بعدما ضاقت الأرض على سكانها

17:09 Jan 9, 2014 

Well ... First off, I would like to thank Abul A'la for drawing my attention to the issue of repetition and introducing me to this great book.

Second, I would like to thank Hasna and Salah for contributing to the discussion. Before I attempted the translation, I did look at different translations of the Quranic verses. Despite the fact that the expression is the same, the context and meanings are totally different. The Quranic verses deals with feelings of sin, while the quote I am translating has to do with poverty, population growth, and the related problems of Upper Egypt.

I reasoned that if I use any of the translations made for the Quranic verse, it will sound ambiguous to the audience and they wont grasp the intended meaning related to this specific
context : )

05:22 Jan 9, 2014 

I support sister Hasna.
I opened this question to post the same idea that such a rhetoric expression is derived from the Quran. It is mentioned two times in Surat (chapter) of At-Tawbah (chapter no. 9): verses 25 and 118

03:21 Jan 9, 2014 

please be noted that ضاقت الأرض على سكانها
is an idiom which has nothing to do with overpopulation.it is derived from the Qu'ranic idiom :
وَعَلَى الثَّلَاثَةِ الَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْفُسُهُمْ وَظَنُّوا أَنْ لَا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

02:54 Jan 9, 2014 

State negligence of the countryside, especially in the later years, has led to extensive migrations from the (area), particularly from Upper Egypt, where overpopulation and tight living conditions prevail

http://books.google.co.in/books?id=St40jaicMaQC&pg=PA205&lpg...

23:58 Jan 8, 2014 

Well ... Okay ... Based on all the great answers given, I see that the phrase does carry both meanings: the meaning related to overpopulation, therefore resulting in the second meaning: poverty/lack of jobs, etc.

Accordingly, this is the translation I attempted and I would like to hear your thoughts:

State negligence of the countryside, especially in the later years, has led to extensive migrations from the countryside, particularly from Upper Egypt, where overpopulation and tight living conditions prevail