وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَىٰ فَانكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ ۖ فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا فَوَاحِدَةً أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَلَّا تَعُولُوا ٣

And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan-girls, then marry (other) women of your choice, two or three, or four but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one or (the captives and the slaves) that your right hands possess. That is nearer to prevent you from doing injustice.

وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تُقْسِطُوا فِي الْيَتَامَىٰ

And if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly with the orphan-girls,

فَانكِحُوا مَا طَابَ لَكُم مِّنَ النِّسَاءِ

then marry (other) women of your choice,

مَثْنَىٰ وَثُلَاثَ وَرُبَاعَ ۖ

two or three, or four

فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا

but if you fear that you shall not be able to deal justly (with them),

فَوَاحِدَةً

then only one

أَوْ مَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُمْ ۚ

or (the captives and the slaves) that your right hands possess.

ذَٰلِكَ أَدْنَىٰ أَلَّا تَعُولُوا

That is nearer to prevent you from doing injustice.