لَوۡ كَانَ عَرَضٗا قَرِيبٗا وَسَفَرٗا قَاصِدٗا لَّٱتَّبَعُوكَ وَلَٰكِنۢ بَعُدَتۡ عَلَيۡهِمُ ٱلشُّقَّةُۚ وَسَيَحۡلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَوِ ٱسۡتَطَعۡنَا لَخَرَجۡنَا مَعَكُمۡ يُهۡلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمۡ وَٱللَّهُ يَعۡلَمُ إِنَّهُمۡ لَكَٰذِبُونَ
Had there been some wealth near at hand or a short journey, they would have certainly accompanied you, but the difficult path became very distant for them; and they will now swear by Allah that “Had we been able, we would have surely accompanied you”; they destroy their own souls; and Allah knows that undoubtedly, they are indeed liars.
Tafsir:
Why Hypocrites would not join in Jihad
Allah admonishes those who lagged behind and did not join the Prophet for the battle of Tabuk, those who asked the Prophet for permission to remain behind, falsely pretending to have legitimate reasons to do so,
لَوْ كَانَ عَرَضًا قَرِيبًا
(Had it been a near gain), booty right in front of them, according to Ibn `Abbas,
وَسَفَرًا قَاصِدًا
(and an easy journey), travel for only a short distance,
لاَّتَّبَعُوكَ
(they would have followed you.) But,
وَلَـكِن بَعُدَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الشُّقَّةُ
(the distance was long for them), to Ash-Sham,
وَسَيَحْلِفُونَ بِاللَّهِ
(and they would swear by Allah), when you return to them,
لَوِ اسْتَطَعْنَا لَخَرَجْنَا مَعَكُمْ
(If we only could, we would certainly have come forth with you), had not there been a valid excuse, we would have gone out with you,
يُهْلِكُونَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَـذِبُونَ
(They destroy themselves, and Allah knows that they are liars.)