←Prev   Ayah ar-Ra`d (The Thunder) 13:32   Next→ 

Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
And, indeed, [even] before thy time have [God's] apostles been derided, and for a while I gave rein to those who were [thus] bent on denying the truth: but then I took them to task - and how awesome was My retribution
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Other messengers had already been ridiculed before you, but I delayed the disbelievers ˹for a while˺ then seized them. And how ˹horrible˺ was My punishment!
Safi Kaskas   
Messengers before you were ridiculed. I gave the unbelievers a little more time, and then I seized them. How terrible was My punishment.

Listen: 
Did you notice?

 You can SEARCH IslamAwakened: 

Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَلَقَدِ اسْتُهْزِئَ بِرُسُلٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَأَمْلَيْتُ لِلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهُمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عِقَاب
Transliteration (2021)   
walaqadi us'tuh'zi-a birusulin min qablika fa-amlaytu lilladhīna kafarū thumma akhadhtuhum fakayfa kāna ʿiqāb
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And certainly, were mocked Messengers from before you, but I granted respite to those who disbelieved; then I seized them, and how was My penalty.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
And, indeed, [even] before thy time have [God's] apostles been derided, and for a while I gave rein to those who were [thus] bent on denying the truth: but then I took them to task - and how awesome was My retribution
M. M. Pickthall   
And verily messengers (of Allah) were mocked before thee, but long I bore with those who disbelieved. At length I seized them, and how (awful) was My punishment
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Mocked were (many) messengers before thee: but I granted respite to the unbelievers, and finally I punished them: Then how (terrible) was my requital
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Other messengers had already been ridiculed before you, but I delayed the disbelievers ˹for a while˺ then seized them. And how ˹horrible˺ was My punishment!
Safi Kaskas   
Messengers before you were ridiculed. I gave the unbelievers a little more time, and then I seized them. How terrible was My punishment.
Wahiduddin Khan   
Other messengers were also mocked before you; but though I granted respite to those who denied the truth, at last I seized them, and how awful was My punishment
Shakir   
And messengers before you were certainly mocked at, but I gave respite to those who disbelieved, then I destroyed them; how then was My requital (of evil)
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
And, certainly, Messengers were ridiculed before thee, but I granted indulgence to those who were ungrateful. Again, I took them. How had been My repayment!
T.B.Irving   
Messengers have been ridiculed before you (came), and I have been indulgent with those who disbelieve; then I seized them. What was My punishment like?
Abdul Hye   
And indeed many Messengers were mocked before you (O Muhammad), but I granted respite to those who disbelieved, then I seized them. So how (terrible) was My punishment!
The Study Quran   
Certainly messengers were mocked before thee. But I granted respite to those who disbelieved; then I seized them. How, then, was My Retribution
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And indeed, the Messengers were ridiculed before you.Then I granted respite to those who disbelieved. Finally I seized them. Then how (terrible and extreme) was My retribution
Farook Malik   
Rasools have been mocked before you (O Muhammad), but I always gave respite to the unbelievers and finally I seized them, so see how terrible was My requital
Talal A. Itani (new translation)   
Messengers before you were ridiculed, but I granted the disbelievers respite, and then I seized them. What a punishment it was
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And Messengers indeed were readily mocked at even before you; so I reprieved the ones who disbelieved; thereafter I took them (away). So how was My punishment
Muhammad Sarwar   
(Muhammad), people have mocked the Messengers who lived before you. I gave a respite to the unbelievers (so that they would repent, but they did not). Then I struck them with a terrible retribution
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Messengers have been mocked at before you, so I let the disbelievers go on for a while. Then I seized them. So, how was My punishment
Shabbir Ahmed   
And verily, Messengers were mocked before you, but I gave the rejecters plenty of Respite. At length I seized them, and how awesome was My Requital
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Many messengers were mocked prior to you. I allowed the unbelievers some respite; then I seized them. How terrible was My punishment
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
And indeed (many) messengers (of Allah) were mocked before you: But I (Allah) gave (a short) relief to the disbelievers, and finally I (Allah) punished them: Them how (terrible) was My (Allah’s) punishment
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And already were [other] messengers ridiculed before you, and I extended the time of those who disbelieved; then I seized them, and how [terrible] was My penalty
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
And messengers before you were ridiculed, but I gave time to those who rejected, then I took them. Then how was My punishmen
Abdel Haleem   
Many messengers before you [Muhammad] were mocked, but I granted respite to the disbelievers: in the end, I took them to task- how terrible My punishment was
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
And assuredly mocked were apostles before thee; then I respited those who disbelieved; thereafter took hold of them; so of what wise hath been My requital
Ahmed Ali   
Many an apostle have they mocked before you; but I allowed the unbelievers respite, then I seized them. How severe was My punishment then
Aisha Bewley   
Messengers before you were mocked. I gave those who were kafir a little more time and then I seized them. How terrible was My retribution!
Ali Ünal   
Messengers were certainly mocked before you. Yet (despite all that they did), I gave respite to those who disbelieved, but then I seized them (with terrible destructions). Then, (see) how was My retribution
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Apostles were certainly derided before you. But then I gave respite to those who were faithless, then I seized them; so how was My retribution
Hamid S. Aziz   
 
