018.008 Y: Verily what is on earth we shall make but as dust and dry soil (without growth or herbage).
P: And lo! We shall make all that is thereon a barren mound.
S: And most surely We will make what is on it bare ground without herbage.
018.009 Y: Or dost thou reflect that the Companions of the Cave and of the Inscription were wonders among Our Sign?
P: Or deemest thou that the People of the Cave and the Inscription are a wonder among Our portents?
S: Or, do you think that the Fellows of the Cave and the Inscription were of Our wonderful signs?
018.010 Y: Behold, the youths betook themselves to the Cave: they said, "Our Lord! bestow on us Mercy from Thyself, and dispose of our affair for us in the right way!"
P: When the young men fled for refuge to the Cave and said: Our Lord!
Give us mercy from Thy presence, and shape for us right conduct in our plight.
S: When the youths sought refuge in the cave, they said: Our Lord! grant us mercy from Thee, and provide for us a right course in our affair.
018.011 Y: Then We draw (a veil) over their ears, for a number of years, in the Cave, (so that they heard not):
P: Then We sealed up their hearing in the Cave for a number of years.
S: So We prevented them from hearing in the cave for a number of years.
018.012 Y: Then We roused them, in order to test which of the two parties was best at calculating the term of years they had tarried!
P: And afterward We raised them up that We might know which of the two parties would best calculate the time that they had tarried.
S: Then We raised them up that We might know which of the two parties was best able to compute the time for which they remained.
018.013 Y: We relate to thee their story in truth: they were youths who believed in their Lord, and We advanced them in guidance:
P: We narrate unto thee their story with truth. Lo! they were young men who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance.
S: We relate to you their story with the truth; surely they were youths who believed in their Lord and We increased them in guidance.
018.014 Y: We gave strength to their hearts: Behold, they stood up and said: "Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and of the earth: never shall we call upon any G.o.d other than Him: if we did, we should indeed have uttered an enormity!"
P: And We made firm their hearts when they stood forth and said: Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth. We cry unto no G.o.d beside Him, for then should we utter an enormity.
S: And We strengthened their hearts with patience, when they stood up and said: Our Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth; we will by no means call upon any G.o.d besides Him, for then indeed we should have said an extravagant thing.
018.015 Y: "These our people have taken for worship G.o.ds other than Him: why do they not bring forward an authority clear (and convincing) for what they do? Who doth more wrong than such as invent a falsehood against Allah?"
P: These, our people, have chosen (other) G.o.ds beside Him though they bring no clear warrant (vouchsafed) to them. And who doth greater wrong than he who inventeth a lie concerning Allah?
S: These our people have taken G.o.ds besides Him; why do they not produce any clear authority in their support? Who is then more unjust than he who forges a lie against Allah?
018.016 Y: "When ye turn away from them and the things they worship other than Allah, betake yourselves to the Cave: Your Lord will shower His mercies on you and disposes of your affair towards comfort and ease."
P: And when ye withdraw from them and that which they worship except Allah, then seek refuge in the Cave; your Lord will spread for you of His mercy and will prepare for you a pillow in your plight.
S: And when you forsake them and what they worship save Allah, betake yourselves for refuge to the cave; your Lord will extend to you largely of His mercy and provide for you a profitable course in your affair.
018.017 Y: Thou wouldst have seen the sun, when it rose, declining to the right from their Cave, and when it set, turning away from them to the left, while they lay in the open s.p.a.ce in the midst of the Cave. Such are among the Signs of Allah: He whom Allah, guides is rightly guided; but he whom Allah leaves to stray,- for him wilt thou find no protector to lead him to the Right Way.
P: And thou mightest have seen the sun when it rose move away from their cave to the right, and when it set go past them on the left, and they were in the cleft thereof. That was (one) of the portents of Allah. He whom Allah guideth, he indeed is led aright, and he whom He sendeth astray, for him thou wilt not find a guiding friend.
S: And you might see the sun when it rose, decline from their cave towards the right hand, and when it set, leave them behind on the left while they were in a wide s.p.a.ce thereof. This is of the signs of Allah; whomsoever Allah guides, he is the rightly guided one, and whomsoever He causes to err, you shall not find for him any friend to lead (him) aright.
018.018 Y: Thou wouldst have deemed them awake, whilst they were asleep, and We turned them on their right and on their left sides: their dog stretching forth his two fore-legs on the threshold: if thou hadst come up on to them, thou wouldst have certainly turned back from them in flight, and wouldst certainly have been filled with terror of them.
