Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And We destroyed the generations before you when they did wrong, and their messengers came to them with clear signs, but they were not to believe — thus reward We the lawbreaking people.

وَلَقَدْ اَهْلَكْنَا الْقُرُونَ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ لَمَّا ظَلَمُواۙ وَجَٓاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَمَا كَانُوا لِيُؤْمِنُواۜ كَذٰلِكَ نَجْزِي الْقَوْمَ الْمُجْرِم۪ينَ
Walaqad ahlakna alquroona minqablikum lamma thalamoo wajaat-humrusuluhum bilbayyinati wama kanooliyu/minoo kathalika najzee alqawma almujrimeen
#wordmeaningroot
1walaqadAnd verily
2ahlaknāWe destroyedهلك
3l-qurūnathe generationsقرن
4minbefore you
5qablikumbefore youقبل
6lammāwhen
7ẓalamūthey wrongedظلم
8wajāathumand came to themجيا
9rusuluhumtheir Messengersرسل
10bil-bayinātiwith clear proofsبين
11wamābut not
12kānūthey wereكون
13liyu'minūto believeامن
14kadhālikaThus
15najzīWe recompenseجزي
16l-qawmathe peopleقوم
17l-muj'rimīna(who are) criminalsجرم
  • Aisha Bewley

    We destroyed generations before you when they did wrong. Their Messengers brought them the Clear Signs, but they were never going to have iman. That is how We repay evildoers.

  • Progressive Muslims

    We have destroyed the generations before you when they transgressed, and their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they were not to believe. It is such that We will recompense the criminal people.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    We annihilated many nations before you for their violation of human rights. Their Messengers had come to them with clear evidence of the Truth, but they refused to believe them. Thus do We reward those who steal the fruit of others' labor.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And We destroyed the generations before you when they did wrong, and their messengers came to them with clear signs, but they were not to believe — thus reward We the lawbreaking people.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And We have destroyed the generations before you when they transgressed; and their messengers had come to them with clear proofs, but they would not believe. It is such that We recompense the criminal people.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    We have destroyed the generations before you when they transgressed, and their messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they were not to acknowledge. It is such that We will recompense the criminal people.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Many a generation we have annihilated before you when they transgressed. Their messengers went to them with clear proofs, but they refused to believe. We thus requite the guilty people.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    How many generations did We lay low before you when they became wilfully unjust. Their apostles had brought clear proofs to them, yet they never believed. So We punished the sinful people.

  • Sahih International (Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)

    And We had already destroyed generations before you when they wronged, and their messengers had come to them with clear proofs, but they were not to believe. Thus do We recompense the criminal people

  • Muhammad Asad

    And, indeed, We destroyed before your time generations when they did evil although the apostles sent unto them brought them all evidence of the truth; for they refused to believe . Thus do We requite people who are lost in sin.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    We destroyed the generations before you when they did wrong; and their messengers (from Allah) came unto them with clear proofs (of His Sovereignty) but they would not believe. Thus do We reward the guilty folk.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Surely We destroyed the nations (which had risen to heights of glory in their times) before you when they indulged in wrong-doing and refused to believe even when their Messengers brought clear signs to them. Thus do We recompense the people who are guilty.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Destruction and death of generations that preceded in order of time were events you people must have heard of. They were wrongful of actions. They received Messengers as spectacles and warnings but they refused to give credence to their messages and to the divine enlightenment, thus do We requite the wicked.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Do not forget that, before you, I destroyed nations who had chosen the injustice as their way of life. They chose to disbelieve in their Messengers (whom I had sent with undeniable miracles.) I deal with the criminal people in such a manner

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And indeed, We destroyed generations before you when they did wrong, while their Messengers came to them with clear proofs, but they were not such as to believe! Thus do We requite the people who are Mujrimûn (disbelievers, polytheists, sinners, criminals).

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Generations before you We destroyed when they did wrong: their messengers came to them with clear-signs, but they would not believe! thus do We requite those who sin!

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    We surely destroyed ˹other˺ peoples before you when they did wrong, and their messengers came to them with clear proofs but they would not believe! This is how We reward the wicked people.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Indeed We have destroyed generations before you when they transgressed, and their Messengers had come to them with clear signs, but they were not the ones who would believe. This is how We punish the guilty people.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Before you people, We destroyed whole generations when they did evil- their messengers brought them clear signs but they refused to believe. This is how We repay the guilty.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    We destroyed the generations before you when they did evil, and their Messengers came to them with the clear signs, but they would not believe; so We recompense the people of the sinners.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    We have already destroyed generations before you when they did wrong, and there came to them their apostles with manifest signs, but they would not believe. Thus do we reward the sinful people.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    When misfortune touches man, he calls Us, whether reclining, sitting or standing; but when We have removed from him his distress, he passes on as though he had not called on Us because of the misfortune that touched him. Thus unto the extravagant is made seemly that which they have done.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And We have already caused the generations even before you to perish as soon as they did injustice and their Messengers came to them with the Supreme evidences; and in no way were they to believe; thus We recompense the criminal people.

  • George Sale

    We have formerly destroyed the generations who were before you, O men of Mecca, when they had acted unjustly, and our apostles had come unto them with evident miracles and they would not believe. Thus do We reward the wicked people.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And indeed, generations before you We have destroyed when they did wrong: Their messengers came to them with Clear Signs, but they would not believe! Like this We repay the sinners (and criminals)!

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And We certainly destroyed several generations before you when they went wrong inspite of the fact that there had come to them their Messengers (of God) with clear proofs but they would not believe. Just (as We repaid them) so We repay all such guilty people (with punishment).

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Certainly We destroyed generations before you when they perpetrated wrongs: their apostles brought them manifest proofs, but they would not have faith. Thus do We requite the guilty lot.