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 Post subject: Verses 12:80-82
PostPosted: 06 Jun 2009, 07:39 
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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 12:80-82
PostPosted: 05 Feb 2010, 02:16 
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Quote:
{12:81} Return to your father and say, "O our father, indeed your son has stolen, and we did not testify except to what we knew. And we were not witnesses of the unseen,

The translation of the last sentence is fine, but the reader is not likely to understand its relevance to the context. I suggest,
{12:81} Return to your father and say, "O our father, verily, your son stole, and we did not testify except to what we knew. And we were not keepers of the unseen (we could not have seen this coming),

Quote:
{12:82} And ask the city in which we were and the caravan in which we came - and indeed, we are truthful,"

I suggest,
{12:82} And ask the town in which we were and the camels (caravan) in which we came - and indeed, we are truthful,"

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 Post subject: Re: Verses 12:80-82
PostPosted: 31 Mar 2010, 22:47 
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Linguistic wrote:
The translation of the last sentence is fine, but the reader is not likely to understand its relevance to the context. I suggest,
{12:81} Return to your father and say, "O our father, verily, your son stole, and we did not testify except to what we knew. And we were not keepers of the unseen (we could not have seen this coming),

Agreed, but perhaps "(we could not have anticipated this)" would be less informal.

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 Post subject: Re: Verses 12:80-82
PostPosted: 31 Mar 2010, 23:06 
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Quote:
{12:80} So when they had despaired of him, they secluded themselves in private consultation. The eldest of them said, "Do you not know that your father has taken upon you an oath by God and [that] before you failed in [your duty to] Joseph? So I will never leave [this] land until my father permits me or God decides for me, and He is the best of judges."


I suggest

{12:80} So when they had despaired of him, they secluded themselves in private consultation. The eldest of them said, "Do you not know that your father has taken upon you a covenant by God, and before that what you squandered of Joseph? So I will not leave [this] land until my father permits me or God judges for me, and He is the best of judges."

BTW, why do you think they translated لن as "will never" rather than "will not"?

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 Post subject: Re: Verses 12:80-82
PostPosted: 01 Apr 2010, 05:40 
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I like both your suggestions.

I agree that لن does not have to be translated as "will never" uniformly. In 12:80, it's sufficient to translate it "will not."

So, for 12:81, let's translate it as follows,
{12:81} Return to your father and say, "O our father, verily, your son stole, and we did not testify except to what we knew. And we were not keepers of the unseen (we could not have anticipated this),

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