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Popular and/or Featured Works
Muhammad Asad   
Those who lived before them did, too, devise many a blasphemy -whereupon God visited with destruction all that they had ever built, [striking] at its very foundations, so that the roof fell in upon them from above and suffering befell them without their having perceived whence it came
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Indeed, those before them had plotted, but Allah struck at the ˹very˺ foundation of their structure, so the roof collapsed on top of them, and the torment came upon them from where they did not expect.
Safi Kaskas   
Those who lived before them also schemed, and God destroyed their structure from its foundation, and the roof fell on top of them. Suffering came at them suddenly from an unexpected source.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
قَدۡ مَكَرَ ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ فَأَتَى ٱللَّهُ بُنۡیَـٰنَهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡقَوَاعِدِ فَخَرَّ عَلَیۡهِمُ ٱلسَّقۡفُ مِن فَوۡقِهِمۡ وَأَتَىٰهُمُ ٱلۡعَذَابُ مِنۡ حَیۡثُ لَا یَشۡعُرُونَ ۝٢٦
Transliteration (2021)   
qad makara alladhīna min qablihim fa-atā l-lahu bun'yānahum mina l-qawāʿidi fakharra ʿalayhimu l-saqfu min fawqihim wa-atāhumu l-ʿadhābu min ḥaythu lā yashʿurūn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
Verily, plotted those who (were) from before them, but came Allah (at) their building from the foundations, so fell upon them the roof from above them, and came to them the punishment from where not they (did) perceive.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
Those who lived before them did, too, devise many a blasphemy -whereupon God visited with destruction all that they had ever built, [striking] at its very foundations, so that the roof fell in upon them from above and suffering befell them without their having perceived whence it came
M. M. Pickthall   
Those before them plotted, so Allah struck at the foundations of their building, and then the roof fell down upon them from above them, and the doom came on them whence they knew not
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
Those before them did also plot (against Allah's Way): but Allah took their structures from their foundations, and the roof fell down on them from above; and the Wrath seized them from directions they did not perceive
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
Indeed, those before them had plotted, but Allah struck at the ˹very˺ foundation of their structure, so the roof collapsed on top of them, and the torment came upon them from where they did not expect.
Safi Kaskas   
Those who lived before them also schemed, and God destroyed their structure from its foundation, and the roof fell on top of them. Suffering came at them suddenly from an unexpected source.
Wahiduddin Khan   
Those who went before them also plotted. But God struck at the foundations of their building, and the roof fell down upon them from above. The punishment came upon them from where they did not expect
Shakir   
Those before them did indeed devise plans, but Allah demolished their building from the foundations, so the roof fell down on them from above them, and the punishment came to them from whence they did not perceive
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
Surely, those who were before them planned, then, God approached their structures from the foundations and the roof fell down upon them from above and the punishment approached them from where they are not aware.
T.B.Irving   
Those before them schemed, and God reached for their buildings through its foundations, so the roof caved in on them and torment came at them from where they did not even suspect it.
Abdul Hye   
Indeed those before them also plotted, but Allah struck their buildings from the foundations, the roof fell upon them from above, and the punishment came to them from where they did not even perceive.
The Study Quran   
Those before them also plotted. Then God came upon their building from the foundations, and the roof fell down upon them from above, and the punishment came upon them whence they were not aware
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
Those before them also plotted, but God undermined their foundations, and the roof collapsed upon them from above. The punishment came upon them from where they didn’t perceive.
