18. Sūrat al-Kahf (2/3)

١٨۔ سُورَةُ الكهْف ص ٢

Qurʾān > Chapter 18
القرآن > كتاب ١٨

The Cave (Meccan)

quran:18:51 –

I did not make them witness to the creation of the heavens and the earth or to the creation of themselves, and I would not have taken the misguiders as assistants.  

I did not make them a witness, that is, Iblīs and his offspring, to the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor to their own creation, that is to say, I did not make any of them present at the ˹moment of the˺ creation of the other. Nor do I take misleaders, devils, as ˹My˺ support, as assistants in ˹the process of˺ creation, so why do you obey them?
القرآن:١٨:٥١ –

مَا أَشْهَدْتُهُمْ خَلْقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَلَا خَلْقَ أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَمَا كُنْتُ مُتَّخِذَ الْمُضِلِّينَ عَضُدًا  

{ما أشهدتهم} أي إبليس وذريته {خلق السماوات والأرض ولا خلق أنفسهم} أي لم أحضر بعضهم خلق بعض {وما كنت متخذ المضلين} الشياطين {عضدا} أعوانا في الخلق، فكيف تطيعونهم.
quran:18:52 –

And ˹warn of˺ the Day when He will say, "Call 'My partners' whom you claimed," and they will invoke them, but they will not respond to them. And We will put between them ˹a valley of˺ destruction.  

And the day (yawma is in the accusative because it is governed by ˹the implicit˺ udhkur, ‘mention’) when He will say (yaqūl, or ˹it may be˺ read as naqūl, ‘We will say’), ‘Call those partners of Mine, ˹those˺ graven images, as you used to claim’, let them intercede for you in the way you used to claim; and then they will call them, but they will not respond to their call, they will not answer them, and We shall set between them, between the graven images and those who worship them, a gulf of doom — a valley from among the valleys of Hell, in which they shall all be destroyed (the term ˹mawbiq˺ derives from ˹the verb˺ wabaqa meaning halaka, ‘he was destroyed’).
القرآن:١٨:٥٢ –

وَيَوْمَ يَقُولُ نَادُوا شُرَكَائِيَ الَّذِينَ زَعَمْتُمْ فَدَعَوْهُمْ فَلَمْ يَسْتَجِيبُوا لَهُمْ وَجَعَلْنَا بَيْنَهُمْ مَوْبِقًا  

{ويوم} منصوب باذكر {يقول} بالياء والنون {نادوا شركاءي} الأوثان {الذين زعمتم} ليشفعوا لكم بزعمكم {فدعوهم فلم يستجيبوا لهم} لم يجيبوهم {وجعلنا بينهم} بين الأوثان وعابديها {موبقا} واديا من أودية جهنم يهلكون فيه جميعا وهو من وبق بالفتح هلك.
quran:18:53 –

And the criminals will see the Fire and will be certain that they are to fall therein. And they will not find from it a way elsewhere.  

And the criminals will behold the Fire and realise that, are certain that, they are about to fall into it. And they will find no means of avoiding it, of circumventing ˹it˺.
القرآن:١٨:٥٣ –

وَرَأَى الْمُجْرِمُونَ النَّارَ فَظَنُّوا أَنَّهُمْ مُوَاقِعُوهَا وَلَمْ يَجِدُوا عَنْهَا مَصْرِفًا  

{ورأى المجرمون النار فظنوا} أي أيقنوا {أنهم مواقعوها} أي واقعون فيها {ولم يجدوا عنها مَصرفا} معدلاً.
quran:18:54 –

And We have certainly diversified in this Qur'an for the people from every ˹kind of˺ example; but man has ever been, most of anything, ˹prone to˺ dispute.  

And verily We have dispensed, We have explained, for mankind in this Qur’ān ˹an example˺ of every kind of similitude (min kulli mathalin is an adjective qualifying an omitted clause, in other words, ‘˹We have dispensed therein˺ a similitude from every kind of similitude), that they may be admonished. But man is most disputatious, ˹he is˺ most contentious in matters of falsehood (jadalan is a specification derived from ˹al-insān, ‘man’˺ the subject of kāna) in other words, the meaning is that the disputatiousness of man is what can be found in him most.
القرآن:١٨:٥٤ –

وَلَقَدْ صَرَّفْنَا فِي هَٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ لِلنَّاسِ مِنْ كُلِّ مَثَلٍ ۚ وَكَانَ الْإِنْسَانُ أَكْثَرَ شَيْءٍ جَدَلًا  

{ولقد صرفنا} بينا {في هذا القرآن للناس من كل مثل} صفة لمحذوف، أي مثلاً من جنس كل مثل ليتعظوا {وكان الإنسان} أي الكفار {أكثر شيء جدلاً} خصومة في الباطل وهو تمييز منقول من اسم كان، المعنى: وكان جدل الإنسان أكثر شيء فيه.
quran:18:55 –

And nothing has prevented the people from believing when guidance came to them and from asking forgiveness of their Lord except that there ˹must˺ befall them the ˹accustomed˺ precedent of the former peoples or that the punishment should come ˹directly˺ before them.  

And nothing prevented people, that is, the disbelievers of Mecca, from believing (an yu’minū is ˹after alnāsa, ‘people’˺ constitutes the second direct object clause) when the guidance, the Qur’ān, came to them, and from asking forgiveness of their Lord, without that there should come upon them the precedent of the ancients (sunnatu’l-awwalīn constitutes the subject of the verb) that is to say, Our precedent of dealing with them, which is the destruction decreed for them, or that the chastisement should come upon them before their very eyes, in front of them and for them to see — which was their being killed on the day of Badr (a variant reading ˹for qibalan˺ has qubulan, which ˹in the accusative˺ is the plural of qabīlin, meaning, ‘of various kinds’).
القرآن:١٨:٥٥ –

وَمَا مَنَعَ النَّاسَ أَنْ يُؤْمِنُوا إِذْ جَاءَهُمُ الْهُدَىٰ وَيَسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّهُمْ إِلَّا أَنْ تَأْتِيَهُمْ سُنَّةُ الْأَوَّلِينَ أَوْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ الْعَذَابُ قُبُلًا  

{وما منع الناس} أي كفار مكة {أن يؤمنوا} مفعول ثان {إذ جاءهم الهدى} القرآن {ويستغفروا ربهم إلا أن تأتيهم سنة الأولين} فاعل أي سنتنا فيهم وهي الإهلاك المقدر عليهم {أو يأتيهم العذاب قبلاً} مقابلة وعيناً، وهو القتل يوم بدر وفي قراءة بضمتين جمع قبيل أي أنواعا.
quran:18:56 –

And We send not the messengers except as bringers of good tidings and warners. And those who disbelieve dispute by ˹using˺ falsehood to ˹attempt to˺ invalidate thereby the truth and have taken My verses, and that of which they are warned, in ridicule.  

