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Muhammad Asad   
to the truth gave the lie, before their time, the people of Noah and, after them, all those [others] who were leagued together [against God’s message-bearers]; and each of those communities schemed against the apostle sent unto them, aiming to lay hands on him; and they contended [against his message] with fallacious arguments, so as to render void the truth thereby: but then I took them to task - and how awesome was My retribution
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Before them, the people of Noah denied ˹the truth˺, as did ˹other˺ enemy forces afterwards. Every community plotted against its prophet to seize him, and argued in falsehood, ˹hoping˺ to discredit the truth with it. So I seized them. And how ˹horrible˺ was My punishment!
Safi Kaskas   
Before them the people of Noah rejected the truth, as did the parties after them. Every nation plotted to destroy their messenger and argued to defeat truth with falsehood. So, I seized them. What a punishment it was.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
كَذَّبَتْ قَبْلَهُمْ قَوْمُ نُوحٍ وَالْأَحْزَابُ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ وَهَمَّتْ كُلُّ أُمَّةٍ بِرَسُولِهِمْ لِيَأْخُذُوهُ وَجَادَلُوا بِالْبَاطِلِ لِيُدْحِضُوا بِهِ الْحَقَّ فَأَخَذْتُهُمْ فَكَيْفَ كَانَ عِقَاب
Transliteration (2021)   
kadhabat qablahum qawmu nūḥin wal-aḥzābu min baʿdihim wahammat kullu ummatin birasūlihim liyakhudhūhu wajādalū bil-bāṭili liyud'ḥiḍū bihi l-ḥaqa fa-akhadhtuhum fakayfa kāna ʿiqāb
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
Denied before them (the) people (of) Nuh and the factions from after them, and plotted every nation against their Messenger, to seize him, and they disputed by falsehood to refute thereby the truth. So I seized them. Then how was My penalty?

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
to the truth gave the lie, before their time, the people of Noah and, after them, all those [others] who were leagued together [against God’s message-bearers]; and each of those communities schemed against the apostle sent unto them, aiming to lay hands on him; and they contended [against his message] with fallacious arguments, so as to render void the truth thereby: but then I took them to task - and how awesome was My retribution
M. M. Pickthall   
The folk of Noah and the factions after them denied (their messengers) before these, and every nation purposed to seize their messenger and argued falsely, (thinking) thereby to refute the Truth. Then I seized them, and how (awful) was My punishment
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
But (there were people) before them, who denied (the Signs),- the People of Noah, and the Confederates (of Evil) after them; and every People plotted against their prophet, to seize him, and disputed by means of vanities, therewith to condemn the Truth; but it was I that seized them! and how (terrible) was My Requital
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Before them, the people of Noah denied ˹the truth˺, as did ˹other˺ enemy forces afterwards. Every community plotted against its prophet to seize him, and argued in falsehood, ˹hoping˺ to discredit the truth with it. So I seized them. And how ˹horrible˺ was My punishment!
Safi Kaskas   
Before them the people of Noah rejected the truth, as did the parties after them. Every nation plotted to destroy their messenger and argued to defeat truth with falsehood. So, I seized them. What a punishment it was.
Wahiduddin Khan   
The people of Noah and later factions also rejected the truth and every community plotted against the messenger sent to them, aiming to lay hands on him, and they contended [against his message] with fallacious arguments, so that they might defeat the truth, therefore I seized them. How terrible was My punishment
Shakir   
The people of Nuh and the parties after them rejected (prophets) before them, and every nation purposed against their messenger to destroy him, and they disputed by means of the falsehood that they might thereby render null the truth, therefore I destroyed them; how was then My retribution
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
The folk of Noah denied before them and the confederates after them. And every community is about to take its Messenger and they dispute with falsehood to refute The Truth. So I took them. And how had been My repayment!
T.B.Irving   
Noah´s folk denied it even before them, and [so did] the coalition later on. Every nation worried about their own messenger, how to catch him [off guard]. They argued with him in vain to refute the Truth. So I caught up with them and how [awful] was My punishment!
