(And thou wouldst have deemed them) O Muhammad (waking) not sleeping (though they were asleep, and we caused them to turn over to the right and the left) once each year so that the earth does not eat away their flesh, (and their dog) Qatmir (stretching out his paws on the threshold) at the entrance of the Cave. (If thou hadst observed them closely) in that state (thou hadst assuredly turned away from them in flight, and hadst been filled with awe of them) and you would have been sacred of them.