And We do not send messengers except as bearers of good tidings, to believers, and as warners, as threateners to disbelievers. But those who disbelieve dispute with falsehood, when they say that, ‘Has God sent a human as a messenger ˹from Him˺?’ ˹Q. 17:94˺ and the like of such ˹statements˺, that they may refute thereby, that by way of their disputing they may invalidate, the truth, the Qur’ān. And they have taken My signs, namely, the Qur’ān, and that whereof they have been warned, in the way of the Fire, derisively, in mockery.
القرآن:١٨:٥٦ –

وَمَا نُرْسِلُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ إِلَّا مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنْذِرِينَ ۚ وَيُجَادِلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِالْبَاطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا بِهِ الْحَقَّ ۖ وَاتَّخَذُوا آيَاتِي وَمَا أُنْذِرُوا هُزُوًا  

(وما نرسل المرسلين إلا مبشرين) للمؤمنين (ومنذرين) مخوفين للكافرين (ويجادل الذين كفروا بالباطل) بقولهم: "" أبعث الله بشرا رسولاً "" ونحوه (ليدحضوا به) ليبطلوا بجدالهم (الحق) القرآن (واتخذوا آياتي) أي القرآن (وما أنذروا) به من النار (هزوا) سخرية.
quran:18:57 –

And who is more unjust than one who is reminded of the verses of his Lord but turns away from them and forgets what his hands have put forth? Indeed, We have placed over their hearts coverings, lest they understand it, and in their ears deafness. And if you invite them to guidance - they will never be guided, then - ever.  

And who does greater wrong than he who has been reminded of the signs of his Lord, yet turns away from them and forgets what his hands have sent ahead?, what he has committed in the way of disbelief and acts of disobedience. Indeed on their hearts We have cast veils, coverings, lest they should understand it, that is, lest they should comprehend the Qur’ān, in other words, and so ˹as a result˺ they do not comprehend it; and in their ears a deafness, a heaviness, and so they do not hear it; and though you call them to guidance, they will not be guided in that case, that is, given the casting ˹of veils˺ mentioned, ever.
القرآن:١٨:٥٧ –

وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّنْ ذُكِّرَ بِآيَاتِ رَبِّهِ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهَا وَنَسِيَ مَا قَدَّمَتْ يَدَاهُ ۚ إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ أَكِنَّةً أَنْ يَفْقَهُوهُ وَفِي آذَانِهِمْ وَقْرًا ۖ وَإِنْ تَدْعُهُمْ إِلَى الْهُدَىٰ فَلَنْ يَهْتَدُوا إِذًا أَبَدًا  

{ومن أظلم ممن ذكر بآيات ربه فأعرض عنها ونسي ما قدمت يداه} ما عمل من الكفر والمعاصي {إنا جعلنا على قلوبهم أكنَّة} أغطية {أن يفقهوه} أي من أن يفهموا القرآن أي فلا يفهمونه {وفي آذانهم وقرا} ثقلاً فلا يسمعونه {وإن تدعهم إلى الهدى فلن يهتدوا إذا} أي بالجعل المذكور {أبدا}.
quran:18:58 –

And your Lord is the Forgiving, full of mercy. If He were to impose blame upon them for what they earned, He would have hastened for them the punishment. Rather, for them is an appointment from which they will never find an escape.  

And your Lord is the Forgiver, Full of Mercy. Were He to take them to task, in this world, for what they have earned, He would have hastened for them the chastisement, therein; but they have a tryst, which is the Day of Resurrection, from which they will not find any escape, any refuge.
القرآن:١٨:٥٨ –

وَرَبُّكَ الْغَفُورُ ذُو الرَّحْمَةِ ۖ لَوْ يُؤَاخِذُهُمْ بِمَا كَسَبُوا لَعَجَّلَ لَهُمُ الْعَذَابَ ۚ بَلْ لَهُمْ مَوْعِدٌ لَنْ يَجِدُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ مَوْئِلًا  

{وربك الغفور ذو الرحمة لو يؤاخذهم} في الدنيا {بما كسبوا لعجل لهم العذاب} فيها {بل لهم موعد} وهو يوم القيامة {لن يجدوا من دونه موئلاً} ملجأ.
quran:18:59 –

And those cities - We destroyed them when they wronged, and We made for their destruction an appointed time.  

And those towns, that is to say, the inhabitants of those ˹towns˺, such as ‘Ād and Thamūd, as well as others, We destroyed them when they did evil, ˹when˺ they disbelieved, and We appointed for their destruction (a variant reading ˹for mahlikihim˺ has muhlakihim) a tryst.
القرآن:١٨:٥٩ –

وَتِلْكَ الْقُرَىٰ أَهْلَكْنَاهُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُوا وَجَعَلْنَا لِمَهْلِكِهِمْ مَوْعِدًا  

{وتلك القرى} أي أهلها كعاد وثمود وغيرهما {أهلكناهم لما ظلموا} كفروا {وجعلنا لمهلكهم} لإهلاكهم وفي قراءة بفتح الميم أي لهلاكهم {موعدا}.
quran:18:60 –

And ˹mention˺ when Moses said to his servant, "I will not cease ˹traveling˺ until I reach the junction of the two seas or continue for a long period."  

And, mention, when Moses, son of Amram (‘Imrān), said to his lad, Joshua son of Nun (Yūsha‘ bin Nūn), who used to follow him around, serve him and acquire knowledge from him, ‘I will not give up, I will not stop journeying, until I have reached the juncture of the two seas — the point where the Byzantine sea and the Persian sea meet, beyond the east, — though I march on for ages’, for a very long time before reaching it, if it be far.
القرآن:١٨:٦٠ –

وَإِذْ قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِفَتَاهُ لَا أَبْرَحُ حَتَّىٰ أَبْلُغَ مَجْمَعَ الْبَحْرَيْنِ أَوْ أَمْضِيَ حُقُبًا  

{و} اذكر {إذ قال موسى} هو ابن عمران {لفتاهُ} يوشع بن نون كان يتبعه ويخدمه ويأخذ عنه العلم {لا أبرح} لا أزال أسير {حتى أبلغ مجمع البحرين} ملتقى بحر الروم وبحر فارس مما يلي المشرق أي المكان الجامع لذلك {أو أمضي حقبا} دهرا طويلاً في بلوغه إن بعد.
quran:18:61 –

But when they reached the junction between them, they forgot their fish, and it took its course into the sea, slipping away.  

So when they reached a juncture between the two, between the two seas, they forgot their fish — Joshua forgot his luggage ˹leaving it behind˺ at the moment of departure, and Moses forgot to remind him — and so it, the fish, made its way into the sea, that is, it formed it — through God’s forming it — by burrowing, that is, like ˹through˺ a burrow, which is a passage that is long and enclosed; this was ˹so˺ because God, exalted be He, held back the flow of the water ˹preventing it˺ from ˹engulfing˺ the fish and it ˹the water˺ withdrew from around it ˹the fish˺ and remained thus like a cleft without closing, and what was beneath it ˹the cleft˺ stood still.
القرآن:١٨:٦١ –

فَلَمَّا بَلَغَا مَجْمَعَ بَيْنِهِمَا نَسِيَا حُوتَهُمَا فَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ سَرَبًا  

{فلما بلغا مجمع بينهما} بين البحرين {نسيا حوتهما} نسي يوشع حمله عند الرحيل ونسي موسى تذكيره {فاتخذ} الحوت {سبيله في البحر} أي جعله بجعل الله {سربا} أي مثل السرب، وهو الشق الطويل لا نفاذ له، وذلك أن الله تعالى أمسك عن الحوت جري الماء فانجاب عنه فبقي كالكوة لم يلتئم وجمد ما تحته منه.
quran:18:62 –

So when they had passed beyond it, ˹Moses˺ said to his boy, "Bring us our morning meal. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, ˹much˺ fatigue."  

