Al-Qur'an Surah Al-A'raf Verse 166

Mufti Taqi Usmani

When they persisted in doing what they were forbidden from, We said to them, “Become apes debased.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

But when they stubbornly persisted in violation, We said to them, “Be disgraced apes!”[[ Literally or metaphorically. See footnote for {2:65}.]] 

Ruwwad Translation Center

When they persistently violated what they were forbidden to do, We said to them, “Be despised apes.”

A. J. Arberry

And when they turned in disdain from that forbidding We said to them, 'Be you apes, miserably slinking!'

Abdul Haleem

When, in their arrogance, they persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them, ‘Be like apes! Be outcasts!’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

So when they exceeded the bounds of that which they were prohibited We said unto them: be ye apes despised.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

When in their insolence they transgressed (all) prohibitions, We said to them; "Be ye apes, despised and rejected."

Abul Ala Maududi

And when they persisted in pursuing that which had been forbidden We said: 'Become despised apes.'

Ahmed Ali

When they persisted in doing what they had been forbidden, We said to them: "Become (like) apes despised."

Ahmed Raza Khan

Consequently when they rebelled against the command to refrain, We said to them, “Be apes, despised!”

Ali Quli Qarai

When they defied [the command pertaining to] what they were forbidden from, We said to them, ‘Be you spurned apes.’

Ali Ünal

Then, when they disdainfully persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them: "Be apes miserably slinking and rejected!"

Amatul Rahman Omar

So when they insolently refused to keep away from that which they were forbidden, We condemned them to be (as) apes despised.

English Literal

So when they became arrogant/disobedient from what they were forbidden/prevented from it, We said to them: "Be/become despised/diminished apes/monkeys."

Faridul Haque

Consequently when they rebelled against the command to refrain, We said to them, "Be apes, despised!"

Hamid S. Aziz

But when they rebelled against what they were forbidden, We said to them, "Become you as apes, despised and spurned!"

Hilali & Khan

So when they exceeded the limits of what they were prohibited, We said to them: "Be you monkeys, despised and rejected." (It is a severe warning to the mankind that they should not disobey what Allah commands them to do, and be far away from what He prohibits them).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So when they neglected that whereof they had been reminded, We delivered those who forbade evil and We overtook those who were iniquitous with an evil chastisement because they transgressed.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Therefore when they revoltingly persisted in what they had been forbidden, We said to them: Be (as) apes, despised and hated.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

So when they took pride in that which they had been forbidden, We said unto them: Be ye apes despised and loathed!

Muhammad Sarwar

When they crossed the limit of the prohibition, We made them turn into detested apes.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And when they had scornfully persisted in what they had been forbidden, We said to them: 'Be apes, despised'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

So when they exceeded the limits of what they were prohibited, We said to them: "Be you monkeys, despised."

Wahiduddin Khan

And then, when they disdainfully persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them, "Be as apes, despised!"

Talal Itani

Then, when they rebelled against the commands to refrain, We said to them, “Be despicable apes.”

Tafsir jalalayn

And when they disdained, to desist from, that which was prohibited to them, We said to them, `Be apes, despised!', abased, and they became so; this is an explication of what preceded [with regard to the details of their `grievous chastisement']. Ibn `Abbs said, `I do not know what befell the group that abstained'. `Ikrima said, `That group was not destroyed because they had been averse to what the others did and had said, `Why do you preach (admonition) ...' Al-Hkim reported [in a hadth] that he [`Ikrima] referred this opinion to Ibn `Abbs, who was delighted by it.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

So when they exceeded the limits of what they were prohibited, We said to them;"Be you monkeys, despised."

خَاسِيِينَ
(despised),

humiliated, disgraced and rejected