Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Qasas Verse 23

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And when he arrived at the waters of Madyan, he found a large number of people watering (their animals) and found, aloof from them, two women keeping (their animals) back. He said, “What is the matter with you?” They said, “We cannot water (our animals) until these shepherds take (their animals) back after watering them, and our father is very old man.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

When he arrived at the well of Midian, he found a group of people watering ˹their herds˺. Apart from them, he noticed two women holding back ˹their herd˺. He asked ˹them˺, “What is the problem?” They replied, “We cannot water ˹our animals˺ until the ˹other˺ shepherds are done, for our father is a very old man.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

When he arrived at the well of Midian, he found a crowd of people watering [their flocks] and found apart from them two women holding [their flocks] back. He said, “What is the matter with you?” They said, “We cannot water [them] until the shepherds take [their flocks] away, and our father is a very old man.”

A. J. Arberry

On the right way. And when he came to the waters of Midian he found a company of the people there drawing water, and he found, apart from them, two women holding back their flocks. He said, 'What is your business?' They said, 'We may not draw water until the shepherds drive off; and our father is passing old.'

Abdul Haleem

When he arrived at Midian’s waters, he found a group of men watering [their flocks], and beside them two women keeping their flocks back, so he said, ‘What is the matter with you two?’ They said, ‘We cannot water [our flocks] until the shepherds take their sheep away: our father is a very old man.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And when he arrived at the water of Madyan, he found there a community of the people watering. And he found, apart from them, two women keeping back their flocks. He said: what aileth you twain! The twain said: we water not until the shepherds have driven away their flocks; and our father is a very old man.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

And when he arrived at the watering (place) in Madyan, he found there a group of men watering (their flocks), and besides them he found two women who were keeping back (their flocks). He said; "What is the matter with you?" They said; "We cannot water (our flocks) until the shepherds take back (their flocks); And our father is a very old man."

Abul Ala Maududi

When he arrived at the spring of Midian, he found there a crowd of people watering their flocks, and he found apart from them two women holding their flocks back. He asked the women: "What is it that troubles you?" They said: "We cannot water our flocks until the shepherds take their flocks away, and our father is a very old man."

Ahmed Ali

And when he came to the waters of Midian he found a crowd of people watering (their flocks), and saw two maidens holding back (their cattle). He asked: "What is the trouble with you?" They said: "We cannot water our flock till the shepherds have driven away theirs, and our father is a very old man."

Ahmed Raza Khan

And when he came to the water of Madyan he found a group of men, watering their animals; and away from them he found two women restraining their animals; he said, “What is the matter with you?” They said, “We do not water our animals till all the shepherds water and take away their animals; and our father is very old.”

Ali Quli Qarai

When he arrived at the well of Midian, he found there a throng of people watering [their flocks], and he found, besides them, two women holding back [their flock]. He said, ‘What is your business?’ They said, ‘We do not water [our flock] until the shepherds have driven out [their flocks], and our father is an aged man.’

Ali Ünal

When he arrived at the wells of Midian, he found there a group of people watering their flocks, and he found, apart from them, two women (maidens) holding back their flock. He said: "What is the matter with you?" The two (women) said: "We do not water our flock until the shepherds take their flocks away. (It is we who do this work because) our father is a very old man."

Amatul Rahman Omar

And when he arrived at the water of Midian, he found there a party of men watering (their flocks) and he found two ladies (standing) apart from them, holding (their flock) back. He said, `What is your problem?´ they replied, `We cannot water (our flock) until the shepherds depart (having driven their flocks away), and our father is a very old man.´

English Literal

And when he neared/approached Madya`s water he found at it a nation/generation from the people, they water/irrigate and he found from other than them two women, (B) pushing/defending , he said: "What (is) your matter/concern ." They (B) said: "We do not water/irrigate until the shepherds/protectors return from the water/proceed , and our father (is) an old aged old ."

Faridul Haque

And when he came to the water of Madyan he found a group of men, watering their animals; and away from them he found two women restraining their animals; he said, “What is the matter with you?” They said, “We do not water our animals till all the shepherds water and take away their animals; and our father is very old.”