And when they had made the traverse, of that location, having journeyed until the morning of the following day, he, Moses, said to his lad, ‘Bring us our breakfast, (ghadā’) that ˹meal˺ which is consumed at the beginning of the day. We have certainly encountered on this journey of ours much fatigue’, exhaustion, which took its effect ˹on them˺ after the traverse.
القرآن:١٨:٦٢ –

فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَا قَالَ لِفَتَاهُ آتِنَا غَدَاءَنَا لَقَدْ لَقِينَا مِنْ سَفَرِنَا هَٰذَا نَصَبًا  

{فلما جاوزا} ذلك المكان بالسير إلى وقت الغداء من ثاني يوم {قال} موسى {لفتاهُ آتينا غداءنا} هو ما يؤكل أول النهار {لقد لقينا من سفرنا هذا نصبا} تعبا وحصوله بعد المجاوزة.
quran:18:63 –

He said, "Did you see when we retired to the rock? Indeed, I forgot ˹there˺ the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan - that I should mention it. And it took its course into the sea amazingly".  

He said, ‘Do you see? — in other words, remember, when we sheltered at the rock, in that location, indeed I forgot the fish — and none but Satan made me forget (al-shaytān, ‘Satan’, substitutes for the ˹suffixed pronoun˺ hā’ ˹of ansānī-hu˺) to mention it (an adhkurahu, an inclusive substitution, in other words ˹it should be understood as˺ ansānī dhikrahu, ‘he ˹Satan˺ made me forget the mentioning of it’) — and it, the fish, made its way into the sea in an amazing manner’ (‘ajaban constitutes the second direct object), that is to say, Moses and his lad were amazed by it, because of what has already been explained concerning it.
القرآن:١٨:٦٣ –

قَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِذْ أَوَيْنَا إِلَى الصَّخْرَةِ فَإِنِّي نَسِيتُ الْحُوتَ وَمَا أَنْسَانِيهُ إِلَّا الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ أَذْكُرَهُ ۚ وَاتَّخَذَ سَبِيلَهُ فِي الْبَحْرِ عَجَبًا  

{قال أرأيت} أي تنبه {إذ أوينا إلى الصخرة} بذلك المكان {فإني نسيت الحوت وما أنسانيهُ إلا الشيطان} يبدل من الهاء {أن أذكره} بدل اشتمال أي أنساني ذكره {واتخذ} الحوت {سبيله في البحر عجبا} مفعول ثان، أي يتعجب منه موسى وفتاه لما تقدم في بيانه.
quran:18:64 –

˹Moses˺ said, "That is what we were seeking." So they returned, following their footprints.  

Said he, Moses, ‘That, namely, our losing the fish, is what we have been seeking!’, what we have been after, for it is a sign for us of the presence of the one whom we seek. So they turned back, retracing their footsteps, until they reached the rock.
القرآن:١٨:٦٤ –

قَالَ ذَٰلِكَ مَا كُنَّا نَبْغِ ۚ فَارْتَدَّا عَلَىٰ آثَارِهِمَا قَصَصًا  

{قال} موسى {ذلك} أي فقدنا الحوت {ما} أي الذي {كنا نبغ} نطلبه فإنه علامة لنا على وجود من نطلبه {فارتدا} رجعا {على آثارهما} يقصانها {قصصا} فأتيا الصخرة.
quran:18:65 –

And they found a servant from among Our servants to whom we had given mercy from us and had taught him from Us a ˹certain˺ knowledge.  

So ˹there˺ they found one of Our servants, namely, al-Khidr, to whom We had given mercy from Us — according to one opinion this ˹mercy˺ was prophethood; according to another it was authority, and this ˹latter˺ is the opinion of the majority of scholars — and We had taught him knowledge from Us (‘ilman is the second direct object), in other words, some knowledge of unseen things; al-Bukhārī reports the ˹following˺ hadīth: ‘Moses was delivering a sermon among the Children of Israel and was asked, “Who is the most knowledgeable of people?”, to which he ˹Moses˺ said, “Myself”. God then reproached him for not having attributed ˹his˺ knowledge as ˹coming˺ from Him. God then revealed to him the following: “Truly, there is a servant of Mine at the juncture of the two seas; he is more knowledgeable than you”. Moses then asked, “My Lord, how do I reach him?” He ˹God˺ said, ‘Take a fish with you and place it in a basket and ˹the place˺ where you lose the fish will be ˹the place˺ where he is.” He ˹Moses˺ took a fish and placed it in a basket and departed together with his lad Joshua son of Nun until they reached the rock. ˹There˺ they placed their heads back and fell asleep. The fish began to move about in the basket, until it escaped from it and fell into the sea, and it made its way into the sea in an amazing manner. God then held back the flow of the water ˹preventing it˺ from ˹engulfing˺ the fish, forming a kind of arch over it. When he awoke, his companion ˹Joshua˺ forgot to inform him of ˹what had happened to˺ the fish, and so they journeyed on for the remainder of that day and night until on the morning ˹of the second day˺ Moses said to his lad, ‘Bring us our breakfast’, to where he says, and it made its way into the sea in an amazing manner’. He ˹Bukhārī˺ said, ‘For the fish, it ˹the way into the sea˺ was ˹by˺ ‘burrowing’ (saraban), and for Moses and his lad it ˹this way˺ was ‘amazing’ (‘ajaban) …’ ˹and so on˺ to the end ˹of Bukhārī’s report˺.
القرآن:١٨:٦٥ –

فَوَجَدَا عَبْدًا مِنْ عِبَادِنَا آتَيْنَاهُ رَحْمَةً مِنْ عِنْدِنَا وَعَلَّمْنَاهُ مِنْ لَدُنَّا عِلْمًا  

(فوجدا عبدا من عبادنا) هو الخضر (آتيناه رحمة من عندنا) نبوة في قول وولاية في آخر وعليه أكثر العلماء (وعلمناه من لدنا) من قبلنا (علما) مفعول ثان أي معلوما من المغيبات، روى البخاري حديث "" إن موسى قام خطيبا في بني إسرائيل فسئل أي الناس أعلم؟ فقال: أنا، فعتب الله عليه إذ لم يرد العلم إليه، فأوحى الله إليه: إن لي عبدا بمجمع البحرين هو أعلم منك قال موسى: يا رب فكيف لي به قال: تأخذ معك حوتا فتجعله في مكتل فحيثما فقد الحوت فهو ثم، فأخذ حوتا فجعله في مكتل ثم انطلق وانطلق معه فتاه يوشع بن نون حتى أتيا الصخرة ووضعا رأسيهما فناما واضطرب الحوت في المكتل فخرج منه فسقط في البحر "" فاتخذ سبيله في البحر سربا "" وأمسك الله عن الحوت جرية الماء فصار عليه مثل الطاق فلما استيقظ نسي صاحبه أن يخبره بالحوت فانطلقا بقية يومهما وليلتهما حتى إذا كانا من الغداة قال موسى لفتاه آتنا غداءنا إلى قوله واتخذ سبيله في البحر عجبا قال وكان للحوت سربا ولموسى ولفتاه عجبا إلخ "".
quran:18:66 –

Moses said to him, "May I follow you on ˹the condition˺ that you teach me from what you have been taught of sound judgement?"  

