وَلَوْ شِئْنَا لَرَفَعْنَٰهُ بِهَا وَلَٰكِنَّهُۥٓ أَخْلَدَ إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ ۚ فَمَثَلُهُۥ كَمَثَلِ ٱلْكَلْبِ إِن تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْهِ يَلْهَثْ أَوْ تَتْرُكْهُ يَلْهَث ۚ ذَّٰلِكَ مَثَلُ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا ۚ فَٱقْصُصِ ٱلْقَصَصَ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ
How to read it
Wa law' shi''nā larafaʻ'nāhu bihā walākinnahu 'akh'lada 'ilāl-'ar'ḍi wa-ttabaʻa hawāhu . famathaluhu kamathali l-kal'bi 'in taḥ'mil' ʻalay'hi yal'hath' 'aw' tat'ruk'hu yal'hath . dhdhālika mathalu l-qaw'mi -lladhīna kadhdhabū bi'āyātinā . fa-q'ṣuṣi l-qaṣaṣa laʻallahum' yatafakkarūna
If it had been Our will, We should have elevated him with Our signs; but he inclined to the earth, and followed his own vain desires. His similitude is that of a dog: if you attack him, he lolls out his tongue, or if you leave him alone, he (still) lolls out his tongue. That is the similitude of those who reject Our signs; So relate the story; perchance they may reflect.
Translation: Abdullah Yusuf Ali