Talal Itani (2012)   
Those before them also schemed, but God took their structures from the foundations, and the roof caved in on them. The punishment came at them from where they did not perceive
Dr. Kamal Omar   
Indeed, plotted those who (went) before them; so Allah came to their structure via the foundations, so the roof (of their structure) fell down over them, from above them. And the torment overtook them from (the directions, places and sources) which they do not perceive
M. Farook Malik   
Those before them also plotted against the Truth, but Allah shook their edifice through its foundation, and its roof caved in on them; and the torment came at them from where they did not even suspect
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
The ones that were before them did already scheme; then Allah came upon their structure from the foundations, so the roof collapsed upon them from above them, and the torment came upon them from where they were not aware
Muhammad Sarwar   
Those who went before them had also devised evil plans. God demolished their houses, destroying their very foundations. Their ceilings toppled on their heads and torment struck them from a direction which they had never expected
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
Those (too) who were before them made plots. Then (the command of) Allah came upon their buildings (uprooting them) from the foundations. So roofs fell down upon them from above, and the chastisement came to them from where they could not even imagine
Shabbir Ahmed   
Those who lived before them, had also plotted (against the Divine Laws) - whereupon Allah struck at the very foundations of all they had built and contrived. Such that the roof caved in upon them from above them. And the doom befell them from directions that they had perceived not
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Before them, too, people tried deception and trickery. Allah finished off their edifice from its very foundation. The roof caved in upon them. Punishment came to them from where they least expected
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
Those before them also plotted (against Allah): But Allah took (away) their structures from their foundation, and the roof fell down upon them (right) from above them; And the punishment caught up with them from directions they did not (even) think
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
Those before them had already plotted, but Allah came at their building from the foundations, so the roof fell upon them from above them, and the punishment came to them from where they did not perceive
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
Those before them have schemed, but God came to their buildings from the foundation, thus the roof fell on top of them, and the retribution came to them from where they did not know
Abdel Haleem   
Those who went before them also schemed, but God attacked the very foundations of what they built. The roof fell down on them: punishment came on them from unimagined directions
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Surely there plotted those before them, but Allah came upon their structures from the foundations, so the roof fell down upon them from above them and the torment came upon them whence they perceived not
Ahmed Ali   
Those who have gone before them had also conspired; then God uprooted their structure from its foundation; the roof fell over them from above, and punishment came upon them from somewhere they did not suspect
Aisha Bewley   
Those before them also plotted, and Allah came at their building from the foundations and the roof caved in on top of them. The punishment came at them from where they did not expect.
Ali Ünal   
Those before them (like them, persistent in unbelief, wrongdoing and evil) schemed (against the Messengers and the Divine Message they brought), so God struck what they built at its foundations, and the roof fell in upon them from above, and the doom came upon them without their perceiving whence it came
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Those who were before them [had also] schemed. Then Allah razed their edifice from the foundations and the roof collapsed upon them from above and the punishment overtook them whence they were not aware
Hamid S. Aziz   
Those who were before them plotted, but Allah struck at the foundations of their building, and the roof fell on them from above, and the torment came to them, from whence they could not perceive
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
Those before them had plotted, then God struck their buildings from the foundations, and then the roof fell down on them from above them, and the punishment came to them from somewhere they did not realize.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
Those before them also plotted, but God took their structures from their foundations, and the roof fell down on them from above, and the punishment seized them from directions they did not perceive
Musharraf Hussain   
Previously people had plotted, so Allah’s punishment came and uprooted them from their foundations, and the roof fell from above them and the punishment came from where they least expected.
Maududi   
Surely many people before them had plotted in a similar manner to (vanquish the Truth), but Allah uprooted the whole structure of their plot from its foundations so that the roof fell in upon them, and the chastisement (of Allah) visited them from unknown directions
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
Those before them had schemed, so God came to their buildings from the foundation, thus the roof fell on top of them; and the retribution came to them from where they did not know
Mohammad Shafi   
Those before them plotted. But Allah struck their edifice at its foundations, so that the roof fell down on them from above them. And the punishment came to them from whence they knew not

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
No doubt, those before them had plotted against them, and then Allah brought down their structure from the foundation. Then the roof fell down on them from above. And the torment came to them whence they were not aware.
