Each [person] has [angels arrayed] before and behind him to protect him by God's command. God does not change the condition of a people unless they change what is in themselves. And when God intends ill for a people, there is no avoiding it. Apart from Him, they have no protector.

For each one there are successive angels before and behind, protecting them by Allah’s command. Indeed, Allah would never change a people’s state ˹of favour˺ until they change their own state ˹of faith˺. And if it is Allah’s Will to torment a people, it can never be averted, nor can they find a protector other than Him.

[thinking that] he has hosts of helpers-both such as can be perceived by him and such as are hidden from him -that could preserve him from whatever God may have willed. Verily, God does not change men's condition unless they change their inner selves; and when God wills people to suffer evil [in consequence of their own evil deeds], there is none who could avert it: for they have none who could protect them from Him

Listen:

For him (are) successive (Angels) from (from) between his hands and from behind him, who guard him by (the) Command (of) Allah. Indeed, Allah (does) not change (that) the condition of a people, until they change what (is) in themselves. And when wills Allah for a people misfortune, then (there is) no turning away of it, and not for them from besides Him any protector.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning

Muhammad Asad [thinking that] he has hosts of helpers-both such as can be perceived by him and such as are hidden from him -that could preserve him from whatever God may have willed. Verily, God does not change men's condition unless they change their inner selves; and when God wills people to suffer evil [in consequence of their own evil deeds], there is none who could avert it: for they have none who could protect them from Him

M. M. Pickthall For him are angels ranged before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah's command. Lo! Allah changeth not the condition of a folk until they (first) change that which is in their hearts; and if Allah willeth misfortune for a folk there is none that can repel it, nor have they a defender beside Him

Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985) For each (such person) there are (angels) in succession, before and behind him: They guard him by command of Allah. Allah does not change a people's lot unless they change what is in their hearts. But when (once) Allah willeth a people's punishment, there can be no turning it back, nor will they find, besides Him, any to protect

The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab For each one there are successive angels before and behind, protecting them by Allah’s command. Indeed, Allah would never change a people’s state ˹of favour˺ until they change their own state ˹of faith˺. And if it is Allah’s Will to torment a people, it can never be averted, nor can they find a protector other than Him.

Safi Kaskas Each [person] has [angels arrayed] before and behind him to protect him by God's command. God does not change the condition of a people unless they change what is in themselves. And when God intends ill for a people, there is no avoiding it. Apart from Him, they have no protector.

Wahiduddin Khan Each has guardian angels before him and behind him, who watch him at God's command. God does not change the condition of a peoples lot, unless they change what is in their hearts. But when God decrees punishment for a people, none can ward it off. Besides Him, they have no protector

Shakir For his sake there are angels following one another, before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah's commandment; surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition; and when Allah intends evil to a people, there is no averting it, and besides Him they have no protector

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar For him there are Ones Who Postpone from before him and from behind him to keep him safe by the command of God. Truly, God alters not a folk until they alter what is within themselves. And when God wanted evil for a folk, then, there is no turning it back. And there is not for them other than He anyone who is a safeguarder.

T.B.Irving he has [angels] checking from both before him and behind him; they guard him at God´s command. God does not change what any people may have until they change whatever they themselves have. Whenever God wants something bad [to happen] to any people, there is no way to avert it nor have they any patron except for Him.

Abdul Hye For him, there are angels in succession, before and behind. They guard him by the command of Allah. Surely, Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. When Allah wills for a people misfortune, there can be no turning away of it, and there is no protector for them besides Him (Allah).

The Study Quran For him there are attendant angels to his front and to his rear, guarding him by God’s Command. Truly God alters not what is in a people until they alter what is in themselves. And when God desires evil for a people, there is no repelling it; and apart from Him they have no protector

Dr. Kamal Omar For him, there are (angel-) escorts inbetween his two hands (i.e., exactly on his front, just like a body-shield) and on his back. They guard him under command of Allah. Verily, Allah does not substitute whatever is in possession of a nation until they (themselves) substitute whatever is in possession of their selves. And when Allah intended about a nation (to inflict them with) evil, then there is not a way of return for this (punishment), and there is not for them, besides Him, out of a Protector

Farook Malik Each person has been assigned guardian angels before him and behind him, who watch him by the command of Allah. The fact is that Allah never changes the condition of a people until they intend to change it themselves. If Allah wants to afflict a people with misfortune, none can ward it off, nor they can find any protector besides Him

Talal A. Itani (new translation) He has a succession; before him and behind him, protecting him by God's command. God does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves. And if God wills any hardship for a people, there is no turning it back;, and apart from Him they have no protector

Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali For him are (angels) taking turns (on end) even before him (Literally: between his two hands) and even behind him, preserving him from the Command of Allah. Surely Allah does not change what is in a people until they change what is in themselves; and when Allah wills (to inflict) an odious (treatment) on a people, then there is no turning back for it; and apart from Him, in no way do they have any patron

Muhammad Sarwar Everyone is guarded and protected on all sides by the order of God. God does not change the condition of a nation unless it changes what is in its heart. When God wants to punish a people, there is no way to escape from it and no one besides God will protect them from it

Muhammad Taqi Usmani For every one (from among you) there are angels replacing one another, in front of him and behind him, who guard him under the command of Allah. Surely, Allah does not change the condition of a people unless they change themselves. When Allah intends evil for a people, there is no way to turn it back, and for them there is no patron other than Him

Shabbir Ahmed A person may think that he has helpers, perceptible (wealth etc) and imperceptible (status etc) that could preserve him from Allah's Requital. But the Law of Requital applies to individuals and nations. Verily, Allah never changes a nation's condition unless they change their inner selves (8:53). And when nations suffer Allah's Requital for their actions, there is none that can repel it, nor do they have a defender outside His Laws

Dr. Munir Munshey By the orders of Allah, the guardian angels accord protection. They keep watch in front of and behind everyone. Surely, Allah does not alter the fate of a nation till they change their own selves. If Allah intends evil for a people, there is no escape from it. They have no guardian besides Allah

Syed Vickar Ahamed For each one (human), there are (angels) one following the other, before and behind him: They guard him by the command of Allah. Surely Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change it themselves. But when Allah wills a punishment for a people, there is no holding it back; Nor will they find, anyone other than Him, to protect them

Umm Muhammad (Sahih International) For each one are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah . Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves. And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any patron

[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition) Present with him and behind him are retainers, they guard him by God's command. God is not to change what is in a people until they change what is within themselves. And if God wanted to harm a people, then there is no turning Him back, nor will they have any protector against Him

Abdel Haleem each person has guardian angels before him and behind, watching over him by God’s command. God does not change the condition of a people [for the worse] unless they change what is in themselves, but if He wills harm on a people, no one can ward it off–– apart from Him, they have no protector

Abdul Majid Daryabadi For him are angels in succession, before him and behind him; they guard him with Allah's command. Verily Allah altereth not that which is with a people until they alter that which is with themselves. And when Allah intendeth evil unto a people there is no turning it back; nor is for them, beside Him, any patron

Ahmed Ali His angels keep watch over him in succession (night and day), in front and behind, by God's command. Verily God does not change the state of a people till they change themselves. When God intends misfortune for a people no one can avert it, and no saviour will they have apart from Him

Aisha Bewley Everyone has a succession of angels in front of him and behind him, guarding him by Allah´s command. Allah never changes a people´s state until they change what is in themselves. When Allah desires evil for a people, there is no averting it. They have no protector apart from Him.

Ali Ünal (Every person advances through varying states before and after, and) by God’s command attendant angels succeeding one another accompany him before and after him to guard him (and record his deeds). God does not change the condition of a people unless they change what is in themselves. When God wills evil for a people (in consequence of their own evil deeds), it cannot be averted, and apart from Him, they have no protector

Ali Quli Qara'i He has guardian angels, to his front and his rear, who guard him by Allah’s command. Indeed Allah does not change a people’s lot, unless they change what is in their souls. And when Allah wishes to visit ill on a people, there is nothing that can avert it, and they have no protector besides Him

Hamid S. Aziz Each of them has a succession (of angels) before him and behind him, to keep guard over him at the command of Allah; verily, Allah changes not the condition of a people until they change that which is in their heart (or in their souls or change it for th

Ali Bakhtiari Nejad For each (person) there are followers in front of him and behind him which guard him by God’s command. Indeed God does not change condition of any group until they change what is in themselves. And when God wants something bad for a group, there is no turning it away and they have no protector besides Him

A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018) For each there are others in succession before and behind him. They guard him by command of God. Certainly God will never change the condition of a people until they change themselves. But when God wills a people’s punishment, there can be no turning it back, nor will they find besides Him any to protect

Musharraf Hussain A chain of angels in front and behind him is assigned by Allah to watch over him. Allah never changes the condition of a nation until they change what is in themselves, and if Allah wanted to destroy people, no one could stop Him, and they would have no protector besides Him.

Maududi There are guardians over everyone, both before him and behind him, who guard him by Allah´s command. Verily Allah does not change a people´s condition unless they change their inner selves. And when Allah decides to make a people suffer punishment, no one can avert it. Nor can any be of help to such a people against Allah

[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition) Present with him and behind him are retainers, they preserve him from the command of God. God does not change the condition of a people until they change the condition of their souls. And if God wanted to harm a people, then there is no turning Him back, nor will they have any protector against Him