Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
and mark out those who were tainted with hypocrisy and, when they were told, "Come, fight in God's cause" - or, "Defend yourselves" - answered, "If we but knew [that it would come to a] fight, we would indeed follow you." Unto apostasy were they nearer on that day than unto faith, uttering with their mouths something which was not in their hearts, the while God knew fully well what they were trying to conceal
Arthur John Arberry
and that He might also know the hypocrites when it was said of them, 'Come now, fight in the way of God, or repel!' They said, 'If only we knew how to fight, we would follow you.' They that day were nearer to unbelief than to belief, saying with their mouths that which never was in their hearts; and God knows very well the things they hide
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
And the Hypocrites also. These were told: "Come, fight in the way of Allah, or (at least) drive (The foe from your city)." They said: "Had we known how to fight, we should certainly have followed you." They were that day nearer to Unbelief than to Faith, saying with their lips what was not in their hearts but Allah hath full knowledge of all they conceal
Arabic
وَلِیَعۡلَمَ ٱلَّذِینَ نَافَقُوا۟ۚ وَقِیلَ لَهُمۡ تَعَالَوۡا۟ قَـٰتِلُوا۟ فِی سَبِیلِ ٱللَّهِ أَوِ ٱدۡفَعُوا۟ۖ قَالُوا۟ لَوۡ نَعۡلَمُ قِتَالࣰا لَّٱتَّبَعۡنَـٰكُمۡۗ هُمۡ لِلۡكُفۡرِ یَوۡمَىِٕذٍ أَقۡرَبُ مِنۡهُمۡ لِلۡإِیمَـٰنِۚ یَقُولُونَ بِأَفۡوَ ٰهِهِم مَّا لَیۡسَ فِی قُلُوبِهِمۡۚ وَٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا یَكۡتُمُونَ ١٦٧
Transliteration (2021)
waliyaʿlama alladhīna nāfaqū waqīla lahum taʿālaw qātilū fī sabīli l-lahi awi id'faʿū qālū law naʿlamu qitālan la-ittabaʿnākum hum lil'kuf'ri yawma-idhin aqrabu min'hum lil'īmāni yaqūlūna bi-afwāhihim mā laysa fī qulūbihim wal-lahu aʿlamu bimā yaktumūn