Marked words appear in this translation and in no other English translation of this verse. Common small words and older spellings are not marked. The marks show where the wording differs, not where the meaning does.
Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall1875–1936 · published 1930
He said: My Lord! How can I have a son when my wife is barren and I have reached infirm old age
Sources
Translation Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran·Public domain — copyright term expired
Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran·1930 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work
·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
Edward Henry Palmer1840–1882 · published 1880
Said he, 'My Lord! how can I have a son, when my wife is barren, and I have reached through old age to decrepitude
Sources
Translation Edward Henry Palmer, English translation of the Qur'an·Public domain — copyright term expired
Zacharias said, Lord, how shall I have a son, seeing my wife is barren, and I am now arrived at a great age, and am decrepit
Sources
Translation George Sale, English translation of the Qur'an·Public domain — copyright term expired
George Sale, English translation of the Qur'an·1734 translation, digital edition of unverified printing·None — public domain work
·Public domain — copyright term expired·retrieved 24 Aug 2026
Other languages (18)Shqip · Albanian
Ai tha: "Zoti im, si mund të kem një djalë, kur gruaja ime është beronjë dhe unë kam arritur një moshë të shtyrë?"
Translated by the team of Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.5
বাংলা · Bengali
সে (যাকারিয়্যা) বললো: ‘হে আমার রব! আমার কীভাবে পুত্র সন্তান হবে; অথচ আমার স্ত্রী তো বন্ধ্যা, আর আমিও তো বার্ধক্যের শেষ সীমায় পৌঁছে গেছি।’
Translated by the team of Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Dawah Association in Rabwah, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.1.2
Bosanski · Bosnian
“Gospodaru moj”, reče on, “kako ću imati sina kad mi je žena nerotkinja, a već sam duboku starost doživio?”
Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.
From QuranEnc.com, version 2.0.4
Hrvatski · Croatian
“Gospodaru moj,” reče on, “kako ću imati sina kad mi je žena nerotkinja, a već sam duboku starost doživio?”
Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.1
Fulfulde · Fulani
O maaki: "Jooma ko honno laatoranta kam suka sonnaajo am on laatike dimaro min kadi mi yottike e nayewu yooruɗo tere?"
Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.2
ქართული · Georgian
მიუგო [ზაქარიამ]: «უფალო ჩემო, როგორ მეყოლება ძე, როცა ჩემი ცოლი უნაყოფოა და მე მივაღწიე ღრმა მოხუცებულობას?!»
Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.7
Deutsch · German
Er sagte: „Mein Herr, wie soll ich einen Jungen haben, wo doch meine Frau unfruchtbar ist und ich vom hohen Alter bereits einen Dürrezustand erreicht habe?“
Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.15
Ελληνικά · Greek
Είπε (ο Ζαχαρίας, έκπληκτος από τη δύναμη του Αλλάχ): «Κύριέ μου! Πώς θα γίνει αυτό, ότι θα αποκτήσω έναν γιο, αφού η γυναίκα μου είναι στείρα [δηλ. θα πρέπει να παντρευτώ άλλη, ή η ίδια θα μπορέσει να γεννήσει] και έχω φτάσει σε βαθιά γεράματα [δηλ. πώς θα έχω τη δυνατότητα να κάνω τη γυναίκα μου να συλλάβει];»
Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.2
हिन्दी · Hindi
उसने कहा : ऐ मेरे पालनहार! मेरे यहाँ बालक कैसे होगा, जबकि मेरी पत्नी शुरू से बाँझ है और मैं बुढ़ापे की अंतिम सीमा को पहुँच गया हूँ।
Translated by Azizul Haq Al-Omari
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.1.5
Italiano · Italian
Disse: “O mio Dio, come potrei avere un figlio? Mia moglie è sterile e io ho raggiunto un’età avanzata”.
Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.2
Lietuvių · Lithuanian
8. Jis tarė: „Mano Viešpatie, kaip aš galiu turėti sūnų, kai mano žmona yra bevaisė, o aš labai susenęs.“
Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.
Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.0
Русский · Russian
Он сказал: «Господь мой! Как будет у меня мальчик, когда жена моя бесплодна, а я уже достиг крайней старости?»
Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.1
Српски · Serbian
„Господару мој“, рече он, „како ћу да имам сина кад ми је жена нероткиња, а већ сам доживео дубоку старост?“
Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.4
Kiswahili · Swahili
Akasema: Ewe Mola wangu Mlezi! Vipi nitakuwa na mwana na ilhali mke wangu ni tasa, na mimi nimeshafikia ukongwe katika uzee?
Issued by the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.5
Svenska · Swedish
Han sa: ”Herre! Hur kan jag få en son när min hustru är ofruktsam och jag själv har nått ålderns höst?”
Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.2
Türkçe · Turkish
“Rabbim! Hanımım kısır ve ben de son derece kocamışken nasıl oğlum olur ki?”dedi.
Translated by the team of the Rowwad Translation Center, in cooperation with the Rabwah Dawah Association, the Islamic Content Service Association in Languages, and the IslamHouse.com website.
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.0.4
اردو · Urdu
زکریا (علیہ السلام) کہنے لگے میرے رب! میرے ہاں لڑکا کیسے ہوگا، جبکہ میری بیوی بانجھ اور میں خود بڑھاپے کے انتہائی ضعف کو پہنچ چکا ہوں.[1]
Translated by Muhammad Ibrahim Junagarhi, developed under the supervision of the Rowwad Translation Center. The original translation is available for the purpose of expressing opinion, evaluation, and continuous development.
From QuranEnc.com, version 1.1.3
About these translations
5 cleared translations, newest first, by year of publication, so the modern English comes before the historical ones. That is an ordering by date, not a judgement. Each is shown complete — this platform never excerpts a translation — and each renders under its translator's name. No translation here is marked as the correct one.
Which translations appear here is set by copyright: they are the ones whose rights could be documented and cleared. The selection is not a judgement that these are the best.
About easy-read
Easy-read
Easy-read is a simplified pronunciation,
not authoritative — a rule-by-rule romanisation, not a reading.
Each verse ends in its pause form, as it is said when you stop there. Pauses inside a verse and other tajwid rules are not shown. It is derived from the Tanzil
Simple edition, while the Arabic above is the
Uthmani edition; both are cleared, but they are not the
same edition and their orthography differs.
Easy-read (simplified)yarithunee wayarithu min aali ya'qooba waj'alhu rabbi radiyyaa
DIN 31635yariṯunī wayariṯu min ʾāli yaʿqūba waǧʿalhu rabbi raḍiyyan
Talal Itani2012 To inherit me, and inherit from the House of Jacob, and make him, my Lord, pleasing."
Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall1930 Who shall inherit of me and inherit (also) of the house of Jacob. And make him, my Lord, acceptable (unto Thee)
Edward Henry Palmer1880 to be my heir and the heir of the family of Jacob, and make him, my Lord! acceptable
John Medows Rodwell1861 who shall be my heir and an heir of the family of Jacob: and make him, Lord, well pleasing to thee
George Sale1734 who may be my heir, and may be an heir of the family of Jacob; and grant, O Lord, that he may be acceptable unto thee
DIN 31635yā zakariyyā ʾinnā nubašširuka biġulāmin smuhu yaḥyā lam naǧʿal lahu min qablu samiyyan
Talal Itani2012 "O Zechariah, We give you good news of a son, whose name is John, a name We have never given before."
Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall1930 (It was said unto him): O Zachariah! Lo! We bring thee tidings of a son whose name is John; we have given the same name to none before (him)
Edward Henry Palmer1880 O Zachariah! verily, we, give thee glad tidings of a son, whose name shall be John. We never made a namesake of his before
John Medows Rodwell1861 O Zachariah! verily we announce to thee a son, - his name John: That name We have given to none before him
George Sale1734 And the angel answered him, O Zacharias, verily We bring thee tidings of a son, whose name shall be John; We have not caused any to bear the same name before him
Easy-read (simplified)qaala kadhaalika qaala rabbuka huwa 'alayya hayyinun waqad khalaqtuka min qablu walam taku shay'aa
DIN 31635qāla kaḏālika qāla rabbuka huwa ʿalayya hayyinun waqad ḫalaqtuka min qablu walam taku šayʾan
Talal Itani2012 He said, "It will be so, your Lord says, 'it is easy for me, and I created you before, when you were nothing.'"
Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall1930 He said: So (it will be). Thy Lord saith: It is easy for Me, even as I created thee before, when thou wast naught
Edward Henry Palmer1880 He said, 'Thus says thy Lord, It is easy for Me, for I created thee at first when yet thou wast nothing
John Medows Rodwell1861 He said: So shall it be. Thy Lord hath said, Easy is this to me, for I created thee aforetime when thou wast nothing
George Sale1734 The angel said so shall it be: Thy Lord saith, this is easy with Me; since I created thee heretofore, when thou wast nothing
Talal Itani2012 He said, "My Lord, give me a sign." He said, "Your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three nights straight."
Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall1930 He said: My Lord! Appoint for me some token. He said: Thy token is that thou, with no bodily defect, shalt not speak unto mankind three nights
Edward Henry Palmer1880 Said he, 'O my Lord! make for me a sign.' He said, 'Thy sign is that thou shalt not speak to men for three nights (though) sound
John Medows Rodwell1861 He said: "Vouchsafe me, O my Lord! a sign." He said: "Thy sign shall be that for three nights, though sound in health, thou speakest not to man
George Sale1734 Zacharias answered, O Lord, give me a sign. The angel replied, thy sign shall be, that thou shalt not speak to men for three nights, although thou be in perfect health
These figures count the words the translations share. They measure wording, not meaning, and they do not say which translation is right.
Derived measure: mean pairwise Jaccard distance over the
lowercased word sets of the 5 renderings above —
0.40 on a scale
where 0 means identical wording and 1 means no shared words. It is
computed, not judged.
The page says a verse is worded differently only above the cut below. The cut is a stated convention, not a property of the text, and it can be changed.
The cut
0.644
Share of measured verses above it
33%
Verses above it
2,079
Verses measured
6,236
Edward Henry Palmer · George Sale0.58
Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · George Sale0.54
John Medows Rodwell · George Sale0.50
Talal Itani · George Sale0.50
Talal Itani · John Medows Rodwell0.41
Edward Henry Palmer · John Medows Rodwell0.39
Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall · John Medows Rodwell0.32
Talal Itani · Edward Henry Palmer0.32
Talal Itani · Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall0.23
Edward Henry Palmer · Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall0.22
One bar per pair of renderings, longest bar for the pair
sharing fewest words. Every pair is shown; none is singled out.
Method Wording differences — derived 13 September 2026
Method
Mean pairwise Jaccard distance over the lowercased word sets of the cleared translations of each verse. A verse is marked as worded differently when its score falls in the top third of the corpus — the cut set out in Analysis details.
As at
13 September 2026, 10:56 UTC
Gate
verify/divergence_gate.py re-derives and fails on drift
The platform does not say which is right, and does not
characterise what the difference means. The renderings are placed
together so the difference is visible; reading it is the reader's work.
Sources, editions and licences for everything above
ReceiptsSource fact
7 sources
stand behind this page. Each is listed once, in the order the page first
cites it, with the licence it was cleared under and what was actually read.
Nothing on this page rests on a source that is not here.
Source Tanzil Qur'an text (Uthmani) · Uthmani, Version 1.1
Hafs/Kufan verse numbering, 6236 ayahs. The bismillah is delivered as a separate `bismillah` attribute on ayah 1 and is NOT fused into the ayah text. 112 surahs carry one: every surah except al-Fatiha, where the bismillah is ayah 1:1 itself, and at-Tawba, which has none. Sourced from the XML output; the plain-text output of the same release DOES fuse it, which is defect D1.
CLEARED. Licence read verbatim from the block embedded in this very file. Ingested exactly as shipped: no normalisation, no stripping of marks, no Unicode recomposition.
Parsed structurally from the EPUB: an h3 names the surah, one p per verse with its number in its own span. An unnumbered p is the basmala and is not a verse, except in surah 1 where the basmala IS verse 1. 112 unnumbered paragraphs were found, which is 114 surahs less surah 1 and surah 9. Text is stored VERBATIM: NFC normalisation and XML entity unescaping only, because CC BY-ND forbids modification.