Hamid S. Aziz

And when he turned his face towards Midian, he said, "It may be that my Lord will guide me to a smooth and straight path!"

Hilali & Khan

And when he arrived at the water of Madyan (Midian) he found there a group of men watering (their flocks), and besides them he found two women who were keeping back (their flocks). He said: "What is the matter with you?" They said: "We cannot water (our flocks) until the shepherds take (their flocks). And our father is a very old man."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So he went forth therefrom, fearing, awaiting. He said: My Lord, deliver me from the iniquitous people.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And when he came to the water of Madyan, he found on it a group of men watering, and he found besides them two women keeping back (their flocks). He said: What is the matter with you? They said: We cannot water until the shepherds take away (their sheep) from the water, and our father is a very old man.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And when he came unto the water of Midian he found there a whole tribe of men, watering. And he found apart from them two women keeping back (their flocks). He said: What aileth you? The two said: We cannot give (our flocks) to drink till the shepherds return from the water; and our father is a very old man.

Muhammad Sarwar

When he arrived at the well of Midian, he found some people watering (their sheep) and two women keeping the sheep away from the others. He asked the two women, "What is the matter with you?" They replied, "We cannot water our sheep until all the shepherds have driven away their flocks. Our father is an old man".

Qaribullah & Darwish

When he came to the water wells of Midian he found there some people drawing water, and he found two women apart from them who were keeping back (their flocks). 'What is your business' he asked. They replied: 'We cannot draw water until the shepherds have driven away (their flocks), and our father is an elderly man'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And when he arrived at the water of Madyan, he found there a group of men watering, and besides them he found two women who were keeping back (their flocks). He said: "What is the matter with you" They said: "We cannot water (our flocks) until the shepherds take (their flocks). And our father is a very old man."

Wahiduddin Khan

And when he arrived at the well of Midian, he found around it a group of men watering their flocks, and he saw two women standing apart from them, who were holding back their flocks, so he asked, "What is the matter with you?" They replied, "We cannot draw water until the shepherds take away their sheep. Our father is a very old man."

Talal Itani

And when he arrived at the waters of Median, he found there a crowd of people drawing water, and he noticed two women waiting on the side. He said, “What is the matter with you?” They said, “We cannot draw water until the shepherds depart, and our father is a very old man.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And when he arrived at the Water of Midian, [the name of] a well therein, he found a group of people there watering, their flocks, and he found, besides them, two women holding back their flock, from the water. He, Moses, said, to the two; `What is your business?', that is, `What is the matter with you, that you are not watering?' They said, `We do not water [our flock] until the shepherds have moved on (ri`'u, `shepherds', the plural of r`in) that is to say, until they have returned from the watering, for fear of being crushed [by the throng], after which we go to water (a variant reading [for yasdiru, `move on'] is the 4th form [subjunctive] yusdira, `to drive away', meaning, until they [the shepherds] have driven their flocks away from the water') and our father is a very old man', unable to [come and] water.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَلَمَّا وَرَدَ مَاء مَدْيَنَ

And when he arrived at the water (a well) of Madyan,

means, when he reached Madyan and went to drink from its water, for it had a well where shepherds used to water their flocks,

وَجَدَ عَلَيْهِ أُمَّةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ يَسْقُونَ وَوَجَدَ مِن دُونِهِمُ امْرَأتَيْنِ تَذُودَانِ

he found there a group of men watering, and besides them he found two women who were keeping back.

means, they were stopping their sheep from drinking with the sheep of those shepherds, lest some harm come to them. When Musa, peace be upon him, saw them, he felt sorry for them and took pity on them.

قَالَ مَا خَطْبُكُمَا

He said;"What is the matter with you?"

meaning, `why do you not water your flocks with these people?'

قَالَتَا لَاا نَسْقِي حَتَّى يُصْدِرَ الرِّعَاء

They said;"We cannot water until the shepherds take..."

meaning, `we cannot water our flocks until they finish.'

وَأَبُونَا شَيْخٌ كَبِيرٌ



And our father is a very old man.

means, `this is what has driven us to what you see.