قَالُواThey saidادْعُPrayلَنَاfor usرَبَّكَyour Lordيُبَيِّنْthat He may make clearلَّنَاto usمَاwhatلَوْنُهَاits color is
They said, "Pray to your Lord that He may make clear to us what its color is."
قَالَHe saidإِنَّهُIndeed, HeيَقُوْلُsaysإِنَّهَاIndeed, it isبَقَرَةٌa cowصَفْرَاءُyellowفَاقِعٌintenseلَّوْنُهَاits colorتَسُرُّpleasingالنُّظِرِينَto the observers.
He said, "Indeed, He says, 'It is a yellow cow, intense in its color, pleasing to the observers.'"
وَلَمْAnd notيَجِدُواthey foundسُؤَالًاan answerفَأَطْلَقُواso they askedالسُّؤَالَthe question.
And they did not find rest, so they posed further questions.
قَالُواThey saidادْعُPrayلَنَاfor usرَبَّكَyour Lordيُبَيِّنْthat He may make clearلَّنَاto usمَاwhatهِيَit is
They said, "Pray to your Lord that He may make clear to us what it is,
إِنَّindeedالْبَقَرَthe cowsتَشْبَهَlook alikeعَلَيْنَاto usوَإِنَّاand indeed weإِنْifشَاءَwillsاللهُAllahلَمُهْتَدُونَwill surely be guided."
for indeed the cows look alike to us, and indeed we, if Allah wills, will be guided."
قَالَHe saidإِنَّهُIndeed, HeيَقُوْلُsaysإِنَّهَاIndeed, it isبَقَرَةًa cowلَّاnotذَلُولُsubdued
He said, "Indeed, He says, 'It is a cow not subdued
تُثِيرُto plowالْأَرْضَthe earthوَلَاand notتَسْقِىto irrigateالْحَرْثَthe crops
to plow the earth or to irrigate the crops,
مُسَلَّمَةٌsound and freeلَّاwith noشِيَةَblemish or markفِيْهَاin it.'
sound, with no blemish in it.'"
وَفُقُواAnd they agreedفِيْinهَذِهِthisالْمَرَّةِinstance
And they agreed in this instance
لِأَنَّهُمْbecause theyقَالُواsaidوَإِنَّا"And indeed we,إِنْifشَاءَwillsاللَّهُAllah,لَمُهْتَدُونَwill be guided."
because they said, "And indeed we, if Allah wills, will be guided."
فَاهْتَدَوْاSo they were guided.
So they were guided.
وَلَكِنَّButأَسْئِلَتَهُمْtheir questionsضَيَّقَتْmade difficultعَلَيْهِمُupon themالْأَمْرَthe matter.
But their questions made the matter difficult upon them.
فَلَوْFor ifذَبَحُواthey had slaughteredأَيَّanyبَقَرَةٍcowلَّكَانَتْit would have beenكَافِيَةًsufficient for them.
For if they had slaughtered any cow, it would have been sufficient for them.
وَلَكِنَّهُمْBut theyشَدَّدُواwere strictفَشَدَّدَso Allah was strictاللهُAllahعَلَيْهِمْupon them.
But they were strict, so Allah was strict upon them.
وَفَتَّشُواAnd they searchedعَنِforالْبَقَرَةِthe cowالْعَوَانِmiddle-agedالصَّفْرَاءِyellowالْفَاقِعِintenseلَوْنُهَاin color
And they searched for the middle-aged yellow cow, intense in its color,
الَّتِيwhichلَاdoes notتُثِيرُplowالْأَرْضَthe earthوَلَاand does notتَسْقِىirrigateالْحَرْثَthe crops
which does not plow the earth and does not irrigate the crops,
مُسَلَّمَةٌsound and freeالَّتِيin whichلَاthere is noشِيَةَblemishفِيْهَاin it.
sound, in which there is no blemish.
وَنَدَرَAnd rareوُجُودُwas the existenceهَذِهِof thisالْبَقَرَةِcowالْغَرِيبَةِunusual.
And rare was the existence of this unusual cow.
فَإِمَّاFor eitherبَقَرَةٌa cowفَارِضٌoldوَإِمَّاorبَقَرَةٌa cowبِكْرٌyoung
For either it was an old cow, or a young cow,
وَإِمَّاorعَوَانٌmiddle-agedوَلَكِنْbutغَيْرُnotصَفْرَاءَyellow.
or middle-aged but not yellow.
وَإِمَّاOrبَقَرَةٌa cowعَوَانٌmiddle-agedصَفْرَاءُyellowوَلَكِنَّbutلَوْنَهَاits colorغَيْرُnotفَاقِعٍintense.
Or a middle-aged yellow cow, but its color is not intense.
وَإِمَّاOrبَقَرَةٌa cowعَوَانٌmiddle-agedصَفْرَاءُyellowفَاقِعٌintenseلَوْنُهَاits color
Or a middle-aged yellow cow, intense in its color,
وَلَكِنَّهَاbut it isبَقَرَةٌa cowذَلُولٌsubduedتُثِيرُthat plowsالْأَرْضَthe earth.
but it is a subdued cow that plows the earth.
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