Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
Among those of the Jewish faith there are some who distort the meaning of the [revealed] words, taking them out of their context and saying, [as it were,] "We have heard, but we disobey," and, "Hear without hearkening,” and, “Hearken thou unto us, (O Muhammad)” - thus making a play with their tongues, and implying that the [true] Faith is false. And had they but said, "We have heard, and we pay heed," and "Hear [us], and have patience with us," it would indeed have been for their own good, and more upright: but God has rejected them because of their refusal to acknowledge the truth - for it is in but few things that they believe
Arthur John Arberry
Some of the Jews pervert words from their meanings saying, 'We have heard and we disobey' and 'Hear, and be thou not given to hear' and 'Observe us,' twisting with their tongues and traducing religion. If they had said, 'We have heard and obey' and 'Hear' and 'Regard us,' it would have been better for them, and more upright; but God has cursed them for their unbelief so they believe not except a few
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
Of the Jews there are those who displace words from their (right) places, and say: "We hear and we disobey"; and "Hear what is not Heard"; and "Ra'ina"; with a twist of their tongues and a slander to Faith. If only they had said: "We hear and we obey"; and "Do hear"; and "Do look at us"; it would have been better for them, and more proper; but Allah hath cursed them for their Unbelief; and but few of them will believe
Arabic
مِّنَ ٱلَّذِینَ هَادُوا۟ یُحَرِّفُونَ ٱلۡكَلِمَ عَن مَّوَاضِعِهِۦ وَیَقُولُونَ سَمِعۡنَا وَعَصَیۡنَا وَٱسۡمَعۡ غَیۡرَ مُسۡمَعࣲ وَرَ ٰعِنَا لَیَّۢا بِأَلۡسِنَتِهِمۡ وَطَعۡنࣰا فِی ٱلدِّینِۚ وَلَوۡ أَنَّهُمۡ قَالُوا۟ سَمِعۡنَا وَأَطَعۡنَا وَٱسۡمَعۡ وَٱنظُرۡنَا لَكَانَ خَیۡرࣰا لَّهُمۡ وَأَقۡوَمَ وَلَـٰكِن لَّعَنَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِكُفۡرِهِمۡ فَلَا یُؤۡمِنُونَ إِلَّا قَلِیلࣰا ٤٦
Transliteration (2021)
mina alladhīna hādū yuḥarrifūna l-kalima ʿan mawāḍiʿihi wayaqūlūna samiʿ'nā waʿaṣaynā wa-is'maʿ ghayra mus'maʿin warāʿinā layyan bi-alsinatihim waṭaʿnan fī l-dīni walaw annahum qālū samiʿ'nā wa-aṭaʿnā wa-is'maʿ wa-unẓur'nā lakāna khayran lahum wa-aqwama walākin laʿanahumu l-lahu bikuf'rihim falā yu'minūna illā qalīla