قالَ لا تُؤاخِذني بِما نَسيتُ وَلا تُرهِقني مِن أَمري عُسرًا

He responded, “Don’t reprimand me for forgetting, and don’t be harsh with me.”

فَانطَلَقا حَتّىٰ إِذا لَقِيا غُلامًا فَقَتَلَهُ قالَ أَقَتَلتَ نَفسًا زَكِيَّةً بِغَيرِ نَفسٍ لَقَد جِئتَ شَيئًا نُكرًا

They journeyed on. Upon encountering a boy, he killed him. He questioned, “Did you kill an innocent soul who hadn’t taken another’s life? You did a terrible thing!”

قالَ أَلَم أَقُل لَكَ إِنَّكَ لَن تَستَطيعَ مَعِيَ صَبرًا

He replied, “Didn’t I tell you that you couldn’t be patient with me?”

قالَ إِن سَأَلتُكَ عَن شَيءٍ بَعدَها فَلا تُصاحِبني ۖ قَد بَلَغتَ مِن لَدُنّي عُذرًا

He said, “If I ask you about anything after this, don’t keep me in your company. You’ve already received enough excuses from me.”

فَانطَلَقا حَتّىٰ إِذا أَتَيا أَهلَ قَريَةٍ استَطعَما أَهلَها فَأَبَوا أَن يُضَيِّفوهُما فَوَجَدا فيها جِدارًا يُريدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ فَأَقامَهُ ۖ قالَ لَو شِئتَ لَاتَّخَذتَ عَلَيهِ أَجرًا

They journeyed on. Upon reaching a town, they asked its residents for food, but they denied them hospitality. There, they found a wall that was about to collapse, and he repaired it. He commented, “If you had wished, you could’ve demanded a wage for it.”

أَمَّا السَّفينَةُ فَكانَت لِمَساكينَ يَعمَلونَ فِي البَحرِ فَأَرَدتُ أَن أَعيبَها وَكانَ وَراءَهُم مَلِكٌ يَأخُذُ كُلَّ سَفينَةٍ غَصبًا

As for the boat, it belonged to poor people who worked at sea. I intended to damage it because a king was approaching who was seizing every boat by force.

وَأَمَّا الغُلامُ فَكانَ أَبَواهُ مُؤمِنَينِ فَخَشينا أَن يُرهِقَهُما طُغيانًا وَكُفرًا

As for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared he would overburden them with transgression and disbelief.

فَأَرَدنا أَن يُبدِلَهُما رَبُّهُما خَيرًا مِنهُ زَكاةً وَأَقرَبَ رُحمًا

So we desired that their Lord would give them in exchange someone better in purity and closer in mercy.

وَأَمَّا الجِدارُ فَكانَ لِغُلامَينِ يَتيمَينِ فِي المَدينَةِ وَكانَ تَحتَهُ كَنزٌ لَهُما وَكانَ أَبوهُما صالِحًا فَأَرادَ رَبُّكَ أَن يَبلُغا أَشُدَّهُما وَيَستَخرِجا كَنزَهُما رَحمَةً مِن رَبِّكَ ۚ وَما فَعَلتُهُ عَن أَمري ۚ ذٰلِكَ تَأويلُ ما لَم تَسطِع عَلَيهِ صَبرًا

As for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and beneath it was a treasure that was theirs. Their father was righteous, and your Lord intended for them to reach maturity and retrieve their treasure. I didn’t act of my own accord. This is the interpretation of that over which you couldn’t be patient.”

وَيَسأَلونَكَ عَن ذِي القَرنَينِ ۖ قُل سَأَتلو عَلَيكُم مِنهُ ذِكرًا

They ask you about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say, “I will narrate a portion of his story to you.”