Abdul Hye   
Before them the people of Noah and the confederates after them denied (their Messengers). Every (disbelieving) nation plotted against their Messenger to seize him, and disputed by means of falsehood to refute therewith the truth. So I seized them (with punishment), and how terrible was My Punishment!
The Study Quran   
The people of Noah denied before them, as did the parties after them. And every community contrived against its messenger, to take him. They disputed by means of falsehood in order to refute the truth thereby; so I seized them. How, then, was My Retribution
Dr. Kamal Omar   
The nation of Nuh, belied (The Message) before them; as well as the allied forces (which came) after these people. And all communities did intend regarding their Messenger that they may arrest him (and confine him to an isolated place with restrictions on movement). And they brought arguments based on Batil so that they may refute and neutralise Al-Haqq therewith. Then We seized them (in punishment), so how (terrible) was My Retribution
Farook Malik   
Before them the people of Noah denied the Message and so did other groups after them. Every nation plotted against its Prophet, seized him and sought to refute the truth through false arguments; but I smote them, and how terrible was My retribution
Talal A. Itani (new translation)   
Before them the people of Noah rejected the truth, as did the confederates after them. Every community plotted against their messenger, to capture him. And they argued with falsehood, to defeat with it the truth. But I seized them. What a punishment it was
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
The people of Nuh (Noah) before them cried lies and the (allied) parties even after them; and every nation designed against their Messenger to take him (away), and disputed with untruth that they might rebut thereby the Truth. Then I took them (away); so how was (My) punishment
Muhammad Sarwar   
The people of Noah who lived before and the Confederate tribes who lived after them rejected Our revelations. Every nation schemed against its Messengers to seize them and disputed against them to defeat the truth. But torment struck them and how terrible was their retribution
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Before these, the people of NuH and the groups after them had rejected (the messengers). Every group intended to seize their messenger, and raised disputes on the basis of falsehood, so that they might refute the truth with it, hence I seized them. So, how was My punishment
Shabbir Ahmed   
Before their times, the people of Noah and generations after them too banded together in denying the Message. And every nation endeavored to seize its Messenger, and disputed with him with falsehood in order to refute the Truth. But it was I Who seized them, and, behold, how awesome was My grasping
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Earlier, the people of Nooh and other groups after them, had rejected the truth. Every nation pounced on the messengers (of Allah), and attempted to quarrel with them by unfair and foul means. (They tried) to refute and undermine the truth by such means. (At last) I nabbed them. So (observe) how (severe) was My punishment
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
But (there were people) before them, who rejected (the Signs)— The People of Nuh (Noah), and those who joined together (in evil) after them; And every (one of those) people who plotted against their messenger, to seize him, and disputed by means of pride (and falsehood) just to bring down and therefore to knock down the Truth: But it was I Who seized them! And how (terrible) was My punishment (for them)
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
The people of Noah denied before them and the [disbelieving] factions after them, and every nation intended [a plot] for their messenger to seize him, and they disputed by [using] falsehood to [attempt to] invalidate thereby the truth. So I seized them, and how [terrible] was My penalty
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Denial had come before them from the people of Noah and the opponents after them, and every nation plotted against their messenger to seize him, and they disputed by means of falsehood to defeat with it the truth. So I took them; how then was My punishment
Abdel Haleem   
Before them the people of Noah rejected the truth and so did those who formed opposition after them: every community schemed to destroy its messenger and strove to refute truth with falsehood; but it was I who destroyed them. How terrible My punishment was
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
The people of Nuh and the confederates after them belied their apostles before these, and each disbelieving community advanced toward their apostle that they may lay hold of him and disputed with vain speech that they may confute the truth thereby. Wherefore I laid hold of them; and how terrible was My chastisement
Ahmed Ali   
The people of Noah had denied before them, and many factions after them. Every nation has intrigued against its apostle and afflicted him, and argued with false arguments to condemn the truth. Then I seized them. How was then My retribution
Aisha Bewley   
The people of Nuh denied the truth before them, and the Confederates after them. Every nation planned to seize its Messenger and used false arguments to rebut the truth. So I seized them, and how was My retribution!
