38:17
ٱصۡبِرۡ
is'bir
Be patient
عَلَىٰ
ala
over
مَا
ma
what
يَقُولُونَ
yaquluna
they say
وَٱذۡكُرۡ
wa-udh'kur
and remember
عَبۡدَنَا
abdana
Our slave
دَاوُۥدَ
dawuda
Dawood
ذَا
dha
the possessor of strength
ٱلۡأَيۡدِۖ
al-aydi
the possessor of strength
إِنَّهُۥٓ
innahu
Indeed he (was)
أَوَّابٌ
awwabun
repeatedly turning
١٧

Bear their words patiently [Prophet]. Remember Our servant David, a man of strength who always turned to Us

Translation 1260

38:18
إِنَّا
inna
Indeed We
سَخَّرۡنَا
sakharna
subjected
ٱلۡجِبَالَ
al-jibala
the mountains
مَعَهُۥ
ma'ahu
with him
يُسَبِّحۡنَ
yusabbih'na
glorifying
بِٱلۡعَشِيِّ
bil-'ashiyi
in the evening
وَٱلۡإِشۡرَاقِ
wal-ish'raqi
and [the] sunrise
١٨

We made the mountains join him in glorifying Us at sunset and sunrise

Translation 1260

38:19
وَٱلطَّيۡرَ
wal-tayra
And the birds
مَحۡشُورَةٗۖ
mahshuratan
assembled
كُلّٞ
kullun
all
لَّهُۥٓ
lahu
with him
أَوَّابٞ
awwabun
repeatedly turning
١٩

and the birds, too, in flocks, all echoed his praise

Translation 1260

38:20
وَشَدَدۡنَا
washadadna
And We strengthened
مُلۡكَهُۥ
mul'kahu
his kingdom
وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ
waataynahu
and We gave him
ٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ
al-hik'mata
[the] wisdom
وَفَصۡلَ
wafasla
and decisive
ٱلۡخِطَابِ
al-khitabi
speech
٢٠

We strengthened his kingdom; We gave him wisdom and a decisive way of speaking

Translation 1260

38:21
۞وَهَلۡ
wahal
And has (there)
أَتَىٰكَ
ataka
come to you
نَبَؤُاْ
naba-u
(the) news
ٱلۡخَصۡمِ
al-khasmi
(of) the litigants
إِذۡ
idh
when
تَسَوَّرُواْ
tasawwaru
they climbed over the wall
ٱلۡمِحۡرَابَ
al-mih'raba
(of) the chamber
٢١

Have you heard the story of the two litigants who climbed into his private quarters

Translation 1260

38:22
إِذۡ
idh
When
دَخَلُواْ
dakhalu
they entered
عَلَىٰ
ala
upon
دَاوُۥدَ
dawuda
Dawood
فَفَزِعَ
fafazi'a
and he was afraid
مِنۡهُمۡۖ
min'hum
of them
قَالُواْ
qalu
they said
لَا
la
(Do) not
تَخَفۡۖ
takhaf
fear
خَصۡمَانِ
khasmani
(We are) two litigants
بَغَىٰ
bagha
has wronged
بَعۡضُنَا
ba'duna
one of us
عَلَىٰ
ala
to
بَعۡضٖ
ba'din
another
فَٱحۡكُم
fa-uh'kum
so judge
بَيۡنَنَا
baynana
between us
بِٱلۡحَقِّ
bil-haqi
in truth
وَلَا
wala
and (do) not
تُشۡطِطۡ
tush'tit
be unjust
وَٱهۡدِنَآ
wa-ih'dina
and guide us
إِلَىٰ
ila
to
سَوَآءِ
sawai
an even
ٱلصِّرَٰطِ
al-sirati
[the] path
٢٢

When they reached David, he took fright, but they said, ‘Do not be afraid. We are two litigants, one of whom has wronged the other: judge between us fairly- do not be unjust- and guide us to the right path

Translation 1260

38:23
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
هَٰذَآ
hadha
this
أَخِي
akhi
(is) my brother
لَهُۥ
lahu
he has
تِسۡعٞ
tis'un
ninety-nine
وَتِسۡعُونَ
watis'una
ninety-nine
نَعۡجَةٗ
na'jatan
ewe(s)
وَلِيَ
waliya
while I have
نَعۡجَةٞ
na'jatun
ewe
وَٰحِدَةٞ
wahidatun
one
فَقَالَ
faqala
so he said
أَكۡفِلۡنِيهَا
akfil'niha
Entrust her to me
وَعَزَّنِي
wa'azzani
and he overpowered me
فِي
fi
in
ٱلۡخِطَابِ
al-khitabi
[the] speech
٢٣

This is my brother. He had ninety-nine ewes and I just the one, and he said, “Let me take charge of her,” and overpowered me with his words.’