Rashad Khalifa   
Others like them have schemed in the past, and consequently, GOD destroyed their building at the foundation, causing the roof to fall on them. The retribution struck them when they least expected.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Those who have gone before them also plotted. Then, Allah came upon their building from the foundations, and the roof fell down on them from above them.And the punishment overtook them from where they did not know
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
Those before them plotted, so Allah demolished their building from the foundations, so the roof fell down on them from above them, and the chastisement came to them from whence they perceived not
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
Those from before them had cheated/deceived/schemed, so God came (and) destroyed their buildings/structures from the foundations/bases, so the roof/ceiling fell down on them from above them, and the torture came to them from where/when they do not feel/know/sense
Bijan Moeinian   
Others like them tried to plan evil things in the past. God responded by destroying the edifice of their evil plans at the foundation, causing the roof to fall on them. They did not even realized how they were struck
Faridul Haque   
Indeed those before them had plotted, so Allah seized the foundations of their building, therefore the roof fell down upon them from a height, and the punishment came upon them from a place they did not know
Sher Ali   
Those who were before them also devised plans, but ALLAH came upon their structure from the very foundations, so that the roof fell down upon them from above them, and the punishment came upon them from where they knew not
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
No doubt, those who lived before them (also) devised plots, but Allah knocked down the edifice (of their deceptive plots) from its foundations, and the roof caved in upon them, and the torment came at them from whence they least expected
Amatul Rahman Omar   
Their predecessors did (also) hatch schemes (against the Prophets), Allah struck at the very root of their foundations, so that the roof fell down from above them and the punishment came upon them from quarters they did not perceive
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
Those before them indeed plotted, but Allah struck at the foundation of their building, and then the roof fell down upon them, from above them, and the torment overtook them from directions they did not perceive

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
Those that were before them contrived; then God came upon their building from the foundations, and the roof fell down on them from over them, and the chastisement came upon them from whence they were not aware
George Sale   
Their predecessors devised plots heretofore; but God came unto their building, to overthrow it from the foundations: And the roof fell on them from above, and a punishment came upon them, from whence they did not expect
Edward Henry Palmer   
Those who were before them devised a stratagem, but God brought their building off its foundations, and the roof fell over them, and the torment came to them, from whence they could not perceive
John Medows Rodwell   
They who were before them did plot of old. But God attacked their building at its foundation the roof fell on them from above; and, whence they looked not for it, punishment overtook them
N J Dawood (2014)   
Those who had gone before them also schemed. But God smote their edifice at its foundations, and its roof collapsed upon their heads. The scourge overtook them whence they did not perceive

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
Those before them did make their scheme but Allah fell upon their structure from the foundations and the roof fell on them from above them and the punishment came at them from where they were unaware.
Munir Mezyed   
Verily, those before them devised evil schemes, so Allâh struck at the foundations of their building, causing the roof to fall down upon them, and the (divine) retribution came to them from a direction which they had never anticipated.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
Those before them schemed, then Allah shook their building from its foundations and the roof fell on them from above and the punishment reached them from where they did not realise.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
Those before them also plotted, but Allah ripped their structures from their foundations. The roof fell down on them from above. The wrath seized them from directions they did not perceive.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
Those before them did scheme, but Allah struck at the very foundations of their building, so the roof collapsed upon them from above them, and the punishment came upon them from where they were unaware.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
Those before them schemed, and Allah (God) reached for their buildings through its foundations, so the roof caved in on them and torment came at them from where they did not even suspect it.
Samy Mahdy   
Already those before them were guiled, so Allah came to their buildings from the foundations, so the roof collapsed upon them from above them. And the torment came at them from where they do not feel.
Sayyid Qutb   
Those who lived before them also schemed. But God struck their edifice at its foundation, and its roof fell in upon them from above, and suffering befell them from where they did not perceive.
Ahmed Hulusi   
Those before them schemed... Allah came to their buildings from their foundations! The roof fell upon them from above them and suffering came to them from where they did not perceive (it came and emerged from an unexpected place)!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
Indeed, those who were before them (also) devised plans. So (the wrath of Allah) struck at the foundations of their buildings, and then the roof fell on them from above them, and the (Divine) punishment came to them from whence they never perceived.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Potent was the cunning of their predecessors that it justified Allah's retributive punishment. He struck them at the roots of their foundation and their roofs collapsed over their heads and they were unexpectedly reduced to a useless form
Mir Aneesuddin   
Those before them had (also) planned, so Allah brought (down) their building from the (very) foundations so that the roof fell down on them from above them and the punishment came to them from directions they did not perceive.
The Wise Quran   
Verily, those who were before them plotted, but God came at their building from the foundations, so the roof fell down upon them from above them, and the punishment came to them from where they did not perceive.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
Those before them did also plot (against God's Way): but God took their structures from their foundations, and the roof fell down on them from above; and the Wrath seized them from directions they did not perceive
OLD Literal Word for Word   
Verily, plotted those who (were) before them, but Allah came (at) their building from the foundations, so fell upon them the roof from above them, and came to them the punishment from where they (did) not perceive
OLD Transliteration   
Qad makara allatheena min qablihim faata Allahu bunyanahum mina alqawaAAidi fakharra AAalayhimu alssaqfu min fawqihim waatahumu alAAathabu min haythu la yashAAuroona