At-Tawbah: 42

Ayah

Word by Word

لَوۡ

كَانَ

it had been

عَرَضٗا

a gain

قَرِيبٗا

near

وَسَفَرٗا

and a journey

قَاصِدٗا

easy

لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ

surely they (would) have followed you

وَلَٰكِنۢ

but

بَعُدَتۡ

was long

عَلَيۡهِمُ

for them

ٱلشُّقَّةُۚ

the distance

وَسَيَحۡلِفُونَ

And they will swear

بِٱللَّهِ

by Allah

لَوِ

ٱسۡتَطَعۡنَا

we were able

لَخَرَجۡنَا

certainly we (would) have come forth

مَعَكُمۡ

with you

يُهۡلِكُونَ

They destroy

أَنفُسَهُمۡ

their own selves

وَٱللَّهُ

and Allah

يَعۡلَمُ

knows

إِنَّهُمۡ

(that) indeed they

لَكَٰذِبُونَ

(are) surely liars

Translation

If there had been immediate gain (in sight), and the journey easy, they would (all) without doubt have followed thee, but the distance was long, (and weighed) on them. They would indeed swear by Allah, "If we only could, we should certainly have come out with you": They would destroy their own souls; for Allah doth know that they are certainly lying.

Tafsir

Why Hypocrites would not join in Jihad Allah admonishes those who lagged behind and did not join the Prophet for the battle of Tabuk, those who asked the Prophet for permission to remain behind, falsely pretending to have legitimate reasons to do so, لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيبًا Had it been a near gain, According to Ibn Abbas, booty right in front of them, وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا and an easy journey, travel for only a short distance, لااَّتَّبَعُوكَ they would have followed you. وَلَـكِن بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّقَّةُ but, the distance was long for them), to Ash-Sham, وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللّهِ and they would swear by Allah, when you return to them, لَوِ اسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ If we only could, we would certainly have come forth with you, had not there been a valid excuse, we would have gone out with you, يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَاللّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ They destroy themselves, and Allah knows that they are liars.