Surah Al-Kahf (The Cave) in English

1. فلما جاوزا قال لفتاه آتنا غداءنا لقد لقينا من سفرنا هذا نصبا

   62

   So when they had passed on, he said to his lad, ‘Bring us our meal. We have certainly encountered much fatigue on this journey of ours.’

   fa-lammā jāwazā qāla li-fatāhu ʾātinā ghadāʾanā la-qad laqīnā min safarinā hādhā naṣaban

2. قال أرأيت إذ أوينا إلى الصخرة فإني نسيت الحوت وما أنسانيه إلا الشيطان أن أذكره واتخذ سبيله في البحر عجبا

   63

   He said, ‘Did you see?! When we took shelter at the rock, indeed I forgot about the fish—and none but Satan made me forget to mention it!—and it made its way into the sea in an amazing manner!’

   qāla ʾa-raʾayta ʾidh ʾawaynā ʾilā ṣ-ṣakhrati fa-ʾinnī nasītu l-ḥūta wa-mā ʾansānīhu ʾillā sh-shayṭānu ʾan ʾadhkurahū wa-ttakhadha sabīlahū fī l-baḥri ʿajaban

3. قال ذلك ما كنا نبغ فارتدا على آثارهما قصصا

   64

   He said, ‘That is what we were after!’ So they returned, retracing their footsteps.

   qāla dhālika mā kunnā nabghi fa-rtaddā ʿalā ʾāthārihimā qaṣaṣan

4. فوجدا عبدا من عبادنا آتيناه رحمة من عندنا وعلمناه من لدنا علما

   65

   [There] they found one of Our servants whom We had granted a mercy from Ourselves, and taught him a knowledge from Our own.

   fa-wajadā ʿabdan min ʿibādinā ʾātaynāhu raḥmatan min ʿindinā wa-ʿallamnāhu min ladunnā ʿilman

5. قال له موسى هل أتبعك على أن تعلمن مما علمت رشدا

   66

   Moses said to him, ‘May I follow you for the purpose that you teach me some of the probity you have been taught?’

   qāla lahū mūsā hal ʾattabiʿuka ʿalā ʾan tuʿallimani mimmā ʿullimta rushdan

6. قال إنك لن تستطيع معي صبرا

   67

   He said, ‘Indeed you cannot have patience with me!

   qāla ʾinnaka lan tastaṭīʿa maʿiya ṣabran

7. وكيف تصبر على ما لم تحط به خبرا

   68

   And how can you have patience about something you do not comprehend?’

   wa-kayfa taṣbiru ʿalā mā lam tuḥiṭ bihī khubran

8. قال ستجدني إن شاء الله صابرا ولا أعصي لك أمرا

   69

   He said, ‘You will find me, God willing, to be patient, and I will not disobey you in any matter.’

   qāla sa-tajidunī ʾin shāʾa llāhu ṣābiran wa-lā ʾaʿṣī laka ʾamran

9. قال فإن اتبعتني فلا تسألني عن شيء حتى أحدث لك منه ذكرا

   70

   He said, ‘If you follow me, do not question me concerning anything until I myself first mention it for you.’

   qāla fa-ʾini ttabaʿtanī fa-lā tasʾalnī ʿan shayʾin ḥattā ʾuḥditha laka minhu dhikran

10. فانطلقا حتى إذا ركبا في السفينة خرقها قال أخرقتها لتغرق أهلها لقد جئت شيئا إمرا

    71

    So they went on and when they boarded the boat, he made a hole in it. He said, ‘Did you make a hole in it to drown its people? You have certainly done a monstrous thing!’

    fa-nṭalaqā ḥattā ʾidhā rakibā fī s-safīnati kharaqahā qāla ʾa-kharaqtahā li-tughriqa ʾahlahā la-qad jiʾta shayʾan ʾimran

11. قال ألم أقل إنك لن تستطيع معي صبرا

    72

    He said, ‘Did I not say that you cannot have patience with me?’

    qāla ʾa-lam ʾaqul ʾinnaka lan tastaṭīʿa maʿiya ṣabran

12. قال لا تؤاخذني بما نسيت ولا ترهقني من أمري عسرا

    73

    He said, ‘Do not take me to task for my forgetting, and do not be hard upon me.’

    qāla lā tuʾākhidhnī bi-mā nasītu wa-lā turhiqnī min ʾamrī ʿusran

13. فانطلقا حتى إذا لقيا غلاما فقتله قال أقتلت نفسا زكية بغير نفس لقد جئت شيئا نكرا

    74

    So they went on until they came upon a boy, whereat he slew him. He said, ‘Did you slay an innocent soul, without [his having slain] anyone? You have certainly done a dire thing!’

    fa-nṭalaqā ḥattā ʾidhā laqiyā ghulāman fa-qatalahū qāla ʾa-qatalta nafsan zakiyyatan bi-ghayri nafsin la-qad jiʾta shayʾan nukran