The Quran

سورة البَقَرَة

Surah Al-Baqarah 2:71

The Cow · Verse 71 of 286

قَالَ إِنَّهُ يَقُولُ إِنَّهَا بَقَرَةٌ لَا ذَلُولٌ تُثِيرُ الْأَرْضَ وَلَا تَسْقِي الْحَرْثَ مُسَلَّمَةٌ لَا شِيَةَ فِيهَا ۚ قَالُوا الْآنَ جِئْتَ بِالْحَقِّ ۚ فَذَبَحُوهَا وَمَا كَادُوا يَفْعَلُونَ

Abdul Mannan Omar

He said, `He (- God) says, "It is indeed a cow neither broken in to plough the land nor to water the tillage, perfectly sound (without any blemish), no spot on her", (she is of one colour).´ They said, `Now you have (after all) brought the exact truth (with the necessary description).´ So they slaughtered her, though they had no mind to do it.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

He said: "He says: A heifer not trained to till the soil or water the fields; sound and without blemish." They said: "Now hast thou brought the truth." Then they offered her in sacrifice, but not with good-will.

Ahmed Ali

And Moses said: "He says it´s a cow unyoked, nor worn out by ploughing or watering the fields, one in good shape with no mark or blemish." "Now have you brought us the truth," they said; and then, after wavering, they sacrificed the cow.

12 more translations

Ali Unal

He (Moses) answered: "He says, it is a cow unyoked to plough the earth or water the tillage, one kept secure and sound, with no blemish on it." "Now you have brought the truth," they answered; and they sacrificed it, though they all but did not.

Daryabadi

He said: verily He saith, verify she should be a cow unyoked, not broken to till the ground or to water the field, whole, and without blemish in her. They said: now hast thou brought the truth. Then they slaughtered her, and they were wellnigh not doing it.

Faridul Haque

Said Moosa, "He says, ‘She is a cow not made to work, neither ploughing the soil nor watering the fields; flawless and spotless’; they said, "You have now conveyed the proper fact"; so they sacrificed it, but seemed not to be sacrificing it (with sincerity).

Maulana Muhammad Ali

(Moses) said: He says: She is a cow not made submissive to plough the land, nor does she water the tilth, sound, without a blemish in her. They said: Now thou has brought the truth. So they slaughtered her, though they had not the mind to do (it).

Maulvi Sher Ali

He answered, `God says it is a cow not broken to plough the earth or water the tilth; one without blemish; of one colour.' They said, `Now thou have brought the truth.' Then they slaughtered her, though they would rather not do it.

Muhammad Asad

[Moses] answered: "Behold, He says it is to be a cow not broken-in to plough the earth or to water the crops, free of fault, without markings of any other colour."

Muhammad Musin Khan

He [Musa (Moses)] said, "He says, 'It is a cow neither trained to till the soil nor water the fields, sound, having no other colour except bright yellow.' " They said, "Now you have brought the truth." So they slaughtered it though they were near to not doing it.

Muhammad Pickthall

(Moses) answered: Lo! He saith: Verily she is a cow unyoked; she plougheth not the soil nor watereth the tilth; whole and without mark. They said: Now thou bringest the truth. So they sacrificed her, though almost they did not.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Moses) said, "The Lord says that it must not have even tilled the soil nor irrigated the fields and it must be free of blemishes and flaws." They said, "Now you have given us the right description." After almost failing to find it, they slaughtered the cow.

Muhammed ali Shakir

Musa said: He says, Surely she is a cow not made submissive that she should plough the land, nor does she irrigate the tilth; sound, without a blemish in her. They said: Now you have brought the truth; so they sacrificed her, though they had not the mind to do (it).

Rashad Khalifa

He said, "He says that she is a heifer that was never humiliated in plowing the land or watering the crops; free from any blemish." They said, "Now you have brought the truth." They finally sacrificed her, after this lengthy reluctance.

Shabbir Ahmed

He answered, “Indeed, He says it is to be a cow that has not toiled in tilling the land nor in watering the crops and it is whole and healthy, unblemished.” They said, “Finally, you bring out a concrete description!” So they sacrificed her, although they would rather not have done it.