Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
"As for that boat, it belonged to some needy people who toiled upon the sea -and I desired to damage it because (I knew that] behind them was a king who is wont to seize every boat by brute force
Arthur John Arberry
As for the ship, it belonged to certain poor men, who toiled upon the sea; and I desired to damage it, for behind them there was a king who was seizing every ship by brutal force
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
"As for the boat, it belonged to certain men in dire want: they plied on the water: I but wished to render it unserviceable, for there was after them a certain king who seized on every boat by force
Arabic
أَمَّا ٱلسَّفِینَةُ فَكَانَتۡ لِمَسَـٰكِینَ یَعۡمَلُونَ فِی ٱلۡبَحۡرِ فَأَرَدتُّ أَنۡ أَعِیبَهَا وَكَانَ وَرَاۤءَهُم مَّلِكࣱ یَأۡخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِینَةٍ غَصۡبࣰا ٧٩
Transliteration (2021)
ammā l-safīnatu fakānat limasākīna yaʿmalūna fī l-baḥri fa-aradttu an aʿībahā wakāna warāahum malikun yakhudhu kulla safīnatin ghaṣba