Moses said to him, ‘May I follow you for the purpose that you teach me of what you have been taught ˹in the way˺ of probity?’, namely, ˹something˺ of right conduct through which I might be rightly-guided (a variant reading ˹for rashadan˺ has rushdan, ‘probity’); he asked him this because to increase ˹one’s˺ knowledge is ˹something which is˺ always sought.
القرآن:١٨:٦٦ –

قَالَ لَهُ مُوسَىٰ هَلْ أَتَّبِعُكَ عَلَىٰ أَنْ تُعَلِّمَنِ مِمَّا عُلِّمْتَ رُشْدًا  

{قال له موسى هل أتَّبعك على أن تعلَّمن مما عُلمت رَشَداً} أي صواباً أرشد به وفي قراءة بضم الراء وسكون الشين وسأله ذلك لأن الزيارة في العلم مطلوبة.
quran:18:67 –

He said, "Indeed, with me you will never be able to have patience.  

Said he, ‘Truly you will not be able to bear with me.
القرآن:١٨:٦٧ –

قَالَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا  

{قال إنك لن تستطيع معي صبرا}.
quran:18:68 –

And how can you have patience for what you do not encompass in knowledge?"  

And how can you bear with that whereof you have never been informed?’: in the above-mentioned hadīth ˹of Bukhārī˺ after this verse ˹there is the following statement˺: ‘O Moses, I possess knowledge which God has taught me and which you do not have, and ˹equally˺ you possess knowledge which God has taught you and which I do not have’. (His saying khubran, ‘informed’, is a verbal noun meaning that which you have never encompassed, in other words, the truth of which you have never been informed of.)
القرآن:١٨:٦٨ –

وَكَيْفَ تَصْبِرُ عَلَىٰ مَا لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ خُبْرًا  

(وكيف تصبر على ما لم تحط به خبرا) في الحديث السابق عقب هذه الآية "" يا موسى إني على علم من الله علمنيه لا تعلمه وأنت على علم من الله علمكه الله لا أعلمه، وقوله خبرا مصدر بمعنى لم تحط أي لم تخبر حقيقته.
quran:18:69 –

˹Moses˺ said, "You will find me, if Allah wills, patient, and I will not disobey you in ˹any˺ order."  

He said, ‘You will find me, God willing, patient, and I will not disobey, in other words, and ˹you will also find me˺ non-disobedient ˹towards˺, you in any matter’, with which you charge me. He ˹Moses˺ made this ˹statement˺ conditional upon the Will ˹of God˺ because he was not confident of himself in what he had committed himself to. Indeed, this is the custom of prophets and saints, namely, that they do not put their trust in themselves for a single moment.
القرآن:١٨:٦٩ –

قَالَ سَتَجِدُنِي إِنْ شَاءَ اللَّهُ صَابِرًا وَلَا أَعْصِي لَكَ أَمْرًا  

{قال ستجدني إن شاء الله صابرا ولا أعصي} أي وغير عاص {لك أمرا} تأمرني به، وقيد بالمشيئة لأنه لم يكن على ثقة من نفسه فيما التزم، وهذه عادة الأنبياء والأولياء ألا يثقوا إلى أنفسهم طرفة عين.
quran:18:70 –

He said, "Then if you follow me, do not ask me about anything until I make to you about it mention."  

He said, ‘If you follow me then do not question me (lā tas’alnī, a variant reading has lā tas’alannī) concerning anything, that you might find objectionable in what I do, according to your ˹limited˺ knowledge, and be patient, until I ˹myself˺ make mention of it to you’, in other words, ˹until˺ I mention it to you with ˹an explication of˺ the reason for it. Moses accepted his precondition bearing in mind the respect which a student should exercise in the presence of a teacher.
القرآن:١٨:٧٠ –

قَالَ فَإِنِ اتَّبَعْتَنِي فَلَا تَسْأَلْنِي عَنْ شَيْءٍ حَتَّىٰ أُحْدِثَ لَكَ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا  

{قال فإن اتبعتني فلا تسألني} وفي قراءة بفتح اللام وتشديد النون {عن شيء} تنكره مني في علمك واصبر {حتى أحدث لك منه ذكرا} أي أذكره لك بعلته، فقبل موسى شرطه رعاية لأدب المتعلم مع العالم.
quran:18:71 –

So they set out, until when they had embarked on the ship, al-Khidh r tore it open. ˹Moses˺ said, "Have you torn it open to drown its people? You have certainly done a grave thing."  

So they set off, making their way on foot along the coast of the sea, until, when they embarked on the ship, which was carrying them, he, al-Khidr, made a hole in it, by destroying a plank or two on the starboard side with an axe after they had sailed into deep waters. Said he, Moses, to him, ‘Did you make a hole in it to drown its people? (li-tughriqa ahlahā, ‘for you to drown its people’; a variant reading has li-yaghraqa ahluhā, ‘so that its people might drown’). You have certainly done a dreadful thing’, that is, a grave and reprehensible thing — it is reported that the water did not ˹actually˺ penetrate it.
القرآن:١٨:٧١ –

فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا رَكِبَا فِي السَّفِينَةِ خَرَقَهَا ۖ قَالَ أَخَرَقْتَهَا لِتُغْرِقَ أَهْلَهَا لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا إِمْرًا  

{فانطلقا} يمشيان على البحر {حتى إذا ركبا في السفينة} التي مرت بهما {خرقها} الخضر بأن اقتلع لوحا أو لوحين منها من جهة البحر بفأس لما بلغت اللجج {قال} له موسى {اخرقتها لتغرق أهلها} وفي قراءة بفتح التحتانية والراء ورفع أهلها {لقد جئت شيئا إمرا} أي عظيما منكرا روي أن الماء لم يدخلها.
quran:18:72 –

˹Al-Khidh r˺ said, "Did I not say that with me you would never be able to have patience?"  

He said, ‘Did I not say ˹that˺ you would not be able to bear with me?’
القرآن:١٨:٧٢ –

قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا  

{قال ألم أقل إنك لن تستطيع معي صبرا}.
quran:18:73 –

˹Moses˺ said, "Do not blame me for what I forgot and do not cover me in my matter with difficulty."  

