Verse 42:40 in Context

Translator Abdel Haleem

36 فَمَاۤ أُوتِیتُم مِّن شَیۡءࣲ فَمَتَـٰعُ ٱلۡحَیَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَاۚ وَمَا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ خَیۡرࣱ وَأَبۡقَىٰ لِلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمۡ یَتَوَكَّلُونَ ۝٣٦ famā ūtītum min shayin famatāʿu l-ḥayati l-dun'yā wamā ʿinda l-lahi khayrun wa-abqā lilladhīna āmanū waʿalā rabbihim yatawakkalūn What you have been given is only the fleeting enjoyment of this world. Far better and more lasting is what God will give to those who believe and trust in their Lord 37 وَٱلَّذِینَ یَجۡتَنِبُونَ كَبَـٰۤىِٕرَ ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡفَوَ ٰحِشَ وَإِذَا مَا غَضِبُوا۟ هُمۡ یَغۡفِرُونَ ۝٣٧ wa-alladhīna yajtanibūna kabāira l-ith'mi wal-fawāḥisha wa-idhā mā ghaḍibū hum yaghfirūn who shun great sins and gross indecencies; who forgive when they are angry 38 وَٱلَّذِینَ ٱسۡتَجَابُوا۟ لِرَبِّهِمۡ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأَمۡرُهُمۡ شُورَىٰ بَیۡنَهُمۡ وَمِمَّا رَزَقۡنَـٰهُمۡ یُنفِقُونَ ۝٣٨ wa-alladhīna is'tajābū lirabbihim wa-aqāmū l-ṣalata wa-amruhum shūrā baynahum wamimmā razaqnāhum yunfiqūn respond to their Lord; keep up the prayer; conduct their affairs by mutual consultation; give to others out of what We have provided for them 39 وَٱلَّذِینَ إِذَاۤ أَصَابَهُمُ ٱلۡبَغۡیُ هُمۡ یَنتَصِرُونَ ۝٣٩ wa-alladhīna idhā aṣābahumu l-baghyu hum yantaṣirūn and defend themselves when they are oppressed

40 وَجَزَ ٰۤؤُا۟ سَیِّئَةࣲ سَیِّئَةࣱ مِّثۡلُهَاۖ فَمَنۡ عَفَا وَأَصۡلَحَ فَأَجۡرُهُۥ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا یُحِبُّ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِینَ ۝٤٠ wajazāu sayyi-atin sayyi-atun mith'luhā faman ʿafā wa-aṣlaḥa fa-ajruhu ʿalā l-lahi innahu lā yuḥibbu l-ẓālimīn Let harm be requited by an equal harm, though anyone who forgives and puts things right will have his reward from God Himself––He does not like those who do wrong

41 وَلَمَنِ ٱنتَصَرَ بَعۡدَ ظُلۡمِهِۦ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ مَا عَلَیۡهِم مِّن سَبِیلٍ ۝٤١ walamani intaṣara baʿda ẓul'mihi fa-ulāika mā ʿalayhim min sabīli There is no cause to act against anyone who defends himself after being wronged 42 إِنَّمَا ٱلسَّبِیلُ عَلَى ٱلَّذِینَ یَظۡلِمُونَ ٱلنَّاسَ وَیَبۡغُونَ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بِغَیۡرِ ٱلۡحَقِّۚ أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِیمࣱ ۝٤٢ innamā l-sabīlu ʿalā alladhīna yaẓlimūna l-nāsa wayabghūna fī l-arḍi bighayri l-ḥaqi ulāika lahum ʿadhābun alīmu but there is cause to act against those who oppress people and transgress in the land against all justice- they will have an agonizing torment 43 وَلَمَن صَبَرَ وَغَفَرَ إِنَّ ذَ ٰلِكَ لَمِنۡ عَزۡمِ ٱلۡأُمُورِ ۝٤٣ walaman ṣabara waghafara inna dhālika lamin ʿazmi l-umūr though if a person is patient and forgives, this is one of the greatest things 44 وَمَن یُضۡلِلِ ٱللَّهُ فَمَا لَهُۥ مِن وَلِیࣲّ مِّنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦۗ وَتَرَى ٱلظَّـٰلِمِینَ لَمَّا رَأَوُا۟ ٱلۡعَذَابَ یَقُولُونَ هَلۡ إِلَىٰ مَرَدࣲّ مِّن سَبِیلࣲ ۝٤٤ waman yuḍ'lili l-lahu famā lahu min waliyyin min baʿdihi watarā l-ẓālimīna lammā ra-awū l-ʿadhāba yaqūlūna hal ilā maraddin min sabīli Anyone God allows to stray will have no one else to protect him: you [Prophet] will see the wrongdoers, when they face the punishment, exclaiming, ‘Is there any way of going back?’