وَلَوْ And if شِئْنَا We willed لَرَفَعْنَـٰهُ surely, We (could) have raised him بِهَا with these وَلَـٰكِنَّهُۥٓ [and] but he أَخْلَدَ adhered إِلَى to ٱلْأَرْضِ the earth وَٱتَّبَعَ and followed هَوَىٰهُ ۚ his (vain) desires فَمَثَلُهُۥ So his example كَمَثَلِ (is) like (the) example ٱلْكَلْبِ (of) the dog إِن if تَحْمِلْ you attack عَلَيْهِ [on] him يَلْهَثْ he lolls out his tongue أَوْ or تَتْرُكْهُ if you leave him يَلْهَث ۚ he lolls out his tongue ذَّٰلِكَ That مَثَلُ (is the) example ٱلْقَوْمِ (of) the people ٱلَّذِينَ who كَذَّبُوا۟ denied بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا ۚ [in] Our Signs فَٱقْصُصِ So relate ٱلْقَصَصَ the story لَعَلَّهُمْ so that they may يَتَفَكَّرُونَ reflect ١٧٦
And if We had willed, We could have elevated him thereby, but he adhered [instead] to the earth and followed his own desire. So his example is like that of the dog: if you chase him, he pants, or if you leave him, he [still] pants. That is the example of the people who denied Our signs. So relate the stories that perhaps they will give thought.
— Come To Light