He said, ‘Do not take me to task on account of that which I forgot, that is, ˹on account of the fact that˺ I was not mindful of submitting to you ˹in the matter˺ and of refraining from showing disapproval of your actions, and do not exhaust me, ˹do not˺ charge me, in this affair of mine with difficulty’, ˹with˺ hardship during my companionship of you, in other words, treat me throughout it with forgiveness and indulgence.
القرآن:١٨:٧٣ –

قَالَ لَا تُؤَاخِذْنِي بِمَا نَسِيتُ وَلَا تُرْهِقْنِي مِنْ أَمْرِي عُسْرًا  

{قال لا تؤاخذني بما نسيت} أي غفلت عن التسليم لك وترك الانكار عليك {ولا ترهقني} تكلفني {من أمري عسرا} مشقة في صحبتي إياك أي عاملني فيها بالعفو واليسر.
quran:18:74 –

So they set out, until when they met a boy, al-Khidh r killed him. ˹Moses˺ said, "Have you killed a pure soul for other than ˹having killed˺ a soul? You have certainly done a deplorable thing."  

So they set off, after leaving the ship, making their way on foot, until, when they met a boy, who had not yet reached puberty, playing with ˹other˺ boys, among whom his face was the fairest — and he, al-Khidr, slew him, by slitting his throat with a knife while he lay down, or by tearing his head off with his hand, or by smashing his head against a wall, all of which are ˹different˺ opinions (the coordinating fā’ ˹of fa-qatalahu, ‘and he slew him’˺ is used here because ˹it indicates that˺ the slaying took place after the encounter; the response to idhā, ‘when’ is ˹the following statement, qāla …˺) — he, Moses, said, to him: ‘Have you slain an innocent soul, that is, a pure one that had not reached the age of ˹legal˺ responsibility (a variant reading ˹for zākiya˺ has zakiyya), ˹one slain˺ not in retaliation for another soul?, in other words, one that has not slain any soul. Verily you have committed an dreadful thing’ (read nukran or nukuran), that is to say, an abomination.
القرآن:١٨:٧٤ –

فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا لَقِيَا غُلَامًا فَقَتَلَهُ قَالَ أَقَتَلْتَ نَفْسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ لَقَدْ جِئْتَ شَيْئًا نُكْرًا  

{فانطلقا} بعد خروجهما من السفينة يمشيان {حتى إذا لقيا غلاما} لم يبلغ الحنث يلعب مع الصبيان أحسنهم وجها {فقتله} الخضر بأن ذبحه بالسكين مضطجعا أو اقتلع رأسه بيده أو ضرب رأسه بالجدار، أقوال وأتى هنا بالفاء العاطفة لأن القتل عقب اللقاء وجواب إذا {قال} له موسى {أقتلت نفسا زاكية} أي طاهرة لم تبلغ حد التكليف وفي قراءة زكية بتشديد الياء بلا ألف {بغير نفس} أي لم تقتل نفسا {لقد جئت شيئا نكرا} بسكون الكاف وضمها أي منكرا.
quran:18:75 –

˹Al-Khidh r˺ said, "Did I not tell you that with me you would never be able to have patience?"  

He said, ‘Did I not say to you that you would never be able to bear with me?’ (laka, ‘to you’, has been added to that ˹same statement˺ which was made before because this time there could not be any excuse ˹for Moses’s impatience˺.
القرآن:١٨:٧٥ –

قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ لَكَ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا  

{قال ألم أقل لك إنك لن تستطيع معي صبرا} زاد لك على ما قبله لعدم العذر هنا.
quran:18:76 –

˹Moses˺ said, "If I should ask you about anything after this, then do not keep me as a companion. You have obtained from me an excuse."  

And for this reason, he said, ‘If I ask you about anything after this, after this instance, then do not keep me in your company, do not allow me to follow you, for truly you ˹will˺ have found from me (read ladunnī or ladunī), on my part, ˹sufficient enough˺ excuse’, for you to part company with me.
القرآن:١٨:٧٦ –

قَالَ إِنْ سَأَلْتُكَ عَنْ شَيْءٍ بَعْدَهَا فَلَا تُصَاحِبْنِي ۖ قَدْ بَلَغْتَ مِنْ لَدُنِّي عُذْرًا  

ولهذا {قال إن سألتك عن شيء بعدها} أي بعد هذه المرة {فلا تصاحبني} لا تتركني أتبعك {قد بلغت من لدني} بالتشديد والتخفيف من قبلي {عذرا} في مفارقتك لي.
quran:18:77 –

So they set out, until when they came to the people of a town, they asked its people for food, but they refused to offer them hospitality. And they found therein a wall about to collapse, so al-Khidh r restored it. ˹Moses˺ said, "If you wished, you could have taken for it a payment."  

So they set off, until, when they came to the folk of a ˹certain˺ town, namely, Antioch (Antākya), they asked its folk for food, they asked them for food by way of hospitality, but they refused to extend them any hospitality. They then found in it a wall, one hundred cubits high, about to collapse, that is, it was close to falling down because of its tilt; so he, al-Khidr, straightened it, with his ˹own˺ hands. He, Moses, said, to him, ‘Had you wished, you could have taken (a variant reading ˹for la-ttakhadhta˺ has la-takhidhta) a wage for it’, some ˹sort of˺ payment, since they did not extend us any hospitality despite our need for food.
القرآن:١٨:٧٧ –

فَانْطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَنْ يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَنْقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ ۖ قَالَ لَوْ شِئْتَ لَاتَّخَذْتَ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا  

{فانطلقا حتى إذا أتيا أهل قرية} هي أنطاكية {استطعما أهلها} طلبا منهم الطعام بضيافة {فأبوا أن يضيفوهما فوجدا فيها جدارا} ارتفاعه مائة ذراع {يريد أن ينقضَّ} أي يقرب أن يسقط لميلانه {فأقامه} الخضر بيده {قال} له موسى {لو شئت لاتخذت} وفي قراءة لتخذت {عليه أجرا} جُعْلاً حيث لم يضيفونا مع حاجتنا إلى الطعام.
quran:18:78 –

˹Al-Khidh r˺ said, "This is parting between me and you. I will inform you of the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience.  

Said he, al-Khidr, to him, ‘This is the parting, that is, the moment for parting, between me and you (baynī wa-baynika, here ˹the preposition˺ bayna has been annexed to a non-multiple ˹noun˺, but this is allowed ˹grammatically˺ because it is then repeated with ˹its other noun together with˺ the coordinating wāw). I will inform you, before I part company with you, the interpretation of that over which you were not able to maintain patience.
القرآن:١٨:٧٨ –

قَالَ هَٰذَا فِرَاقُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنِكَ ۚ سَأُنَبِّئُكَ بِتَأْوِيلِ مَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْ عَلَيْهِ صَبْرًا  

{قال} له الخضر {هذا فراق} أي وقت فراق {بيني وبينك} فيه إضافة بين إلى غير متعدد سوغها تكريره بالعطف بالواو {سأُنبئك} قبل فراقي لك {بتأويل ما لم تستطع عليه صبرا}.
quran:18:79 –

As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working at sea. So I intended to cause defect in it as there was after them a king who seized every ˹good˺ ship by force.  

