Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
IT DOES NOT behove a prophet to keep captives unless he has battled strenuously on earth. You may desire the fleeting gains of this world-but God desires [for you the good of] the life to come: and God is almighty, wise
Arthur John Arberry
It is not for any Prophet to have prisoners until he make wide slaughter in the land. You desire the chance goods of the present world, and God desires the world to come; and God is All-mighty, All-wise
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
It is not fitting for a prophet that he should have prisoners of war until he hath thoroughly subdued the land. Ye look for the temporal goods of this world; but Allah looketh to the Hereafter: And Allah is Exalted in might, Wise
Arabic
مَا كَانَ لِنَبِیٍّ أَن یَكُونَ لَهُۥۤ أَسۡرَىٰ حَتَّىٰ یُثۡخِنَ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ تُرِیدُونَ عَرَضَ ٱلدُّنۡیَا وَٱللَّهُ یُرِیدُ ٱلۡءَاخِرَةَۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِیزٌ حَكِیمࣱ ٦٧
Transliteration (2021)
mā kāna linabiyyin an yakūna lahu asrā ḥattā yuth'khina fī l-arḍi turīdūna ʿaraḍa l-dun'yā wal-lahu yurīdu l-ākhirata wal-lahu ʿazīzun ḥakīmu