وَما أَرسَلنا قَبلَكَ إِلّا رِجالًا نوحي إِلَيهِم ۖ فَاسأَلوا أَهلَ الذِّكرِ إِن كُنتُم لا تَعلَمونَ

We sent before you only men to whom we revealed. Ask the people of the message, if you don’t know.

وَما جَعَلناهُم جَسَدًا لا يَأكُلونَ الطَّعامَ وَما كانوا خالِدينَ

We didn’t make them bodies that didn’t eat food, nor were they immortal.

ثُمَّ صَدَقناهُمُ الوَعدَ فَأَنجَيناهُم وَمَن نَشاءُ وَأَهلَكنَا المُسرِفينَ

Then, We fulfilled Our promise to them, rescuing them and those We willed while obliterating the transgressors.

لَقَد أَنزَلنا إِلَيكُم كِتابًا فيهِ ذِكرُكُم ۖ أَفَلا تَعقِلونَ

We revealed to you a Scripture that mentions you explicitly. Don’t you understand?

وَكَم قَصَمنا مِن قَريَةٍ كانَت ظالِمَةً وَأَنشَأنا بَعدَها قَومًا آخَرينَ

How many sinful communities We shatter, and after them, raised other people?

لا تَركُضوا وَارجِعوا إِلىٰ ما أُترِفتُم فيهِ وَمَساكِنِكُم لَعَلَّكُم تُسأَلونَ

“Don’t run. Return to your luxuries and your homes, so you may be questioned.”

قالوا يا وَيلَنا إِنّا كُنّا ظالِمينَ

They cried out, “Alas to us! We were indeed wrongdoers.”

فَما زالَت تِلكَ دَعواهُم حَتّىٰ جَعَلناهُم حَصيدًا خامِدينَ

This cry of theirs continued until We made them like harvested crops, extinguished.

وَما خَلَقنَا السَّماءَ وَالأَرضَ وَما بَينَهُما لاعِبينَ

We didn’t create the heavens, the earth, and everything in between for a pastime.

لَو أَرَدنا أَن نَتَّخِذَ لَهوًا لَاتَّخَذناهُ مِن لَدُنّا إِن كُنّا فاعِلينَ

If we had wanted to take a pastime, We could have taken it from with Us—if We were to do so.