As for the ship, it belonged to poor people, ten ˹in number˺, who earned a living on the sea, with it, leasing it ˹to others˺, as a way of gaining ˹a living˺; and I wanted to make it defective, for behind them, whenever they returned — or ˹meaning˺ before them now — was a king, a disbeliever, seizing every ship, that was usable, by force (ghasban, is in the accusative as a verbal noun containing an explanation of the nature of such ‘seizure’).
القرآن:١٨:٧٩ –

أَمَّا السَّفِينَةُ فَكَانَتْ لِمَسَاكِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ فِي الْبَحْرِ فَأَرَدْتُ أَنْ أَعِيبَهَا وَكَانَ وَرَاءَهُمْ مَلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ غَصْبًا  

{أما السفينة فكانت لمساكين} عشرة {يعملون في البحر} بها مؤاجرة لها طلبا للكسب {فأردت أن أعيبها وكان وراءهم} إذا رجعوا أو أمامهم الآن {ملك} كافر {يأخذ كل سفينة} صالحة {غصبا} نصبه على المصدر المبين لنوع الأخذ.
quran:18:80 –

And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared that he would overburden them by transgression and disbelief.  

And as for the boy, his parents were believers and We feared lest he should overwhelm them with insolence and disbelief — for he is as ˹described˺ by the hadīth of Muslim, ‘He was ˹incorrigibly˺ disposed to disbelief, and had he lived ˹longer˺ this ˹disposition of his˺ would have oppressed them, because of their love for him, they would have followed him in such ˹a path of disbelief˺’.
القرآن:١٨:٨٠ –

وَأَمَّا الْغُلَامُ فَكَانَ أَبَوَاهُ مُؤْمِنَيْنِ فَخَشِينَا أَنْ يُرْهِقَهُمَا طُغْيَانًا وَكُفْرًا  

{وأما الغلام فكان أبواه مؤمنين فخشينا أن يرهقهما طغيانا وكفرا} فإنه كما في حديث مسلم طبع كافرا ولو عاش لأرهقهما ذلك لمحبتهما له يتبعانه في ذلك.
quran:18:81 –

So we intended that their Lord should substitute for them one better than him in purity and nearer to mercy.  

So We desired that their Lord should give them in exchange (read yubaddilahumā or yubdilahumā) one better than him in purity, that is, in righteousness and God-fearing, and closer, than him, to mercy (read ruhman or ruhuman, in other words ˹it is to be understood as˺ rahmatan, ‘by way of mercy’) namely, ˹closer to˺ dutifulness towards his parents. Thus God, exalted be He, gave them in exchange a girl, who ˹afterwards˺ married a prophet and gave birth to a prophet through whom God guided an entire community.
القرآن:١٨:٨١ –

فَأَرَدْنَا أَنْ يُبْدِلَهُمَا رَبُّهُمَا خَيْرًا مِنْهُ زَكَاةً وَأَقْرَبَ رُحْمًا  

{فأردنا أن يبدِّلهما} بالتشديد والتخفيف {ربهما خيرا منه زكاة} أي صلاحا وتقى {وأقرب} منه {رحْما} بسكون الحاء وضمها رحمة وهي البرّ بوالديه فأبدلهما تعالى جارية تزوجت نبيا فولدت نبيا فهدى الله تعالى به أمة.
quran:18:82 –

And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure for them, and their father had been righteous. So your Lord intended that they reach maturity and extract their treasure, as a mercy from your Lord. And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience."  

And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys ˹who lived˺ in the city, and beneath it there was a treasure, a buried trove of gold and silver, belonging to them. Their father had been a righteous man, and so because of his righteousness they were protected both in ˹terms of˺ their souls and their possessions, and your Lord desired that they should come of age, that is, ˹He desired for them˺ the attainment of maturity, and extract their treasure as a mercy from your Lord (rahmatan min rabbik is a direct object denoting reason, operated by ˹the verb˺ arāda, ‘He desired’). And I did not do it, namely, what has been mentioned of ˹his˺ making a hole in the ship, the slaying of the boy and the repair of the wall, of my own accord, that is, ˹out of˺ my own choosing; nay, it was because of a command in the form of an inspiration from God. This is the interpretation of that over which you could not maintain patience’ (one may say istā‘a or istatā‘a to mean ‘he had the capacity for ˹something˺’; in this instance and the previous one both forms ˹of the verb˺ have been used. Moreover, there is a variety of expression in the use of fa-aradtu, ‘I desired’, fa-aradnā, ‘We desired’, and fa-arāda rabbuk, ‘Your Lord desired’).
القرآن:١٨:٨٢ –

وَأَمَّا الْجِدَارُ فَكَانَ لِغُلَامَيْنِ يَتِيمَيْنِ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ تَحْتَهُ كَنْزٌ لَهُمَا وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَالِحًا فَأَرَادَ رَبُّكَ أَنْ يَبْلُغَا أَشُدَّهُمَا وَيَسْتَخْرِجَا كَنْزَهُمَا رَحْمَةً مِنْ رَبِّكَ ۚ وَمَا فَعَلْتُهُ عَنْ أَمْرِي ۚ ذَٰلِكَ تَأْوِيلُ مَا لَمْ تَسْطِعْ عَلَيْهِ صَبْرًا  

{وأما الجدار فكان لغلامين يتيمين في المدينة وكان تحته كنز} مال مدفون من ذهب وفضة {لهما وكان أبوهما صالحا} فحفظا بصلاحه في أنفسهما ومالهما {فأراد ربك أن يبلغا أشدهما} أي إيناس رشدهما {ويستخرجا كنزهما رحمة من ربك} مفعول له عامله أراد {وما فعلته} أي ما ذكر من خرق السفينة وقتل الغلام وإقامة الجدار {عن أمري} أي اختباري بل بأمر إلهام من الله {ذلك تأويل ما لم تسطع عليه صبرا} يقال اسطاع واستطاع بمعنى أطاق، ففي هذا وما قبله جمع بين اللغتين ونوعت العبارة في: فأردت، فأردنا فأراد ربك.
quran:18:83 –

And they ask you, ˹O Muhammad˺, about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say, "I will recite to you about him a report."  

And they, the Jews, question you concerning Dhū’l-Qarnayn, whose name was Alexander; he was not a prophet. Say: ‘I shall recite, relate, to you a mention, an account, of him’, of his affair.
القرآن:١٨:٨٣ –

وَيَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنْ ذِي الْقَرْنَيْنِ ۖ قُلْ سَأَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْهُ ذِكْرًا  

{ويسألونك} أي اليهود {عن ذي القرنين} اسمه الاسكندر ولم يكن نبيا {قل سأتلو} سأقص {عليكم منه} من حاله {ذكرا} خبرا.
quran:18:84 –

Indeed We established him upon the earth, and We gave him to everything a way.  

