Surah An-Nahl (النحل) • The Bee

Quran 16:76

16:76

وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا رَّجُلَيْنِ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَبْكَمُ لَا يَقْدِرُ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ وَهُوَ كَلٌّ عَلَىٰ مَوْلَىٰهُ أَيْنَمَا يُوَجِّههُّ لَا يَأْتِ بِخَيْرٍ ۖ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى هُوَ وَمَن يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْعَدْلِ ۙ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

waḍaraba l-lahu mathalan rajulayni aḥaduhumā abkamu lā yaqdiru ʿalā shayin wahuwa kallun ʿalā mawlāhu aynamā yuwajjihhu lā yati bikhayrin hal yastawī huwa waman yamuru bil-ʿadli wahuwa ʿalā ṣirāṭin mus'taqīmin

And Allāh presents an example of two men, one of them dumb and unable to do a thing, while he is a burden to his guardian. Wherever he directs him, he brings no good. Is he equal to one who commands justice, while he is on a straight path?

— Saheeh International

God presents another illustration: two men, one of them dumb, unable to do anything, a burden to his carer- whatever task he directs him to, he achieves nothing good- can he be considered equal to one who commands justice and is on the straight path?

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

And Allâh puts forward (another) example of two men, one of them dumb, who has no power over anything (disbeliever), and he is a burden on his master; whichever way he directs him, he brings no good. Is such a man equal to one (believer in the Islâmic Monotheism) who commands justice, and is himself on the Straight Path?

— Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Juz 14Page 275meccan

Word by Word

وَضَرَبَwaḍarabaAnd Allah sets forth
ٱللَّهُl-lahuAnd Allah sets forth
مَثَلًۭاmathalanan example
رَّجُلَيْنِrajulayni(of) two men
أَحَدُهُمَآaḥaduhumāone of them
أَبْكَمُabkamu(is) dumb
لَاlānot
يَقْدِرُyaqdiruhe has power
عَلَىٰʿalāon
شَىْءٍۢshayinanything
وَهُوَwahuwawhile he
كَلٌّkallun(is) a burden
عَلَىٰʿalāon
مَوْلَىٰهُmawlāhuhis master
أَيْنَمَاaynamāWherever
يُوَجِّههُّyuwajjihhuhe directs him
لَاlānot
يَأْتِyatihe comes
بِخَيْرٍۖbikhayrinwith any good
هَلْhalIs
يَسْتَوِىyastawīequal
هُوَhuwahe
وَمَنwamanand (the one) who
يَأْمُرُyamurucommands
بِٱلْعَدْلِۙbil-ʿadli[of] justice
وَهُوَwahuwaand he
عَلَىٰʿalā(is) on
صِرَٰطٍۢṣirāṭina path
مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢmus'taqīminstraight