And if We delay from them the punishment until a reckoned time, they will say: “What detains it?” In truth, the day it comes to them, it will not be averted from them; and there will surround them that whereat they mocked.
| # | word | meaning | root |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | wala-in | And if | |
| 2 | akharnā | We delay | اخر |
| 3 | ʿanhumu | from them | |
| 4 | l-ʿadhāba | the punishment | عذب |
| 5 | ilā | for | |
| 6 | ummatin | a time | امم |
| 7 | maʿdūdatin | determined | عدد |
| 8 | layaqūlunna | they will surely say | قول |
| 9 | mā | What | |
| 10 | yaḥbisuhu | detains it | حبس |
| 11 | alā | No doubt | |
| 12 | yawma | (On) the Day | يوم |
| 13 | yatīhim | it comes to them | اتي |
| 14 | laysa | not | ليس |
| 15 | maṣrūfan | (will be) averted | صرف |
| 16 | ʿanhum | from them | |
| 17 | waḥāqa | and will surround | حيق |
| 18 | bihim | them | |
| 19 | mā | what | |
| 20 | kānū | they used (to) | كون |
| 21 | bihi | mock at [it] | |
| 22 | yastahziūna | mock at [it] | هزا |
If We postpone the punishment for them for a limited time, they will say, ‘What is holding it back?’ No, indeed! The day it reaches them it will not be averted from them and the things they mocked at will encompass them.
And if We delay for them the retribution to a near period, they will Say: "What has kept it" Alas, on the day it comes to them, nothing will turn it away from them, and what they used to mock will catch-up with them.
And when We delay for them the retribution until after the Period of Respite, they will surely say, "What is keeping back the doom?" Ah! On the day it actually reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them. And their mockery will completely surround them.
And if We delay from them the punishment until a reckoned time, they will say: “What detains it?” In truth, the day it comes to them, it will not be averted from them; and there will surround them that whereat they mocked.
And if We delay for them the retribution to a near period, they will say: "What has kept it?" Alas, on the day it comes to them, nothing will turn it away from them, and they will be surrounded by that which they used to mock.
If We delay for them the retribution to a near period, they will say, "What has kept it?" Alas, on the day it comes to them, nothing will turn it away from them, and what they used to mock will catch up with them.
And if we delay the retribution they have incurred - for we reserve it for a specific community - they say, "What is keeping Him?" In fact, once it comes to them, nothing can stop it, and their mocking will come back to haunt them.
If We defer their punishment for a certain time, they will say: "What is keeping it back?" And yet, the day it comes, they will not be able to avert it; and what they used to laugh at will encompass them.
And if We hold back from them the punishment for a limited time, they will surely say, "What detains it?" Unquestionably, on the Day it comes to them, it will not be averted from them, and they will be enveloped by what they used to ridicule.
And thus it is: if We defer their suffering until a time-limit set , they are sure to say, "What is preventing it ?" Oh, verily, on the Day when it befalls them there will be nothing to avert it from them; and they shall be overwhelmed by the very thing which they were wont to deride.
And if We delay for them the doom until a reckoned time, they will surely say: What withholdeth it? Verily on the day when it cometh unto them, it cannot be averted from them, and that which they derided will surround them.
And were We to put off the chastisement from them for a determined period, they will cry out: 'What withholds Him from chastising?' Surely when the day of the chastisement will come, nothing will avert it and the chastisement which they had ridiculed shall encompass them.
And if We in all manner of wisdom delay their retributive punishment to a determined point of time giving them a chance to come-back to their senses, they shall say: "What keeps it back!" Indeed the Day the punishment comes about and falls to their lot, no expedient shall ever avert it, and on all sides shall they be beset by the same material and immaterial things they turned in to ridicule.
If I postpone the most severe punishment which they have earned (and is reserved for certain communities (such as Sodom & Gomorrah)), they will start making fun and say: "How come our punishment is delayed?" If they knew how their mocking will come back to haunt them, when they get their punishment.
And if We delay the torment for them till a determined term, they are sure to say, "What keeps it back?" Verily, on the day it reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them, and they will be surrounded by (or fall in) that at which they used to mock!
If We delay the penalty for them for a definite term, they are sure to say, "What keeps it back?" Ah! On the day it (actually) reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them, and they will be completely encircled by that which they used to mock at!
And if We delay their punishment until an appointed time, they will definitely say, "What is holding it back?" Indeed, on the Day it overtakes them, it will not be averted from them, and they will be overwhelmed by what they used to ridicule.
And if We defer the punishment for them for a certain time, they will say, "What is holding it back?" Beware, the day it will visit them, it shall not be turned back from them, and they shall be besieged by what they used to ridicule.
If We defer their punishment for a determined time, they are sure to say, ‘What is holding it back?’ But on the Day it comes upon them, nothing will divert it from them; what they mocked will be all around them.
And if We postpone the chastisement from them till a reckoned moment they will say 'What is detaining it?' Surely, the day it shall come to them, it shall not be turned aside from them, and they shall be encompassed by that they mocked at.
and if we keep back from them the torment to a stated generation, they will surely say, 'What hinders it?' - Aye! on the day it comes to them there is no turning it away from them, but that shall close in on them at which they mocked.
He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and His Throne (or authority, control) was (first) upon the Water that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct. But should you say, "You will be raised up after death," those who disbelieve will surely say, "This is naught but obvious magic."
And indeed in case We defer the torment from them till an (already) fixed round, (Literally: already numbered nation) indeed they will definitely say, "What is detaining it?" Verily, the day it will come up to them, it will not be turned about from them, and whatever they used to mock at will redound on them.
And verily if We defer their punishment unto a determined season, they will say, what hindreth it from falling on us? Will it not come upon them on a day, wherein there shall be none to avert it from them; and that which they scoffed at shall encompass them?
If We postpone the penalty for them for a fixed time, they are sure to say, "What keeps it back?" Verily! On the day when it reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them, and they will completely fall into what they used to joke about!
Infact, if We defer the punishment from them till a reckoned time they would certainly ask, `What is that which withholds it?' Behold! the day this (punishment) befalls them, it shall not be such as to be averted from them. And that (punishment) which they used to hold in scorn, shall overwhelm them.
And if We defer their punishment until a certain time, they will surely say, ‘What holds it back?’ Look! On the day it overtakes them it shall not be turned away from them, and they will be besieged by what they used to deride.