said: "How can I have a son, O Lord, when no man has touched me?" He said: "That is how God creates what He wills. When He decrees a thing, He says 'Be', and it is.
Ahmed Raza Khan
Ahmed Raza KhanShe said, “My Lord! How can I bear a child when no man has ever touched me?” He said, “This is how Allah creates whatever He wills; when He wills a thing, He only says to it, ‘Be’ – and it happens immediately.”
'Lord,' said Mary, 'how shall I have a son seeing no mortal has touched me?' 'Even so,' God said, God creates what He will. When He decrees a thing He does but say to it "Be," and it is.
Daryabadi
Abdul Majid DaryabadiShe said: my Lord! in what wise shall there be unto me a son whereas no human being hath touched me. Allah said: even so. Allah createth whatsoever He will, When He hath decreed a thing, He only saith to it: Be, and it becometh;
She said, “My Lord, how can I have a child, when no man has touched me?” He said, “It will be so. God creates whatever He wills. To have anything done, He only says to it, ‘Be,’ and it is.”
She said: 'O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has ever touched me?' The angel answered: Thus shall it be. Allah creates whatever He wills. When He decides something, He merely says: "Be" and it is.
Mubarakpuri
Safi-ur-Rahman al-MubarakpuriShe said: "O my Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me." He said: "So (it will be) for Allah creates what He wills. When He has decreed something, He says to it only: `Be! ـ and it is."
Pickthall
Mohammed Marmaduke William PickthallShe said: My Lord! How can I have a child when no mortal hath touched me? He said: So (it will be). Allah createth what He will. If He decreeth a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is.
She said, ‘My Lord, how shall I have a child seeing that no human has ever touched me?’ He said, ‘So it is that Allah creates whatever He wishes. When He decides on a matter He just says to it ‘‘Be!’’ and it is.
Qaribullah & Darwish
Hasan al-Fatih Qaribullah and Ahmad Darwish'Lord' she said, 'how can I bear a child when no human being has touched me' He replied: 'Such is the Will of Allah. He creates whom He will. When He decrees a thing, He only says: "Be," and it is.
(Mary) said, "How can there be a son for me when no mortal has touched me?" The angel replied, "That is how God creates whatever He wants. When He decides to do something He just orders it to exist and it comes into existence."
Shakir
Mohammad Habib ShakirShe said: My Lord! when shall there be a son (born) to I me, and man has not touched me? He said: Even so, Allah creates what He pleases; when He has decreed a matter, He only says to it, Be, and it is.
Wahiduddin Khan
Wahiduddin Khan"Lord," she said, "how can I have a child when no man has touched me?" [The angel] replied, "Thus it is: God creates what He wills: when He wills a thing He need only say, "Be," and it is.