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And messengers before you were certainly ridiculed, but I gave those who disbelieved some time and then took them (in punishment). How was My punishment
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Mocked were messengers before you, but I granted respite to the unbelievers, then finally I punished them. And how terrible was my punishment
Musharraf Hussain   
Messengers before you were mocked, the disbelievers were given a brief respite and then I would seize them. How terrible was My punishment!
Maududi   
Surely the Messengers before you were ridiculed, but I always initially granted respite to those who disbelieved, and then I seized them (with chastisement). Then, how awesome was My chastisement
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Andmessengers before you were mocked, but I gave time to those who had rejected, then I took them; so how was My punishment
Mohammad Shafi   
And Messengers that came before you did get mocked at. And I gave those that suppressed the Truth a long rope, and then seized them. And what a punishment it was

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And surely, the messengers before you were mocked at, then I let loose the infidels for some days' then I seized them. Then how was My torment.
Rashad Khalifa   
Messengers before you have been ridiculed; I permitted the disbelievers to carry on, then I punished them. How terrible was My retribution!
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Other Messengers were mocked before you but I respited the unbelievers, then I seized them. And how was My retribution
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And messengers before thee were certainly mocked, but I have respite to those who disbelieved, then I seized them. How (awful) was then My requital
Muhammad Ahmed - Samira   
And with messengers from before you had been mocked/made fun (of), so I extended to those who disbelieved in time/enjoyment , then I punished them , so how was My punishment
Bijan Moeinian   
The prophets before you also were subject to the disbelievers’ mockery. I put up with them for a while and then subjected them to my punishment; how awful was my punishment
Faridul Haque   
And indeed the Noble Messengers before you were also mocked - I therefore gave the mockers respite for some days and then seized them; so how (dreadful) was My punishment
Sher Ali   
And surely, Messengers were mocked at before thee; but I granted respite to those who disbelieved. Then I seized them and how terrible was My punishment
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And indeed the Messengers were mocked (by the disbelievers) before you (as well). So I granted the disbelievers respite and then seized them (with torment). (See) then how My torment was
Amatul Rahman Omar   
And surely Messengers before you were treated scornfully. But (at first) I granted respite to those who disbelieved, after that I took them to task; and (behold) how (exemplary) was then My punishment
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
And indeed (many) Messengers were mocked at before you (O Muhammad SAW), but I granted respite to those who disbelieved, and finally I punished them. Then how (terrible) was My Punishment

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Messengers indeed were scoffed at before thee, and I respited the unbelievers; then I seized them -- and how was my retribution
George Sale   
Apostles before thee have been laughed to scorn; and I permitted the infidels to enjoy a long and happy life: But afterwards I punished them; and how severe was the punishment which I inflicted on them
Edward Henry Palmer   
Before thee have apostles been mocked at; and those who misbelieved have I allowed to range at large; and then it caught them up! How then was my punishment
John Medows Rodwell   
Before thee indeed have apostles been mocked at; but though I bore long with the unbelievers, at last I seized upon them; - and how severe was my punishment
N J Dawood (2014)   
Apostles were mocked before you: but, though I bore with the unbelievers, My scourge at length took them; and how terrible was My scourge

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Messengers before you [Prophet Muhammed] were mocked, but I granted respite to the unbelievers until I finally punished them. How terrible was my retribution!
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Messengers have been ridiculed before you [came], and I have been indulgent with those who disbelieve; then I seized them. What was My punishment like?
Sayyid Qutb   
Before your time, other messengers were derided, but for a while I gave rein to the unbelievers; but then I took them to task, and how terrible was My retribution.
Ahmed Hulusi   
Indeed the Rasuls before you were also mocked... I granted respite to those who deny the knowledge of the reality and then I seized them... How awful was the suffering that resulted from their misdeeds!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
And messengers before you were certainly mocked at, but I gave respite to those who disbelieved, then I seized them (in My Wrath) ; then (see) how was My retribution
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim   
Messengers sent before you O Muhammad were also bombarded with foul epithets. The infidels mocked them and gave them a lick with the rough side of their tongues, and called them everything they could lay their tongues to. But despite their wickedness, I put their punishment in respite, then I cast them down from a position of prosperity and power and brought them to ruin, and how unbearable was the retribution
Mir Aneesuddin   
And messengers were certainly mocked at before you, but I gave (sufficient) time to those who did not believe, then I caught them. How then was my requital (of evil)?

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Mocked were (many) apostles before thee: but I granted respite to the unbelievers, and finally I punished them: Then how (terrible) was my requital
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And certainly, were mocked Messengers before you, but I granted respite to those who disbelieved; then I seized them, and how was My penalty