Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
As soon as you [O believers] are about to set forth on a war that promises booty, those who stayed behind [aforetime] will surely say, “Allow us to go with you” - [thus showing that] they would like to alter the Word of God. Say: “By no means shall you go with us: God has declared aforetime [to whom all spoils shall belong].” Thereupon they will [surely] answer, “Nay, but you begrudge us [our share of booty]!” Nay, they can grasp but so little of the truth
Arthur John Arberry
The Bedouins who were left behind will say, when you set forth after spoils, to take them, 'Let us follow you,' desiring to change God's words. Say: 'You shall not follow us; so God said before.' Then they will say, 'Nay, but you' are jealous of us.' Nay, but they have not understood except a little
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
Those who lagged behind (will say), when ye (are free to) march and take booty (in war): "Permit us to follow you." They wish to change Allah's decree: Say: "Not thus will ye follow us: Allah has already declared (this) beforehand": then they will say, "But ye are jealous of us." Nay, but little do they understand (such things)
Arabic
سَیَقُولُ ٱلۡمُخَلَّفُونَ إِذَا ٱنطَلَقۡتُمۡ إِلَىٰ مَغَانِمَ لِتَأۡخُذُوهَا ذَرُونَا نَتَّبِعۡكُمۡۖ یُرِیدُونَ أَن یُبَدِّلُوا۟ كَلَـٰمَ ٱللَّهِۚ قُل لَّن تَتَّبِعُونَا كَذَ ٰلِكُمۡ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ مِن قَبۡلُۖ فَسَیَقُولُونَ بَلۡ تَحۡسُدُونَنَاۚ بَلۡ كَانُوا۟ لَا یَفۡقَهُونَ إِلَّا قَلِیلࣰا ١٥
Transliteration (2021)
sayaqūlu l-mukhalafūna idhā inṭalaqtum ilā maghānima litakhudhūhā dharūnā nattabiʿ'kum yurīdūna an yubaddilū kalāma l-lahi qul lan tattabiʿūnā kadhālikum qāla l-lahu min qablu fasayaqūlūna bal taḥsudūnanā bal kānū lā yafqahūna illā qalīla