Indeed We empowered him throughout the land, by facilitating ˹for him˺ the journeying therein, and We gave him to everything, of which one might have need, a way, a route to lead him to that which he sought.
القرآن:١٨:٨٤ –

إِنَّا مَكَّنَّا لَهُ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَآتَيْنَاهُ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ سَبَبًا  

{إنا مكنا له في الأرض} بتسهيل السير فيها {وآتيناه من كل شيء} يحتاج إليه {سببا} طريقا يوصله إلى مراده.
quran:18:85 –

So he followed a way  

And he followed a way, he took a route towards the west,
القرآن:١٨:٨٥ –

فَأَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا  

{فأتبع سببا} سلك طريقا نحو الغرب.
quran:18:86 –

Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it ˹as if˺ setting in a spring of dark mud, and he found near it a people. Allah said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, either you punish ˹them˺ or else adopt among them ˹a way of˺ goodness."  

until, when he reached the setting of the sun, the place where it sets, he found it setting in a muddy spring (‘ayn hami’a: ˹a spring˺ containing ham’a, which is black clay): its setting in a spring is ˹described as seen˺ from the perspective of the eye, for otherwise it is far larger ˹in size˺ than this world; and he found by it, that is, ˹by˺ the spring, a folk, of disbelievers. We said, ‘O Dhū’l-Qarnayn — by ˹means of˺ inspiration — either chastise, the folk, by slaying ˹them˺, or treat them kindly’, by ˹merely˺ taking them captive.
القرآن:١٨:٨٦ –

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَغْرِبَ الشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَغْرُبُ فِي عَيْنٍ حَمِئَةٍ وَوَجَدَ عِنْدَهَا قَوْمًا ۗ قُلْنَا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِمَّا أَنْ تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمَّا أَنْ تَتَّخِذَ فِيهِمْ حُسْنًا  

{حتى إذا بلغ مغرب الشمس} موضع غروبها {وجدها تغرب في عين حمئة} ذات حمأة وهي الطين الأسود وغروبها في العين في رأي وإلا فهي أعظم من الدنيا {ووجد عندها} أي العين {قوما} كافرين {قلنا يا ذا القرنين} بإلهام {إما أن تُعذّب} القوم بالقتل {وإما أن تتخذ فيهم حُسنا} بالأسر.
quran:18:87 –

He said, "As for one who wrongs, we will punish him. Then he will be returned to his Lord, and He will punish him with a terrible punishment.  

He said, ‘As for him who does wrong, by way of ˹practising˺ idolatry, we shall chastise him, We shall slay him. Then he shall be returned to his Lord and He shall chastise him with an awful chastisement (read nukran or nukuran), that is, a severe ˹one˺, in the Fire.
القرآن:١٨:٨٧ –

قَالَ أَمَّا مَنْ ظَلَمَ فَسَوْفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّهِ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذَابًا نُكْرًا  

{قال أما من ظلم} بالشرك {فسوف نعذبه} نقتله {ثم يُرد إلى ربه فيعذبه عذابا نكرا} بسكون الكاف وضمها شديدا في النار.
quran:18:88 –

But as for one who believes and does righteousness, he will have a reward of Paradise, and we will speak to him from our command with ease."  

But as for him who believes and acts righteously, he shall have the fairest reward, namely, Paradise (the annexation construction ˹jazā’u l-husnā, ‘the fairest reward’˺ is explicative; a variant reading has jazā’an alhusnā, ‘˹he shall have˺ as a requital that which is fairest’; al-Farrā’ said that this accusative ˹reading of jazā’an˺ is ˹intended˺ as an explanation ˹of the nature of the requital˺ by way of attribution ˹to ‘that which is fairest’˺; and we shall speak to him mildly in our command’, that is to say, we shall command him with what he will find easy ˹to bear˺.
القرآن:١٨:٨٨ –

وَأَمَّا مَنْ آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا فَلَهُ جَزَاءً الْحُسْنَىٰ ۖ وَسَنَقُولُ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِنَا يُسْرًا  

{وأما من آمن وعمل صالحا فله جزاء الحسنى} أي الجنة والإضافة للبيان وفي قراءة بنصب جزاء وتنوينه قال الفراء: ونصبه على التفسير أي لجهة النسبة {وسنقول له من أمرنا يُسرا} أي نأمره بما سهل عليه.
quran:18:89 –

Then he followed a way  

Then he followed a way, towards the east,
القرآن:١٨:٨٩ –

ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا  

{ثم أتبع سببا} نحو المشرق.
quran:18:90 –

Until, when he came to the rising of the sun, he found it rising on a people for whom We had not made against it any shield.  

until, when he reached the rising of the sun, the place where it rises, he found it rising on a folk, namely, Negroes (zanj), for whom We had not provided against it, that is, ˹against˺ the sun, any ˹form of˺ cover, in the way of clothing or roofing, as their land could not support any structures; they had underground tunnels into which they would disappear at the rising of the sun and out of which they would emerge when it was at its highest point ˹in the sky˺.
القرآن:١٨:٩٠ –

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ مَطْلِعَ الشَّمْسِ وَجَدَهَا تَطْلُعُ عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍ لَمْ نَجْعَلْ لَهُمْ مِنْ دُونِهَا سِتْرًا  

{حتى إذا بلغ مطلع الشمس} موضع طلوعها {وجدها تطلع على قوم} هم الزنج {لم نجعل لهم من دونها} أي الشمس {سترا} من لباس ولا سقف، لأن أرضهم لا تحمل بناء ولهم سروب يغيبون فيها عند طلوع الشمس ويظهرون عند ارتفاعها.
quran:18:91 –

Thus. And We had encompassed ˹all˺ that he had in knowledge.  

So ˹it was˺, in other words, the situation was as We have stated; and We encompassed whatever pertained to him, that is, what Dhū’l-Qarnayn possessed in the way of machinery, men and otherwise, in knowledge.
القرآن:١٨:٩١ –

كَذَٰلِكَ وَقَدْ أَحَطْنَا بِمَا لَدَيْهِ خُبْرًا  

{كذلك} أي الأمر كما قلنا {وقد أحطنا بما لديه} أي عند ذي القرنين من الآلات والجند وغيرهما {خبرا} علما.
quran:18:93 –

Until, when he reached ˹a pass˺ between two mountains, he found beside them a people who could hardly understand ˹his˺ speech.  

until, when he reached between the two barriers (read al-saddayn or al-suddayn here and ˹likewise˺ further below ˹at verse 94, saddan or suddan˺) — ˹these were˺ two mountains ˹lying˺ in the remote regions beyond the land of the Turks; Alexander sealed the breach between the two, as will be described ˹below˺ — he found on this side of them, that is, in front of them, a folk that could scarcely comprehend speech, in other words, they could only understand it after much agonising (a variant reading ˹for yafqahūna, ‘comprehend’˺ has yufqihūna, ‘be understood’).
القرآن:١٨:٩٣ –

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيْنَ السَّدَّيْنِ وَجَدَ مِنْ دُونِهِمَا قَوْمًا لَا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ قَوْلًا  

{حتى إذا بلغ بين السدين} بفتح السين وضمها هنا وبعدهما جبلان بمنقطع بلاد الترك، سد الإسكندر ما بينهما كما سيأتي {وجد من دونهما} أي أمامهما {قوما لا يكادون يفقهون قولاً} أي لا يفهمونه إلا بعد بطء، وفي قراءة بضم الياء وكسر القاف.
quran:18:94 –

They said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed Gog and Magog are ˹great˺ corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you an expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?"  