P: And thou wouldst have deemed them waking though they were asleep, and We caused them to turn over to the right and the left, and their dog stretching out his paws on the threshold. If thou hadst observed them closely thou hadst a.s.suredly turned away from them in flight, and hadst been filled with awe of them.
S: And you might think them awake while they were asleep and We turned them about to the right and to the left, while their dog (lay) outstretching its paws at the entrance; if you looked at them you would certainly turn back from them in flight, and you would certainly be filled with awe because of them.
018.019 Y: Such (being their state), we raised them up (from sleep), that they might question each other. Said one of them, "How long have ye stayed (here)?" They said, "We have stayed (perhaps) a day, or part of a day."
(At length) they (all) said, "Allah (alone) knows best how long ye have stayed here.... Now send ye then one of you with this money of yours to the town: let him find out which is the best food (to be had) and bring some to you, that (ye may) satisfy your hunger therewith: And let him behave with care and courtesy, and let him not inform any one about you."
P: And in like manner We awakened them that they might question one another. A speaker from among them said: How long have ye tarried? They said: We have tarried a day or some part of a day, (Others) said: Your Lord best knoweth what ye have tarried. Now send one of you with this your silver coin unto the city, and let him see what food is purest there and bring you a supply thereof. Let him be courteous and let no man know of you.
S: And thus did We rouse them that they might question each other. A speaker among them said: How long have you tarried? They said: We have tarried for a day or a part of a day. (Others) said: Your Lord knows best how long you have tarried. Now send one of you with this silver (coin) of yours to the city, then let him see which of them has purest food, so let him bring you provision from it, and let him behave with gentleness, and by no means make your case known to any one:
018.020 Y: "For if they should come upon you, they would stone you or force you to return to their cult, and in that case ye would never attain prosperity."
P: For they, if they should come to know of you, will stone you or turn you back to their religion; then ye will never prosper.
S: For surely if they prevail against you they would stone you to death or force you back to their religion, and then you will never succeed.
018.021 Y: Thus did We make their case known to the people, that they might know that the promise of Allah is true, and that there can be no doubt about the Hour of Judgment. Behold, they dispute among themselves as to their affair. (Some) said, "Construct a building over them": Their Lord knows best about them: those who prevailed over their affair said, "Let us surely build a place of worship over them."
P: And in like manner We disclosed them (to the people of the city) that they might know that the promise of Allah is true, and that, as for the Hour, there is no doubt concerning it. When (the people of the city) disputed of their case among themselves, they said: Build over them a building; their Lord knoweth best concerning them. Those who won their point said: We verily shall build a place of worship over them.
S: And thus did We make (men) to get knowledge of them that they might know that Allah"s promise is true and that as for the hour there is no doubt about it. When they disputed among themselves about their affair and said: Erect an edifice over them-- their Lord best knows them.
Those who prevailed in their affair said: We will certainly raise a masjid over them.
018.022 Y: (Some) say they were three, the dog being the fourth among them; (others) say they were five, the dog being the sixth,- doubtfully guessing at the unknown; (yet others) say they were seven, the dog being the eighth. Say thou: "My Lord knoweth best their number; It is but few that know their (real case)." Enter not, therefore, into controversies concerning them, except on a matter that is clear, nor consult any of them about (the affair of) the Sleepers.
P: (Some) will say: They were three, their dog the fourth, and (some) say: Five, their dog the sixth, guessing at random; and (some) say: Seven, and their dog the eighth. Say (O Muhammad): My Lord is Best Aware of their number. None knoweth them save a few. So contend not concerning them except with an outward contending, and ask not any of them to p.r.o.nounce concerning them.
S: (Some) say: (They are) three, the fourth of them being their dog; and (others) say: Five, the sixth of them being their dog, making conjectures at what is unknown; and (others yet) say: Seven, and the eighth of them is their dog. Say: My Lord best knows their number, none knows them but a few; therefore contend not in the matter of them but with an outward contention, and do not question concerning them any of them.
018.023 Y: Nor say of anything, "I shall be sure to do so and so tomorrow"-
P: And say not of anything: Lo! I shall do that tomorrow,
S: And do not say of anything: Surely I will do it tomorrow,
018.024 Y: Without adding, "So please Allah!" and call thy Lord to mind when thou forgettest, and say, "I hope that my Lord will guide me ever closer (even) than this to the right road."