Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
[Remember that day] when you were at the near end of the valley [of Badr], and they were at its farthest end, while the caravan was below you. And if you had known that a battle was to take place, you would indeed have refused to accept the challenge: but [the battle was brought about none the less,] so that God might accomplish a thing [which He willed] to be done, [and] that he who would perish might perish in clear evidence of the truth, and that he who would remain alive might live in clear evidence of the truth. And, behold, God is indeed all-hearing, all-knowing
Arthur John Arberry
when you were on the nearer bank, and they were on the farther bank, and the cavalcade was below you; and had you made tryst together, you would have surely failed the tryst; but that God might determine a matter that was done, that whosoever perished might perish by a clear sign, and by a clear sign he might live who lived; and surely God is All-hearing, All-knowing
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
Remember ye were on the hither side of the valley, and they on the farther side, and the caravan on lower ground than ye. Even if ye had made a mutual appointment to meet, ye would certainly have failed in the appointment: But (thus ye met), that Allah might accomplish a matter already enacted; that those who died might die after a clear Sign (had been given), and those who lived might live after a Clear Sign (had been given). And verily Allah is He Who heareth and knoweth (all things)
Arabic
إِذۡ أَنتُم بِٱلۡعُدۡوَةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَا وَهُم بِٱلۡعُدۡوَةِ ٱلۡقُصۡوَىٰ وَٱلرَّكۡبُ أَسۡفَلَ مِنكُمۡۚ وَلَوۡ تَوَاعَدتُّمۡ لَٱخۡتَلَفۡتُمۡ فِی ٱلۡمِیعَـٰدِ وَلَـٰكِن لِّیَقۡضِیَ ٱللَّهُ أَمۡرࣰا كَانَ مَفۡعُولࣰا لِّیَهۡلِكَ مَنۡ هَلَكَ عَنۢ بَیِّنَةࣲ وَیَحۡیَىٰ مَنۡ حَیَّ عَنۢ بَیِّنَةࣲۗ وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَسَمِیعٌ عَلِیمٌ ٤٢
Transliteration (2021)
idh antum bil-ʿud'wati l-dun'yā wahum bil-ʿud'wati l-quṣ'wā wal-rakbu asfala minkum walaw tawāʿadttum la-ikh'talaftum fī l-mīʿādi walākin liyaqḍiya l-lahu amran kāna mafʿūlan liyahlika man halaka ʿan bayyinatin wayaḥyā man ḥayya ʿan bayyinatin wa-inna l-laha lasamīʿun ʿalīmu