CLEARED on a licence read first-hand from the translator's own download page, not from an aggregator. Tanzil also hosts this translation, but under a blanket "non-commercial purposes only" term that directs the user to the translator or publisher for permission - a hosting disclaimer, not a grant - so the grant was taken from the licensor directly. The "God" edition was ingested; ClearQuran also publishes an "Allah" edition, differing in how the divine name is rendered, which is not ingested.
CLEARED ON THE WORK, WITH TWO RECORDED CAVEATS ON THIS COPY. (1) Rights basis is the expired copyright term, NOT the redistributing repository's licence. That repository dedicates its contents to the public domain under the Unlicense while also redistributing plainly in-copyright translations (Abdel Haleem, Saheeh International, The Study Quran), so it is dedicating rights it cannot hold and its blanket grant is not relied upon here. (2) The file declares its own upstream as tanzil.net, and Tanzil attaches a non-commercial condition to its TRANSLATION distributions, though not to its Qur'anic text. Since Pickthall's copyright has expired, nobody holds rights in these words and no licence is required from anyone; Tanzil's terms are a contract binding those who download from Tanzil, which we did not. The chain is nonetheless not spotless and Anwar may prefer a clean digitisation of the 1930 printing. NOT VERIFIED: that this digital text matches the 1930 first printing rather than a later revised edition. No page images were collated. Recorded as unverified rather than presented as established. SERVED TEXT DIFFERS FROM THE CITED FILE AT ONE VERSE, 37:97: the file reads "red-hotfire" (a glued token, also in Gutenberg #16955); the served row reads "red-hot fire", restored 2026-09-13 from Pickthall, The Meaning of the Glorious Koran (London: George Allen & Unwin, printed for Alfred A. Knopf; 1930), p. 460, XXXVII 97 - scan archive.org in.ernet.dli.2015.216140, PDF page 475; banked data/derivation-sources/pickthall-1930-dli-2015.216140-text.pdf (sha256 70e81146c97fa3a590243a82e04e349108546074787e2551a78c616202138870) on Anwar Malik's grant.
Hafs/Kufan verse numbering, 6236 verses, keyed to mushaf order. The
bismillah is not fused into ayah 1: 1:1 carries it and no other verse
does. Verified against content check C3 at ingest.
CLEARED ON THE WORK. Term expired by every measure. The digital edition's upstream is not stated by the redistributor and the printing is unverified. No statement of purpose is recorded for Palmer because none was sourced from his own preface in this pass; nothing is asserted on his behalf.
Hafs/Kufan verse numbering, 6236 verses, keyed to mushaf order. The
bismillah is not fused into ayah 1: 1:1 carries it and no other verse
does. Verified against content check C3 at ingest.
CLEARED ON THE WORK. Term expired by every measure. TWO edition caveats. (1) The upstream is not stated by the redistributor. (2) Rodwell's own edition PRESENTS THE SURAHS IN HIS OWN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER, not the mushaf order — he says so in his preface. This digital text is keyed to mushaf order, so it derives from a restored-order printing (such as the Everyman edition) rather than from Rodwell's own arrangement. Which printing is not stated and has not been established.
Hafs/Kufan verse numbering, 6236 verses, keyed to mushaf order. The
bismillah is not fused into ayah 1: 1:1 carries it and no other verse
does. Verified against content check C3 at ingest.
CLEARED ON THE WORK. Term expired by every measure. The digital edition's upstream is NOT STATED by the redistributor, so the printing it represents is unverified; Sale's text was reprinted and re-edited many times between 1734 and 1900. Recorded as unverified rather than assumed to be the first edition.
Hafs/Kufan verse numbering, 6236 ayahs. The bismillah is delivered as a separate `bismillah` attribute on ayah 1 and is NOT fused into the ayah text. 112 surahs carry one: every surah except al-Fatiha, where the bismillah is ayah 1:1 itself, and at-Tawba, which has none. Sourced from the XML output; the plain-text output of the same release DOES fuse it, which is defect D1.
CLEARED. Parallel edition, held in ayah_text_variants. It sits alongside the Uthmani spine for search normalisation and is never used to correct it.