اِذْ اَنْتُمْ بِالْعُدْوَةِ الدُّنْیَا وَهُمْ بِالْعُدْوَةِ الْقُصْوٰى وَالرَّكْبُ اَسْفَلَ مِنْكُمْؕ وَلَوْ تَوَاعَدْتُمْ لَاخْتَلَفْتُمْ فِی الْمٖیعَادِۙ وَلٰكِنْ لِیَقْضِیَ اللّٰهُ اَمْرًا كَانَ مَفْعُولًاۙ لِیَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَنْ بَیِّنَةٍ وَیَحْیٰى مَنْ حَیَّ عَنْ بَیِّنَةٍؕ وَاِنَّ اللّٰهَ لَسَمٖیعٌ عَلٖیمٌۙ
Ith antum bialAAudwati alddunya wahum bialAAudwati alquswa waalrrakbu asfala minkum walaw tawaAAadtum laikhtalaftum fee almeeAAadi walakin liyaqdiya Allahu amran kana mafAAoolan liyahlika man halaka AAan bayyinatin wayahya man hayya AAan bayyinatin wainna Allaha lasameeAAun AAaleemun
Translations
[Remember] when you were on the near side of the valley, and they were on the farther side, and the caravan was lower [in position] than you. If you had made an appointment [to meet], you would have missed the appointment. But [it was] so that Allah might accomplish a matter already destined - that those who perished [through disbelief] would perish upon evidence and those who lived [in faith] would live upon evidence; and indeed, Allah is Hearing and Knowing
Saheeh International
When ye were on the near bank (of the valley) and they were on the yonder bank, and the caravan was below you (on the coast plain). And had ye trysted to meet one another ye surely would have failed to keep the tryst, but (it happened, as it did, without the forethought of either of you) that Allah might conclude a thing that must be done; that he who perished (on that day) might perish by a clear proof (of His Sovereignty) and he who survived might survive by a clear proof (of His Sovereignty). Lo! Allah in truth is Hearer, Knower
Marmaduke Pickthall