Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
And it will not be within your power to treat your wives with equal fairness, however much you may desire it; and so, do not allow yourselves to incline towards one to the exclusion of the other, leaving her in a state, as it were, of having and not having a husband. But if you put things to rights and are conscious of Him - behold, God is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace
Arthur John Arberry
You will not be able to be equitable between your wives, be you ever so eager; yet do not be altogether partial so that you leave her as it were suspended. If you set things right, and are godfearing, God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
Ye are never able to be fair and just as between women, even if it is your ardent desire: But turn not away (from a woman) altogether, so as to leave her (as it were) hanging (in the air). If ye come to a friendly understanding, and practise self-restraint, Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful
Arabic
وَلَن تَسۡتَطِیعُوۤا۟ أَن تَعۡدِلُوا۟ بَیۡنَ ٱلنِّسَاۤءِ وَلَوۡ حَرَصۡتُمۡۖ فَلَا تَمِیلُوا۟ كُلَّ ٱلۡمَیۡلِ فَتَذَرُوهَا كَٱلۡمُعَلَّقَةِۚ وَإِن تُصۡلِحُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ غَفُورࣰا رَّحِیمࣰا ١٢٩
Transliteration (2021)
walan tastaṭīʿū an taʿdilū bayna l-nisāi walaw ḥaraṣtum falā tamīlū kulla l-mayli fatadharūhā kal-muʿalaqati wa-in tuṣ'liḥū watattaqū fa-inna l-laha kāna ghafūran raḥīma