Ali Ünal   
Before them the people of Noah denied (God’s Revelations and signs), and so did the communities who came after them (and who have been mentioned in the Qur’an). Every community plotted against the Messenger sent to them to capture him (then kill or expel him), and they struggled (against God’s Message) with falsehood, so as to render the truth void thereby; but then I seized them, and (see) how was My retribution
Ali Quli Qara'i   
The people of Noah denied before them and the [heathen] factions [who came] after them. Every nation attempted to lay hands on their apostle, and disputed erroneously to refute the truth. Then I seized them; so how was My retribution?
Hamid S. Aziz   
The people of Noah and the parties after them rejected (Prophets) before them, and every nation purposed against their Messengers to destroy him, and they disputed by means of falsehoods that they might thereby render null the truth, therefore I destroye
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
Before them, people of Noah and other groups after them denied (their messengers), and every community intended to take (capture) their messenger, and they argued by the falsehood to disprove the truth with it. So I took them (in punishment), and how was My punishment
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
There were people before them who denied the signs, like the people of Noah, and the confederates who came after them. Every people plotted against their messenger, to seize him, and disputed by falsehood to condemn the truth with him. But it was I Who seized them, and how terrible was My penalty
Musharraf Hussain   
The people of Nuh before them and other parties after them also denied; each community tried to defeat their messenger and disputed desperately to crush the Truth with falsehood. I punished them, so look what became of them!
Maududi   
Before them the people of Noah also gave the lie (to Messengers), and so did many parties after them. Each nation sallied forth against its Messenger to seize him, and they disputed with false arguments seeking therewith to repudiate the Truth. Then I seized them; and behold, how woeful was My retribution
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Denial had come before them from the people of Noah, and the Confederates after them. And every nation obsessed with their messenger - to take him - and they disputed by means of falsehood to defeat with it the truth. So I took them; how then was My punishment!
Mohammad Shafi   
People of Noah, before them, denied the Truth. And the tribes, after them, did the same. And every people tried hard to engage their Messenger in false arguments and smother the Truth thereby. But then I caught hold of them! And how did I punish them!

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
Before them, the people of Nuh and other groups after them belied, and every nation aimed that they may seize their Messenger, and disputed with false arguments that they may relent the truth, so I seized them: How then was My torment?
Rashad Khalifa   
Disbelieving before them were the people of Noah, and many other opponents after them. Every community persecuted their messenger to neutralize him. And they argued with falsehood, to defeat the truth. Consequently, I punished them; how terrible was My retribution
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
The nation of Noah before them belied, and so did the parties after them. Every nation strove against their Messenger to seize him, disputing with false arguments to refute the truth. Then I seized them, how was My punishment
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
Before them the people of Noah and the parties after them rejected (prophets), and every nation purposed against its messenger to destroy him, and disputed by means of falsehood to render null thereby the truth, so I seized them; how (terrible) was then My retribution
Muhammad Ahmed - Samira   
Noah's nation lied/denied/falsified before them, and the groups/parties from after them, and every/each nation intended/began with their messenger to take/punish him , and they argued/disputed with the falsehood to nullify with it the truth , so I punished/took them so how was My punishment
Bijan Moeinian   
[Denial of truth is not a new phenomenon.] People of Noah (as well as people of the prophets after him) denied their prophets and tried to destroy them physically and through disinformation campaign. I (God) punished them with the most severe punishment
Faridul Haque   
Before them, the people of Nooh and the groups after them had denied; and every nation intended to apprehend its Noble Messenger, and they fought along with falsehood to avert the truth, so I seized them; so how did My punishment turn out
Sher Ali   
Before them the people of Noah and other groups after them rejected Our Signs and every nation strove to seize their Messenger, and disputed by means of false arguments that they might rebut the truth thereby. Then I seized them, and how terrible was MY retribution
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
