(8:31) And when Our verses are recited to them, they say, “We have heard. If we willed, we could say [something] like this. This is not but legends of the former peoples.”
Muhammad Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali and Muhammad Muhsin Khan,
(8:31) And when Our Verses (of the Quran) are recited to them, they say: “We have heard this (the Quran); if we wish we can say the like of this. This is nothing but the tales of the ancients.”
Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall
(8:31) And when Our revelations are recited unto them they say: We have heard. If we wish we can speak the like of this. Lo! this is naught but fables of the men of old.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
(8:31) When Our Signs are rehearsed to them, they say: “We have heard this (before): if we wished, we could say (words) like these: these are nothing but tales of the ancients.”
Mohammad Habib Shakir
(8:31) And when Our communications are recited to them, they say: We have heard indeed; if we pleased we could say the like of it; this is nothing but the stories of the ancients.
Dr. Ghali
(8:31) And when Our signs are recited to them, they said, “We have already heard; if we decided, we would indeed say the like of this; decidedly this is nothing except the myths of the earliest (people).”
Ali Unal
(8:31) When Our Revelations are recited to them, they say: “We have heard (the like of this before many times); if we wish, we can speak the like of this; this is nothing but fables of the ancients.”
Amatul Rahman Omar
(8:31) And when Our verses are recited to them they say, `We have already heard (them before). If we so wish, we could certainly compose the like of this. These are nothing but fables of the former peoples.´
Literal
(8:31) And when Our evidences/verses are read/recited on them, they said: “We had heard/listened, and if we116want/will we would have said similar/equal (to) that, that that (is) except the firsts`/beginners` myths/baseless stories .”
Ahmed Ali
(8:31) When Our messages were read out to them, they said: “We have heard. We could certainly compose (writings) like them if we choose. They are but only tales of long ago.”
A. J. Arberry
(8:31) And When Our signs were being recited to them, they said, ‘We have already heard; if we wished, we could say the like of this; this is naught but the fairy-tales of the ancients.’
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
(8:31) And when Our revelations are rehearsed unto them, they say: we have heard; we could if we willed, surely say something the like thereof; naught is this but fables of the ancients.
Maulana Mohammad Ali
(8:31)-
Muhammad Sarwar
(8:31) When Our revelations are recited to them (the unbelievers), they say, “We have heard them. Had we wanted, we could also have composed such statements; they are no more than ancient legends.”
Hamid Abdul Aziz
(8:31) But when Our verses were recited to them they said, “We have already heard. If We pleased We could speak like this; verily, this is nothing but tales of ancient folk.”
Faridul Haque
(8:31) And when Our verses are recited to them they say, “Yes, we have heard – if we wanted we could also say something like this – these are nothing but stories of former people!”
Talal Itani
(8:31) And when Our revelations are recited to them, they say, We have heard. Had we wanted, we could have said the like of this; these are nothing but myths of the ancients.
Ahmed Raza Khan
(8:31) And when Our verses are recited to them they say, Yes, we have heard if we wanted we could also say something like this these are nothing but stories of former people!
Wahiduddin Khan
(8:31) Whenever Our revelations are recited to them, they say, “We have heard them. If we wished, we could produce the like. They are nothing but the fables of the ancients.”
Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri
(8:31) And when Our Ayat are recited to them, they say: “We have heard (the Qur’an); if we wish we can say the like of this. This is nothing but the tales of the ancients.”
Ali Quli Qarai
(8:31) When Our signs are recited to them, they say, We have heard already. If we want, we [too] can say like this. These are nothing but myths of the ancients.
Hasan al-Fatih Qaribullah and Ahmad Darwish
(8:31) Whenever Our verses are recited to them, they say: ‘We have heard them, if we wished, we could speak its like. They are but tales of the ancients’
That is translated surah Al Anfal ayat 31 (QS 8: 31) in arabic and english text, may be useful.
Waitha tutla AAalayhim ayatuna qaloo qad samiAAna law nashao laqulna mithla hatha in hatha illa asateeru alawwaleena
