But they said, “Our Lord! Make ˹the distances of˺ our journeys longer,” wronging themselves.1 So We reduced them to ˹cautionary˺ tales, and scattered them utterly. Surely in this are lessons for whoever is steadfast, grateful.
These readings have the vocative with an imperative verb (supplication).
رَبُّنَا بَاعَدَ
Rabbunā baʿada
“Our Lord has made distant our staging posts”
This reading has a nominal subject with its predicate as a verb describing the action of the Lord, by way of complaint.
Explanation
The context implies that the people of Sheba were admonished to be grateful to their Lord who had extended their civilisation and made transportation easy between its parts. The first two readings indicate that instead, they called sarcastically for these blessings to be taken away. Yaʿqūb's reading describes another form of mocking, i.e. that these people – who did not actually believe in Allah – complained that things were not easy enough for their liking [Ibn 'Ashur].
He has revealed to you ˹O Prophet˺ the Book in truth, confirming what came before it, as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel
Explanation
The context implies that the people of Sheba were admonished to be grateful to their Lord who had extended their civilisation and made transportation easy between its parts. The first two readings indicate that instead, they called sarcastically for these blessings to be taken away. Yaʿqūb's reading describes another form of mocking, i.e. that these people – who did not actually believe in Allah – complained that things were not easy enough for their liking [Ibn 'Ashur].