Before them the people of Nuh (Noah) and after them many (other) communities rejected (their Messengers). And every people intended to seize its Messenger (to assassinate or imprison him), and raised dispute through baseless issues to dilute (the influence of) the truth by means of that (dispute). So I seized them (in torment). So how was (My) torment
Amatul Rahman Omar   
The people of Noah cried lies (to Our Messages) before these (disbelievers) and (so did) various other groups after them (- the people of Noah). And every community strove to seize their Messenger (of God) with a mind to destroy his mission. And they had begun arguing (with him) by means of false reasoning that they might thereby refute the truth. At this I seized them (with punishment). Behold! how (terrible) was My retribution (as a sequel to their evil deeds
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
The people of Nooh (Noah) and the confederates after them denied (their Messengers) before these, and every (disbelieving) nation plotted against their Messenger to seize him, and disputed by means of falsehood to refute therewith the truth. So I seized them (with punishment), and how (terrible) was My punishment

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
The people of Noah before them also cried lies, and the parties after them; every nation purposed against their Messenger to seize him, and disputed with falsehood that they might rebut thereby the truth. Then I seized them; and how was My retribution
George Sale   
The people of Noah, and the confederated infidels which were after them, accused their respective prophets of imposture before these; and each nation hatched ill designs against their apostle, that they might get him into their power; and they disputed with vain reasoning; that they might thereby invalidate the truth: Wherefore I chastised them; and how severe was my punishment
Edward Henry Palmer   
The people of Noah before them called the prophets liars; and the confederates after them; and every nation schemed against their Apostle to catch him. And they wrangled with falsehood that they might refute the truth thereby, but I seized them, and how was my punishment
John Medows Rodwell   
The people of Noah, and the confederates after them, have brought the charge of imposture before these Meccans: each nation schemed against their apostle to lay violent hold on him, and disputed with vain words to refute the truth. Therefore did I lay violent hold on them; and how great was my chastisement
N J Dawood (2014)   
Before them Noah‘s people also disbelieved, and so did the factions after them. Each community strove to lay hands on their apostle, seeking with false arguments to refute the Truth; but I smote them, and how stern was My retribution

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Before them, the people of Noah and groups after them rejected [the message]. Every community plotted against its prophet to seize him and to dispute with deception to condemn the truth, but I [the Lord] seized them. How was My punishment?
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Noah's folk denied it even before them, and [so did] the coalition later on. Every nation worried about their own messenger, how to catch him [off guard]. They argued with him in vain to refute the Truth. So I caught up with them and how [awful] was My punishment!
Ahmed Hulusi   
The people of Noah denied before them, and all people who opposed the reality denied after them. Every nation intended to seize (render dysfunctional, kill) their Rasul... They fought to invalidate the Truth by spreading falsehood... So, I seized them... And how was My recompense for their mistakes?
Mir Aneesuddin   
The people of Nuh and the parties after them had denied earlier to these (people). And all communities had planned against their messenger to catch him and had disputed through falsehood so that they might make the truth to slip off through it, so I (too) caught them. Then how was My retribution?
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim   
In order of time there were the people of Nuh (Noah) who declared Our message to be false followed by those who confederated their wits against the truth and each of them lied schemes for their Messenger to reduce him into impotence and they contended with opposing argument to confute the truth; and there I cast them down from a position of prosperity and power and brought them to ruin and how unbearable was the retribution

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
But (there were people) before them, who denied (the Signs),- the People of Noah, and the Confederates (of Evil) after them; and every People plotted against their prophet, to seize him, and disputed by means of vanities, therewith to condemn the Truth; but it was I that seized them! and how (terrible) was My Requital
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Denied before them (the) people (of) Nuh and the factions after them, and plotted every nation against their Messenger, to seize him, and they disputed by falsehood to refute thereby the truth. So I seized them. Then how was My penalty