Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 69

Mufti Taqi Usmani

They said, “Pray for us to your Lord that He makes it clear to us of what colour it should be.” He said: “He says that she should be a yellow cow, rich yellow in her colour that should please the onlookers.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

They said, “Call upon your Lord to specify for us its colour.” He replied, “Allah says, ‘It should be a bright yellow cow—pleasant to see.’”

Ruwwad Translation Center

They said, “Call upon your Lord to show us its color.” He said, “Allah says, ‘It is a yellow cow, bright in color – pleasing to the beholders.’”

A. J. Arberry

They said, 'Pray to thy Lord for us, that He make clear to us what her colour may be.' He said, 'He says she shall be a golden cow, bright her colour, gladdening the beholders.'

Abdul Haleem

They said, ‘Call on your Lord for us, to show us what colour it should be.’ He answered, ‘God says it should be a bright yellow cow, pleasing to the eye.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

They said: supplicate for us unto thy Lord that He make manifest unto us whatever her colour should be. He said: verily He saith, she should be a yellow cow the colour whereof is deepest, delighting the beholders.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They said; "Beseech on our behalf Thy Lord to make plain to us Her colour." He said; "He says; A fawn-coloured heifer, pure and rich in tone, the admiration of beholders!"

Abul Ala Maududi

But they further asked, "Please request your Lord to make it clear to us of what colour she should be." Moses answered, "He says that she should be of yellow colour, so deep and bright as to delight the beholders."

Ahmed Ali

"Call on your Lord," they said, "to tell us the colour of the cow." "God says," answered Moses, "a fawn coloured cow, rich yellow, well pleasing to the eye."

Ahmed Raza Khan

They said, “Pray to your Lord that He may reveal its colour to us”; answered Moosa, “Indeed He says it is a yellow cow, of bright colour, pleasing to the beholders.”

Ali Quli Qarai

They said, ‘Invoke your Lord for us that He may clarify for us what her colour may be.’ He said, ‘He says, she is a cow that is yellow, of a bright hue, pleasing to the onlookers.’

Ali Ünal

They (continuing to make trouble about the matter) responded: "Pray for us to your Lord that He may make clear to us what color it should be." He (Moses) answered: "He says, it should be a yellow cow, radiant its color, gladdening those who see."

Amatul Rahman Omar

They said, `Pray for us to your Lord to make clear to us of what colour it is.´ He replied, `Says He, "It is a cow fawn of colour, is intensely rich in tone, very pleasing to the beholders."´

English Literal

They said: "Call for us your Lord, (to) clarify for us what its colour (is)." He said: "That He says, that it truly is a cow, yellowish , clear pure bright yellow its colour, it delights the lookers."

Faridul Haque

They said, "Pray to your Lord that He may reveal its colour to us"; answered Moosa, "Indeed He says it is a yellow cow, of bright colour, pleasing to the beholders."

Hamid S. Aziz

They said, "Pray now to your Lord to show us what her colour is to be." He answered, "He said it is a fawn-coloured heifer, intensely fawn, her colour delighting those who look upon her."

Hilali & Khan

They said, "Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us its colour." He said, "He says, 'It is a yellow cow, bright in its colour, pleasing to the beholders.' "

Maulana Mohammad Ali

They said: Call on thy Lord for our sake to make it clear to us what her colour is. (Moses) said: He says, She is a yellow cow; her colour is intensely yellow delighting the beholders.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

They said: Call on your Lord for our sake to make it plain to us what her color is. Musa said: He says, Surely she is a yellow cow; her color is intensely yellow, giving delight to the beholders.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

They said: Pray for us unto thy Lord that He make clear to us of what colour she is. (Moses) answered: Lo! He saith: Verily she is a yellow cow. Bright is her colour, gladdening beholders.

Muhammad Sarwar

They further demanded Moses to ask the Lord what color the cow has to be. Moses answered, "The Lord says that the cow must be yellow, a beautiful yellow".

Qaribullah & Darwish

'Call on your Lord' they said, 'to make known to us what her color shall be' 'Your Lord says: "The cow is yellow, a rich yellow pleasing to the onlookers.'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

They said, "Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us its colour." He said, "He says, `It is a yellow cow, bright in its colour, pleasing the beholders.' "

Wahiduddin Khan

They said, "Call on your Lord for us, to show us what colour she should be." He answered, "God says she should be a bright yellow heifer, pleasing to the eye."

Talal Itani

They said, “Call upon your Lord to show us what her color is.” He said, “He says she is a yellow heifer, bright in color, pleasing to the beholders.”

Tafsir jalalayn

They said, `Pray to your Lord for us, that He make clear to us what her colour may be' He said, `He says she shall be a golden cow, bright in colour, that is, of a very intense yellow, gladdening to beholders; its beauty will please those that look at it.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

They said, "Call upon your Lord for us to make plain to us its colour." He said, "He says, `It is a yellow cow, bright in its colour, pleasing the beholders."'

In his Tafsir Al-Awfi reported from Ibn Abbas that,
فَاقِـعٌ لَّوْنُهَا
(bright in its colour),

"A deep yellowish white."

As-Suddi said,
تَسُرُّ النَّاظِرِينَ
(pleasing the beholder),

meaning, that it pleases those who see it.

This is also the opinion of Abu Al-Aliyah, Qatadah and Ar-Rabi bin Anas.

Furthermore, Wahb bin Munabbih said,

"If you look at the cow's skin, you will think that the sun's rays radiate through its skin."

The modern version of the Tawrah mentions that the cow in the Ayah was red, but this is an error. Or, it might be that the cow was so yellow that it appeared blackish or reddish in color. Allah's knows best