But whenever good fortune alighted upon them, they would say, "This is [but] our due"; and whenever affliction befell them, they would blame their evil fortune on Moses and those who followed him.95 Oh, verily, their [evil] fortune had been decreed by God - but most of them knew it not.
Asad Translation Note Number :
The phrase tatayyara bihi signifies "he attributed an evil omen to him" or "he augured evil from him". It is based on the pre-Islamic Arab custom of divining the future or establishing an omen from the flight of birds. Thus, the noun ta'ir (lit., "a flying creature" or "a bird") is often used in classical Arabic to denote "destiny" or "fortune", both good and evil, as in the next sentence of the above verse ("their [evil] fortune had been decreed by [lit., "was with"] God"). Instances of this tropical employment of the expressions ta'ir and tayr and their verbal derivations are also found in 3:49 , 5:110 , 17:13 , 27:47 , {36:18-19}.
Malik Quran Translation
But whenever they had good times they said "It is our due," and whenever evil befell them they ascribed that bad luck to Musa and those with him. Behold! In fact their misfortune was in the hands of Allah; yet most of them do not know.
Yusuf Ali Quran Translation
But when good (times) came they said "this is due to us"; when gripped by calamity they ascribed it to evil omens connected with Moses and those with him! Behold! in truth the omens of evil are theirs in Allah's sight but most of them do not understand! 1088
Yusuf Ali Translation Note Number :
Their superstition ascribed the punishment of their own wickedness to some evil omen. They thought Moses and his people brought them ill-luck. They did not look within themselves to see the root of evil, and the cause of their punishment! So it happens in all ages. People blame the righteous for something which they do, different from other men, instead of searching out their own lapses from rectitude, which are punished by Allah.
Mustafa Khattab Quran Translation
In times of prosperity, they said, “This is what we deserve,” but in adversity, they blamed it on Moses and those with him.1 Surely all is destined by Allah. Yet most of them did not know.
Mustafa Khattab Translation Note Number :
In psychology, this is called self-serving bias and scapegoating.
Piktal Quran Translation
But whenever good befell them, they said : This is ours; and whenever evil smote them they ascribed it to the evil auspices of Moses and those with him. Surely their evil auspice was only with Allah. But most of them knew not.
Quran Transliteration
Faitha jaathumu alhasanatu qaloo lana hathihi wain tusibhum sayyiatun yattayyaroo bimoosa waman maAAahu ala innamatairuhum AAinda Allahi walakinna aktharahum la yaAAlamoona