তারা বলল-হে সালেহ, ইতিপূর্বে তোমার কাছে আমাদের বড় আশা ছিল। আমাদের বাপ-দাদা যা পূজা করত তুমি কি আমাদেরকে তার পূজা করতে নিষেধ কর? কিন্তু যার প্রতি তুমি আমাদের আহবান জানাচ্ছ আমাদের তাতে এমন সন্দেহ রয়েছে যে, মন মোটেই সায় দিচ্ছে না।
They said: ”O Sâlih (Saleh)! You have been among us as a figure of good hope (and we wished for you to be our chief), till this [new thing which you have brought; that we leave our gods and worship your God (Allâh) Alone]! Do you (now) forbid us the worship of what our fathers have worshipped? But we are really in grave doubt as to that which you invite us to (monotheism).”
قَالُواْ يَا صَالِحُ قَدْ كُنتَ فِينَا مَرْجُوًّا قَبْلَ هَـذَا أَتَنْهَانَا أَن نَّعْبُدَ مَا يَعْبُدُ آبَاؤُنَا وَإِنَّنَا لَفِي شَكٍّ مِّمَّا تَدْعُونَا إِلَيْهِ مُرِيبٍ
Qaloo ya salihu qad kunta feena marjuwwan qabla hatha atanhana an naAAbuda ma yaAAbudu abaona wa-innana lafee shakkin mimma tadAAoona ilayhi mureebun
YUSUFALI: They said: “O Salih! thou hast been of us! a centre of our hopes hitherto! dost thou (now) forbid us the worship of what our fathers worshipped? But we are really in suspicious (disquieting) doubt as to that to which thou invitest us.”
PICKTHAL: They said: O Salih! Thou hast been among us hitherto as that wherein our hope was placed. Dost thou ask us not to worship what our fathers worshipped? Lo! we verily are in grave doubt concerning that to which thou callest us.
SHAKIR: They said: O Salih! surely you were one amongst us in whom great expectations were placed before this; do you (now) forbid us from worshipping what our fathers worshipped? And as to that which you call us to, most surely we are in disquieting doubt.
KHALIFA: They said, “O Saaleh, you used to be popular among us before this. Are you enjoining us from worshiping what our parents are worshiping? We are full of doubt concerning everything you have told us.”