Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
AND [know that] all mankind were once but one single community, and only later did they begin to hold divergent views. And had it not been for a decree- that had already gone forth from thy Sustainer, all their differences would indeed have been settled [from the outset]
Arthur John Arberry
Mankind were only one nation, then they fell into variance. But for a word that preceded from thy Lord, it had been decided between them already touching their differences
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
Mankind was but one nation, but differed (later). Had it not been for a word that went forth before from thy Lord, their differences would have been settled between them
Arabic
وَمَا كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ إِلَّاۤ أُمَّةࣰ وَ ٰحِدَةࣰ فَٱخۡتَلَفُوا۟ۚ وَلَوۡلَا كَلِمَةࣱ سَبَقَتۡ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَقُضِیَ بَیۡنَهُمۡ فِیمَا فِیهِ یَخۡتَلِفُونَ ١٩
Transliteration (2021)
wamā kāna l-nāsu illā ummatan wāḥidatan fa-ikh'talafū walawlā kalimatun sabaqat min rabbika laquḍiya baynahum fīmā fīhi yakhtalifūn