Surah Al-Jumu'ah (الجمعة) • The Congregation, Friday

Quran 62:5

62:5

مَثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ حُمِّلُوا۟ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَحْمِلُوهَا كَمَثَلِ ٱلْحِمَارِ يَحْمِلُ أَسْفَارًۢا ۚ بِئْسَ مَثَلُ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

mathalu alladhīna ḥummilū l-tawrāta thumma lam yaḥmilūhā kamathali l-ḥimāri yaḥmilu asfāran bi'sa mathalu l-qawmi alladhīna kadhabū biāyāti l-lahi wal-lahu lā yahdī l-qawma l-ẓālimīna

The example of those who were entrusted with the Torah and then did not take it on is like that of a donkey who carries volumes [of books]. Wretched is the example of the people who deny the signs of Allāh. And Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.

— Saheeh International

Those who have been charged to obey the Torah, but do not do so, are like asses carrying books: how base such people are who disobey God’s revelations! God does not guide people who do wrong.

— M. A. S. Abdel Haleem

The likeness of those who were entrusted with the (obligation of the) Taurât (Torah) (i.e. to obey its commandments and to practise its laws), but who subsequently failed in those (obligations), is as the likeness of a donkey which carries huge burdens of books (but understands nothing from them). How bad is the example of people who deny the Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, signs, revelations) of Allâh. And Allâh guides not the people who are Zâlimûn(polytheists, wrong-doers, disbelievers).

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

Juz 28Page 553medinan

Word by Word

مَثَلُmathalu(The) likeness
ٱلَّذِينَalladhīna(of) those who
حُمِّلُوا۟ḥummilūwere entrusted
ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَl-tawrāta(with) the Taurat
ثُمَّthummathen
لَمْlamnot
يَحْمِلُوهَاyaḥmilūhāthey bore it
كَمَثَلِkamathali(is) like
ٱلْحِمَارِl-ḥimārithe donkey
يَحْمِلُyaḥmiluwho carries
أَسْفَارًۢاۚasfāranbooks
بِئْسَbi'saWretched is
مَثَلُmathalu(the) example
ٱلْقَوْمِl-qawmi(of) the people
ٱلَّذِينَalladhīnawho
كَذَّبُوا۟kadhabūdeny
بِـَٔايَـٰتِbiāyāti(the) Signs
ٱللَّهِۚl-lahi(of) Allah
وَٱللَّهُwal-lahuAnd Allah
لَاlā(does) not
يَهْدِىyahdīguide
ٱلْقَوْمَl-qawmathe people
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَl-ẓālimīnathe wrongdoers