16. An-Nahl (The Bee): 65-69
It is God who sends water down from the sky and with it revives the earth when it is dead. There truly is a sign in this for people who listen. In livestock, too, you have a lesson- We give you a drink from the contents of their bellies, between waste matter and blood, pure milk, sweet to the drinker. From the fruits of date palms and grapes you take sweet juice and wholesome provisions. There truly is a sign in this for people who use their reason. And your Lord inspired the bee, saying, ‘Build yourselves houses in the mountains and trees and what people construct. Then feed on all kinds of fruit and follow the ways made easy for you by your Lord.’ From their bellies comes a drink of different colours in which there is healing for people. There truly is a sign in this for those who think. (Abdul Haleem)
And Allah has sent down rain from the sky and given life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who listen. And indeed, for you in grazing livestock is a lesson. We give you drink from what is in their bellies - between excretion and blood - pure milk, palatable to drinkers. And from the fruits of the palm trees and grapevines you take intoxicant and good provision. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who reason. And your Lord inspired to the bee, "Take for yourself among the mountains, houses [i.e., hives], and among the trees and [in] that which they construct. Then eat from all the fruits and follow the ways of your Lord laid down [for you]." There emerges from their bellies a drink, varying in colors, in which there is healing for people. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought. (Saheeh International)
And Allah sends down rain from the skies, and gives therewith life to the earth after its death: verily in this is a Sign for those who listen. And verily in cattle (too) will ye find an instructive sign. From what is within their bodies, between excretions and blood, We produce, for your drink, milk, pure and agreeable to those who drink it. And from the fruit of the date-palm and the vine, ye get out drink and wholesome food: behold, in this also is a sign for those who are wise. And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills, on trees, and in (men´s) habitations; Then to eat of all the produce (of the earth), and find with skill the spacious paths of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colours, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought. (Yusuf Ali)
AND GOD sends down water from the skies, giving life thereby to the earth after it had been lifeless: in this, behold, there is a message indeed for people who [are willing to] listen. And, behold, in the cattle [too] there is indeed a lesson for you: We give you to drink of that [fluid] which is [secreted from] within their bellies between that which is to be eliminated [from the animal's body] and [its] life-blood: milk pure and pleasant to those who drink it. And [We grant you nourishment] from the fruit of date-palms and vines: from it you derive intoxicants as well as wholesome sustenance - in this, behold, there is a message indeed for people who use their reason! And [consider how] thy Sustainer has inspired the bee: "Prepare for thyself dwellings in mountains and in trees, and in what [men] may build [for thee by way of hives]; and then eat of all manner of fruit, and follow humbly the paths ordained for thee by thy Sustainer." [And lo!] there issues from within these [bees] a fluid of many hues, wherein there is health for man. In all this, behold, there is a message indeed for people who think! (Muhammad Asad)
And Allah sends down rain from the sky, giving life to the earth after its death. Surely in this is a sign for those who listen. And there is certainly a lesson for you in cattle: We give you to drink of what is in their bellies, from between digested food and blood: pure milk, pleasant to drink. And from the fruits of palm trees and grapevines you derive intoxicants as well as wholesome provision. Surely in this is a sign for those who understand. And your Lord inspired the bees: “Make ˹your˺ homes in the mountains, the trees, and in what people construct, and feed from ˹the flower of˺ any fruit ˹you please˺ and follow the ways your Lord has made easy for you.” From their bellies comes forth liquid of varying colours, in which there is healing for people. Surely in this is a sign for those who reflect. (Mustafa Khattab)
God sends down water from the skies and quickens the dead earth to a new birth. Here is a sign for those who listen. And surely in cattle there is a lesson for you: We give you a drink from the extract of food in their bellies and blood-purest milk so delicious to drink; And in fruits of the date-palm and the vine, from which you obtain inebriating drinks and excellent food. In this indeed are signs for those who understand. Your Lord predisposed the bees to make their hives in mountains, trees and trellices, And suck from all fruits and flit about the unrestricted paths of their Lord. A drink of various hues comes out of their bellies which contains medicine for men. In this is a sign for those who reflect. (Ahmed Ali)
(This Divine Writ has the power to revive the intellectually dead, and those who are going through a life unlived. The likeliness of the Qur'an is that) God sends down water from the sky, giving life thereby to the earth after it had been lifeless. Herein, is a Message for those who hear and listen. In the cattle too there is a lesson for you. We give you to drink from their bellies, processed through the digested food and blood, pure milk pleasant to those who drink it. [23:21] Of the fruits of the date palm, and grapes, from which you make (the harmful) intoxicants, as well as wholesome sustenance. In this is a Message for those who use their sense. Consider how your Lord inspired the bee, 'Build for yourself dwellings in hills and in trees, and in what people may build.' 'And then eat from fruits of all kind, and follow the ways that your Lord has made easy for you.' And then comes forth from their bellies a delicious drink of many hues, in which there is healing for people. In all this, there is a Message for people who are willing to listen. [Notice the female gender used throughout for bees. They are the worker bees. Interestingly, Shakespeare wrote: Honeybees are soldiers and they have a king. 'Made easy for you' relates to the bee endowed with superb navigational skills] (Shabbir Ahmed)