23

And your Rabb has decreed, He has commanded, that you worship none save Him, and, that you show, kindness to parents, by being dutiful to them. If they should reach old age with you, one of them (ahaduhumā is the subject [of the verb]) or both (a variant reading [for yablughanna] has yablughān, 'both [should] reach', in which case ahaduhumā would be substituting for the [dual indicator] alif [of yablughān]) then do not say to them 'Fie' (read uffan or uffin, uffa or uffi, a verbal noun meaning tabban, 'perish!' or qubhan, 'evil!') nor repulse them, but speak to them gracious words, fair and gentle [words].