They pray to him whose bane is more imminent than his boon: How bad the protector and how bad the associate!

They worship one from whom harm is expected more than the benefit; indeed what an evil master and indeed what an evil friend!

He calls upon him who is likelier to hurt him, rather than to profit him -- an evil protector indeed, he, an evil friend!

[And sometimes] he invokes [another human being] one that is far more likely to cause harm than benefit: vile, indeed, is such a patron and vile the follower!

He calleth upon him whose hurt is nearer than his profit: surely ill the patron! ill the comrade!

He calls unto him whose harm is nearer than his profit; certainly, and evil Maula (patron) and certainly an evil friend!

He invokes one whose harm is closer than his benefit. What a miserable master. What a miserable companion.

He invokes one whose harm is closer than his benefit. What a miserable master. What a miserable companion.

He calls upon one whose harm is closer than his benefit. What a miserable master, and what an evil companion.

He calls upon one whose harm is closer than his benefit. What a miserable master, and what an evil companion.

They invoke those whose worship leads to harm, not benefit. What an evil patron and what an evil associate!

He invokes those that are more likely to cause him harm than benefit. Such is surely an evil patron, and an evil associate.

He calls unto him whose harm is nearer than his profit; certainly an evil Mawla and certainly an evil `Ashir!

He calleth unto him whose harm is nearer than his benefit; verily an evil patron and verily an evil friend!

He invokes someone whose harm is surely likelier than his benefit. An evil ally indeed, and an evil companion!

He calls upon him whose harm is nearer than his benefit, an evil guide and an evil friend.

He invokes one whose harm is closer than his benefit - how wretched the protector and how wretched the associate.

Their worship of such things, in which there is no hope for any benefit, can only harm them. How terrible is such a guardian and companion!

He calls upon him whose harm is nearer than his profit; evil certainly is the guardian and evil certainly is the associate.

YadAAoo laman darruhu aqrabu min nafAAihi labisa almawla walabisa alAAasheeru

yadʿū laman ḍarruhu aqrabu min nafʿihi labi'sa l-mawlā walabi'sa l-ʿashīru

he calls on that which would sooner harm than help. Such a patron is indeed evil and such a companion is indeed evil.

(Perhaps) they call on one whose hurt is nearer than his profit: evil, indeed, is the patron, and evil the companion (or help)!