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 Post subject: Verses 2:142-143
PostPosted: 07 Jun 2009, 08:22 
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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 2:142-143
PostPosted: 18 Aug 2009, 19:52 
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Quote:
{2:142} The foolish among the people will say, "What has turned them away from their qiblah [direction of the prayer], which they used to face?" Say, "To God belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path."

Being the stickler for accuracy that I am, the square brackets should be parentheses because their content is an explanatory note, not words needed to aid word flow.

Quote:
{2:143} And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you. And We did not make the qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels. And indeed, it is difficult except for those whom God has guided. And never would God have caused you to lose your faith. Indeed God is, to the people, Kind and Merciful.

وسطا means centrist. Being centrist is more attuned to being just, so the translation is technically correct, but I always like to use a word for translation that is most direct whenever possible. I'd use "centrist" instead of "just."

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 Post subject: Re: Verses 2:142-143
PostPosted: 19 Aug 2009, 09:54 
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Linguistic wrote:
Quote:
{2:143} And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you. And We did not make the qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels. And indeed, it is difficult except for those whom God has guided. And never would God have caused you to lose your faith. Indeed God is, to the people, Kind and Merciful.

وسطا means centrist. Being centrist is more attuned to being just, so the translation is technically correct, but I always like to use a word for translation that is most direct whenever possible. I'd use "centrist" instead of "just."

I would go futher and say "just" is an incorrect translation. They may have not thought of "centrist" and rejected other word derivatives like "center" or "central" so they finally resorted to "just."

Also it should be "...community so that you may be witnesses..." They probably were trying to avoid the subjunctive by avoiding "so."

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 Post subject: Re: Verses 2:142-143
PostPosted: 19 Aug 2009, 16:49 
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Pragmatic wrote:
Also it should be "...community so that you may be witnesses..." They probably were trying to avoid the subjunctive by avoiding "so."

I don't see the subjunctive implication in the Arabic. Whenever God used a subjunctive expression, He used a subjunctive indicator, such as لعل. There is no such indicator in this verse. I think the translation is correct. Muslims are to be witnesses over mankind; God will ask us on the day of judgment if we conveyed His message to people.

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 Post subject: Re: Verses 2:142-143
PostPosted: 19 Aug 2009, 19:32 
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Linguistic wrote:
Pragmatic wrote:
Also it should be "...community so that you may be witnesses..." They probably were trying to avoid the subjunctive by avoiding "so."

I don't see the subjunctive implication in the Arabic. Whenever God used a subjunctive expression, He used a subjunctive indicator, such as لعل. There is no such indicator in this verse. I think the translation is correct. Muslims are to be witnesses over mankind; God will ask us on the day of judgment if we conveyed His message to people.

There is a "lam" in لتكونوا that needs to be translated. This is why I put "so." One may still avoid the subjunctive and use an indicative "so you will be witnesses," but "so" is needed IMHO.

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 Post subject: Re: Verses 2:142-143
PostPosted: 19 Aug 2009, 20:31 
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Pragmatic wrote:
There is a "lam" in letakunu that needs to be translated. This is why I put "so." One may still avoid the subjunctive and use an indicative "so you will be witnesses," but "so" is needed IMHO.

I agree with that. Let's then make it, "so that you will be witnesses..."

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 Post subject: Suggested translation
PostPosted: 06 Feb 2014, 20:31 
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I suggest,

{2:142} The foolish of people will say, "What has turned them away from their qibla (prayer direction), which they were on?" Say, "To God belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path."

{2:143} And thus we have made you a centrist community to be witnesses over the people and the Messenger be over you a witness. And We did not make the direction which you were on except that We may note him who follows the Messenger from him who would flip on his heels. And verily, it is huge except for those whom God has guided. And never would God squander your faith. Verily, God, to the people, surely is Kind and Merciful.

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