Translation 1260

38:24
قَالَ
qala
He said
لَقَدۡ
laqad
Certainly
ظَلَمَكَ
zalamaka
he has wronged you
بِسُؤَالِ
bisuali
by demanding
نَعۡجَتِكَ
na'jatika
your ewe
إِلَىٰ
ila
to
نِعَاجِهِۦۖ
ni'ajihi
his ewes
وَإِنَّ
wa-inna
And indeed
كَثِيرٗا
kathiran
many
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱلۡخُلَطَآءِ
al-khulatai
the partners
لَيَبۡغِي
layabghi
certainly oppress
بَعۡضُهُمۡ
ba'duhum
some of them
عَلَىٰ
ala
[on]
بَعۡضٍ
ba'din
another
إِلَّا
illa
except
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhina
those who
ءَامَنُواْ
amanu
believe
وَعَمِلُواْ
wa'amilu
and do
ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ
al-salihati
righteous deeds
وَقَلِيلٞ
waqalilun
and few
مَّا
ma
(are) they
هُمۡۗ
hum
(are) they
وَظَنَّ
wazanna
And became certain
دَاوُۥدُ
dawudu
Dawood
أَنَّمَا
annama
that
فَتَنَّٰهُ
fatannahu
We (had) tried him
فَٱسۡتَغۡفَرَ
fa-is'taghfara
and he asked forgiveness
رَبَّهُۥ
rabbahu
(of) his Lord
وَخَرَّۤ
wakharra
and fell down
رَاكِعٗاۤ
raki'an
bowing
وَأَنَابَ۩
wa-anaba
and turned in repentance
٢٤

David said, ‘He has done you wrong by demanding to add your ewe to his flock. Many partners treat each other unfairly. Those who sincerely believe and do good deeds do not do this, but these are very few.’ [Then] David realized that We had been testing him, so he asked his Lord for forgiveness, fell down on his knees, and repented

Translation 1260

38:25
فَغَفَرۡنَا
faghafarna
So We forgave
لَهُۥ
lahu
for him
ذَٰلِكَۖ
dhalika
that
وَإِنَّ
wa-inna
And indeed
لَهُۥ
lahu
for him
عِندَنَا
indana
with Us
لَزُلۡفَىٰ
lazul'fa
surely is a near access
وَحُسۡنَ
wahus'na
and a good
مَـَٔابٖ
maabin
place of return
٢٥

We forgave him [his misdeed]. His reward will be nearness to Us, a good place to return to

Translation 1260

38:26
يَٰدَاوُۥدُ
yadawudu
O Dawood
إِنَّا
inna
Indeed We
جَعَلۡنَٰكَ
ja'alnaka
[We] have made you
خَلِيفَةٗ
khalifatan
a vicegerent
فِي
fi
in
ٱلۡأَرۡضِ
al-ardi
the earth
فَٱحۡكُم
fa-uh'kum
so judge
بَيۡنَ
bayna
between
ٱلنَّاسِ
al-nasi
[the] men
بِٱلۡحَقِّ
bil-haqi
in truth
وَلَا
wala
and (do) not
تَتَّبِعِ
tattabi'i
follow
ٱلۡهَوَىٰ
al-hawa
the desire
فَيُضِلَّكَ
fayudillaka
for it will lead you astray
عَن
an
from
سَبِيلِ
sabili
(the) way
ٱللَّهِۚ
al-lahi
(of) Allah
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhina
those who
يَضِلُّونَ
yadilluna
go astray
عَن
an
from
سَبِيلِ
sabili
(the) way
ٱللَّهِ
al-lahi
(of) Allah
لَهُمۡ
lahum
for them
عَذَابٞ
adhabun
(is) a punishment
شَدِيدُۢ
shadidun
severe
بِمَا
bima
because
نَسُواْ
nasu
they forgot
يَوۡمَ
yawma
(the) Day
ٱلۡحِسَابِ
al-hisabi
(of) Account
٢٦

‘David, We have given you mastery over the land. Judge fairly between people. Do not follow your desires, lest they divert you from God’s path: those who wander from His path will have a painful torment because they ignore the Day of Reckoning.’

Translation 1260