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 Post subject: Verses 2:216-218
PostPosted: 07 Jun 2009, 08:11 
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Suggested translation1,2:


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1This translation may have been updated from the original suggested translation as a result of the discussions that follow.
2Click on the {verse number} of a translation to see other good translations of the verse.

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 Post subject: Re: Verses 2:216-218
PostPosted: 24 Aug 2009, 15:52 
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{2:216} Fighting has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And God Knows, while you know not.

I'd only change "you know not" to "you do not know."

Quote:
{2:217} They ask you about the sacred month - about fighting therein. Say, "Fighting therein is great [sin], but averting [people] from the way of God and disbelief in Him and [preventing access to] al-Masjid al-Haram and the expulsion of its people therefrom are greater [evil] in the sight of God. And fitnah is greater than killing." And they will continue to fight you until they turn you back from your religion if they are able. And whoever of you reverts from his religion [to disbelief] and dies while he is a disbeliever - for those, their deeds have become worthless in this world and the Hereafter, and those are the companions of the Fire, they will abide therein eternally.

We discussed before that it is unnecessary to leave words transliterated, especially if no explanatory notes are provided. How can the English speaker understand them then? I suggest "The Sacrosanct Mosque" to translate "al-Masjid al-Haram" and "religious persecution" to translate "fitna."

"Reverts" is a technically correct translation of يرتد but it is widely used to mean "comes home," so it has a positive connotation while the verse is speaking of a negative action. I suggest "apostates."

Finally, we discussed the translation of حبطت in another post and found that "sank" is a better translation than "has become worthless," so I suggest "their deeds have sunk..." instead of "their deeds have become worthless."

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 Post subject: Re: Verses 2:216-218
PostPosted: 24 Aug 2009, 20:31 
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Linguistic wrote:
"Reverts" is a technically correct translation of يرتد but it is widely used to mean "comes home," so it has a positive connotation while the verse is speaking of a negative action. I suggest "apostates."

The "go back" that they used in the first instance works for me. I don't know why they changed it the second time around.

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 Post subject: Suggested translation
PostPosted: 09 Feb 2014, 20:49 
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{2:216} Ordained on you has been Fighting, even as it is an anathema to you. But it may be that you hate something and it is good for you; and it may be that you love something and it is evil for you. And God Knows, while you do not know.

{2:217} They ask you about the sacred month - [about] fighting therein. Say, "Fighting therein is major [sin], but shunning [people] away from the way of God and disbelief in Him and [shunning people away from] the Sacrosanct Mosque and the expulsion of its people therefrom are bigger [evil] in the sight of God. And persecution is bigger than killing." And they will continue to fight you until they turn you back from your religion if they could. And whoever of you retrogresses from his religion then dies while he is a disbeliever - those, their works sank in [this] the nearest [life] and the Hereafter, and those are the inmates of the Fire, they therein are lasting.

{2:218} Verily, those who have believed and those who have emigrated and struggled in the cause of God - those hope for the mercy of God. And God is much Forgiving and Merciful.

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