They said, ‘O Dhū’l-Qarnayn, truly Gog and Magog (read Ya’jūj wa-Ma’jūj or Yājūj wa-Mājūj: these two are non-Arabic names of two tribes and are therefore indeclinable) are causing corruption in the land, plundering and oppressing ˹us˺ when they come forth to attack us. So shall we pay you a tribute, some ˹form of˺ payment (a variant reading ˹for kharjan˺ is kharājan), on condition that you build between us and them a barrier?, an obstruction, so that they will not be able to reach us.
القرآن:١٨:٩٤ –

قَالُوا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًا عَلَىٰ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّا  

{قالوا يا ذا القرنين إن يأجوج ومأجوج} بالهمز وتركه: هما اسمان أعجميان لقبيلتين فلم ينصرفا {مفسدون في الأرض} بالنهب والبغي عند خروجهم إلينا {فهل نجعل لك خرجا} جعلاً من المال وفي قراءة خراجا {على أن تجعل بيننا وبينهم سداً} حاجزا فلا يصلون إلينا.
quran:18:95 –

He said, "That in which my Lord has established me is better ˹than what you offer˺, but assist me with strength; I will make between you and them a dam.  

He said, ‘That, wealth and so on, wherewith my Lord has empowered me (makkannī, a variant reading has makkananī) is better, than the tribute that you offer me, and so I have no need for it. I shall build for you the barrier without ˹demanding˺ a fee; so help me with strength, in that which I ˹will˺ demand from you, and I will build between you and them a rampart, a fortified barricade.
القرآن:١٨:٩٥ –

قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّي فِيهِ رَبِّي خَيْرٌ فَأَعِينُونِي بِقُوَّةٍ أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًا  

{قال ما مكَّني} وفي قراءة بنونين من غير إدغام {فيه رب} من المال وغيره {خير} من خرجكم الذي تجعلونه لي فلا حاجة بي إليه وأجعل لكم السد تبرعا {فأعينوني بقوة} لما أطلبه منكم {أجعل بينكم وبينهم رَدما} حاجزا حصينا.
quran:18:96 –

Bring me sheets of iron" - until, when he had leveled ˹them˺ between the two mountain walls, he said, "Blow ˹with bellows˺," until when he had made it ˹like˺ fire, he said, "Bring me, that I may pour over it molten copper."  

Bring me ingots of iron!’, namely, pieces thereof, as large as the ˹blocks of˺ stone to be used in the construction; he used these ˹ingots˺ in his construction, placing between them firewood and coal. Until, when he had levelled up ˹the gap˺ between the two flanks (read al-sudufayn, or al-sadafayn or al-sudfayn, meaning, the two flanks of the two mountains) he set up bellows and ˹lit a˺ fire around this ˹construction˺ — he said, ‘Blow!’, and they blew, until, when he had made it, namely, the iron, a fire, that is, like a fire, he said, ‘Bring me molten copper to pour over it’ (the two verbs ˹ātūnī, ‘bring me’, and ufrigh, ‘pour’˺ are in contention over this ˹direct object, qitran, ‘molten copper’˺; it ˹this direct object˺ has been omitted before the first ˹verb˺ because it is being governed by the second ˹verb˺). Thus he poured the molten copper over the hot iron so that it penetrated between the ˹individual˺ ingots, making a ˹solid˺ single whole.
القرآن:١٨:٩٦ –

آتُونِي زُبَرَ الْحَدِيدِ ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا سَاوَىٰ بَيْنَ الصَّدَفَيْنِ قَالَ انْفُخُوا ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَعَلَهُ نَارًا قَالَ آتُونِي أُفْرِغْ عَلَيْهِ قِطْرًا  

{آتوني زبر الحديد} قطعه على قدر الحجارة التي يبني بها فبنى بها وجعل بينها الحطب والفحم {حتى إذا ساوى بين الصدفين} بضم الحرفين وفتحهما وضم الأول وسكون الثاني، أي جانبي الجبلين بالبناء ووضع المنافخ والنار حول ذلك {قال انفخوا} فنفخوا {حتى إذا جعله} أي الحديد {نارا} أي كالنار {قال آتوني أفرغ عليه قِطرا} هو النحاس المذاب تنازع فيه الفعلان، وحذف من الأول لإعمال الثاني النحاس المذاب على الحديد المحمى فدخل بين زبره فصارا شيئا واحدا.
quran:18:97 –

So Gog and Magog were unable to pass over it, nor were they able ˹to effect˺ in it any penetration.  

And so they, Gog and Magog, were not able to scale it, to climb up its length, because of its ˹great˺ height and smoothness, nor could they pierce it, because of its firmness and thickness.
القرآن:١٨:٩٧ –

فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَنْ يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا  

{فما اسطاعوا} أي يأجوج ومأجوج {أن يظهروه} يعلوا ظهره لارتفاعه وملاسته {وما استطاعوا له نقبا} لصلابته وسمكه.
quran:18:98 –

˹Dhul-Qarnayn˺ said, "This is a mercy from my Lord; but when the promise of my Lord comes, He will make it level, and ever is the promise of my Lord true."  

Said he, Dhū’l-Qarnayn, ‘This, namely, the barrier, the ability to make it, is a mercy from my Lord, a grace ˹from Him˺, because it prevents them from coming forth. But when the promise of my Lord comes to pass, ˹the promise˺ of their coming forth, which will be near ˹the time of˺ the Resurrection, He will level it, pulverised and flattened, for my Lord’s promise, of their coming forth and ˹of˺ other things, is ˹always˺ true’, it will be. God, exalted be He says:
القرآن:١٨:٩٨ –

قَالَ هَٰذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّي ۖ فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُ دَكَّاءَ ۖ وَكَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي حَقًّا  

{قال} ذو القرنين {هذا} أي السد، أي الإقدار عليه {رحمة من ربي} نعمة لأنه مانع من خروجهم {فإذا جاء وعد ربي} بخروجهم القريب من البعث {جعله دكاء} مدكوكا مبسوطا {وكان وعد ربي} بخروجهم وغيره {حقا} كائنا قال تعالى:
quran:18:99 –

And We will leave them that day surging over each other, and ˹then˺ the Horn will be blown, and We will assemble them in ˹one˺ assembly.  

And on that day, the day of their coming forth, We shall let some of them surge against others, mixing with one another, on account of their multitude, and the Trumpet, namely, the Horn signalling the Resurrection, shall be blown and We shall gather them, namely, creatures, in one place, on the Day of Resurrection, a ˹single˺ gathering.
القرآن:١٨:٩٩ –

وَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِي بَعْضٍ ۖ وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَجَمَعْنَاهُمْ جَمْعًا  

{وتركنا بعضهم يومئذ} يوم خروجهم {يموج في بعض} يختلط به لكثرتهم {ونفخ في الصور} أي القرن للبعث {فجمعناهم} أي الخلائق في مكان واحد يوم القيامة {جمعا}.
quran:18:100 –

And We will present Hell that Day to the Disbelievers, on display -  

And on that day We shall present, We shall bring close, Hell to the disbelievers, plain to view,
القرآن:١٨:١٠٠ –

وَعَرَضْنَا جَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَرْضًا  

{وعرضنا} قربنا {جهنم يومئذ للكافرين عرضا}.