Verses 11:19-20

Index · **Joined:** 08 May 2009, 14:16 **Posts:** 1994

Suggested translation^1,2:

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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.

Linguistic · **Posted:** 26 Jan 2010, 20:32

Quote:

{11:19} Who averted [people] from the way of God and sought to make it [seem] deviant while they, concerning the Hereafter, were disbelievers.

I suggest,
{11:19} Who shun [people] away from the way of God and aim [to make] it crooked, while they, of the Hereafter, they are rejectors.

Quote:

{11:20} Those were not causing failure [to God] on earth, nor did they have besides God any protectors. For them the punishment will be multiplied. They were not able to hear, nor did they see.

I suggest,
{11:20} Those were not out-powering in the earth, nor did they have besides God any allies. Torment for them is doubled. They were incapable of hearing, and they used not to see.

Pragmatic · **Posted:** 27 Jan 2010, 10:24

Linguistic wrote:

Quote:

{11:20} Those were not causing failure [to God] on earth, nor did they have besides God any protectors. For them the punishment will be multiplied. They were not able to hear, nor did they see.

I suggest,
{11:20} Those were not out-powering in the earth, nor did they have besides God any allies. Torment for them is doubled. They were incapable of hearing, and they used not to see.

The statement "nor did they have besides God any allies" sounds like they did have God as an ally.

Linguistic · **Posted:** 27 Jan 2010, 17:44

Pragmatic wrote:

The statement "nor did they have besides God any allies" sounds like they did have God as an ally.

Good point. How about,

{11:20} Those were not out-powering in the earth, and without God, they did not have any allies. Torment for them is doubled. They were not capable of hearing, and they used not to see.

Pragmatic · **Posted:** 27 Jan 2010, 20:19

Linguistic wrote:

{11:20} Those were not out-powering in the earth, and without God, they did not have any allies. Torment for them is doubled. They were not capable of hearing, and they used not to see.

Very good wording.

I didn't pay attention to the last part of the verse before. The tense for not hearing and not seeing is the same in Arabic, so it should be the same in English. Also, the Arabic word يبصر seems to me to indicate ability or intention to see rather than just see يرى, and I wonder if that can be reflected in the translation.

Linguistic · **Posted:** 27 Jan 2010, 23:09

Pragmatic wrote:

Also, the Arabic word يبصر seems to me to indicate ability or intention to see rather than just see يرى, and I wonder if that can be reflected in the translation.

Other suggestions would be to notice, to discern, to recognize. But I'd rather stay with "to see" because the same expression is mentioned in the Bible and therefore is easy for the English reader to understand.

Pragmatic · **Posted:** 27 Jan 2010, 23:15

Linguistic wrote:

Other suggestions would be to notice, to discern, to recognize. But I'd rather stay with "to see" because the same expression is mentioned in the Bible and therefore is easy for the English reader to understand.

How about "They were not capable of hearing, nor were they able to see."

Linguistic · **Posted:** 27 Jan 2010, 23:47

Pragmatic wrote:

How about "They were not capable of hearing, nor were they able to see."

I don't know. "Able" is unwarranted here. There is a clear distinction in the verse between the two senses: With the hearing, God said لايستطيعون السمع but with seeing, God said لايبصرون.

Pragmatic · **Posted:** 28 Jan 2010, 02:00

Linguistic wrote:

I don't know. "Able" is unwarranted here. There is a clear distinction in the verse between the two senses: With the hearing, God said لايستطيعون السمع but with seeing, God said لايبصرون.

I guess I am reading an ability part in the mere word يبصر but that may be my own bias. An alternative is "have vision"

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Verses 11:19-20

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