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Muhammad Asad   
By God, [O Prophet,] even before thy time have We sent apostles unto [various] communities: but [those who were bent on denying the truth have always refused to listen to Our messages because] Satan has made all their own doings seem goodly to them: and he is [as] close to them today [as he was to the sinners of yore]; hence, grievous suffering awaits them
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
By Allah! We have surely sent messengers to communities before you ˹O Prophet˺, but Satan made their misdeeds appealing to them. So he is their patron today, and they will suffer a painful punishment.
Safi Kaskas   
By God, We sent messengers unto [various] nations before your time, but Satan made their deeds look good to them, so he is their master now as before, and painful punishment awaits them.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
تَٱللَّهِ لَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَاۤ إِلَىٰۤ أُمَمࣲ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ فَزَیَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّیۡطَـٰنُ أَعۡمَـٰلَهُمۡ فَهُوَ وَلِیُّهُمُ ٱلۡیَوۡمَ وَلَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ أَلِیمࣱ ۝٦٣
Transliteration (2021)   
tal-lahi laqad arsalnā ilā umamin min qablika fazayyana lahumu l-shayṭānu aʿmālahum fahuwa waliyyuhumu l-yawma walahum ʿadhābun alīmu
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
By Allah, certainly We have sent to nations from before you but made fair-seeming to them the Shaitaan their deeds. So he (is) their ally today, and for them (is) a punishment painful.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
By God, [O Prophet,] even before thy time have We sent apostles unto [various] communities: but [those who were bent on denying the truth have always refused to listen to Our messages because] Satan has made all their own doings seem goodly to them: and he is [as] close to them today [as he was to the sinners of yore]; hence, grievous suffering awaits them
M. M. Pickthall   
By Allah, We verily sent messengers unto the nations before thee, but the devil made their deeds fairseeming unto them. So he is their patron this day, and theirs will be a painful doom
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
By Allah, We (also) sent (Our messengers) to Peoples before thee; but Satan made, (to the wicked), their own acts seem alluring: He is also their patron today, but they shall have a most grievous penalty
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
By Allah! We have surely sent messengers to communities before you ˹O Prophet˺, but Satan made their misdeeds appealing to them. So he is their patron today, and they will suffer a painful punishment.
Safi Kaskas   
By God, We sent messengers unto [various] nations before your time, but Satan made their deeds look good to them, so he is their master now as before, and painful punishment awaits them.
Wahiduddin Khan   
By God! We have sent messengers before you to other nations. But Satan made their [foul] deeds seem fair to them and today he is their patron. They shall have a painful punishment
Shakir   
By Allah, most certainly We sent (messengers) to nations before you, but the Shaitan made their deeds fair-seeming to them, so he is their guardian today, and they shall have a painful punishment
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
By God! We, certainly, sent Messengers to communities before thee. Satan made their actions appear pleasing to them. So he is their protector on this Day and theirs will be a painful punishment.
T.B.Irving   
By God, We have sent for nations before you, and Satan has made their actions seem attractive to them! He is their patron today, while they shall have painful torment.
Abdul Hye   
By Allah, indeed We have sent (Messengers) to the nations before you (O Muhammad), but Satan made their deeds fair-seeming to them. So he (Satan) is their helper today (in this world), and they will have a painful punishment.
The Study Quran   
By God, We have indeed sent messengers unto communities before thee. But Satan made their deeds seem fair unto them. So he is their protector on this day, and theirs shall be a painful punishment
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
By God, We sent messengers to communities before you, but Satan made their deeds fair-seeming to them. He is their ally today, and a severe punishment awaits them.
Talal Itani (2012)   
By God, We sent messengers to communities before you, but Satan made their deeds appear alluring to them. He is their master today, and they will have a painful punishment
Dr. Kamal Omar   
By Allah! Surely, indeed We sent to the communities before you (the Messengers), then the Satan made their deeds appear alluring to them, so he (i.e., the Satan) is their wali (helper) this day and for them awaits a painful torment
M. Farook Malik   
By Allah! We sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad) to other nations; but Satan made their deeds seem fair to them so they did not believe, he is their patron today, and they shall have a painful punishment
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
By Allah, (The Arabic is tallahi) We indeed already sent (Messengers) to nations even before you; then Ash-Shaytan (The all-vicious, i.e., the Devil) adorned (i.e., made attractive to them ) their deeds for them. So he is their patron today, and they will have a painful torment
Muhammad Sarwar   
By God, We sent (Messengers) to nations who lived before you. Satan made their deeds seem attractive to them and, on the Day of Judgment, satan will be their guardian. For them there will be a painful punishment
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
By Allah, We sent (messengers) to communities before you, but the Satan made their deeds look good to them. So, he is their patron today, and for them there is a painful punishment
Shabbir Ahmed   
(They try to rationalize their desires.) By Allah! We verily sent Messengers to nations before you. But Satan, their selfish desire, made their actions fair-seeming to them. To this day he remains their patron friend, and they have incurred a painful doom
Dr. Munir Munshey   
By Allah, surely, We also sent messengers to the nations before you (Oh Mohammed, SAW). Shaitan, however, made their deeds appear adorable to them. Today too, he is their friend and theirs is the painful punishment
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
By Allah, We sent (messengers) to peoples (and nations) before you; But (to some), Satan makes their actions attractive to them: Also, he is their supporter today, but they shall have a most painful penalty
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
By Allah , We did certainly send [messengers] to nations before you, but Satan made their deeds attractive to them. And he is the disbelievers' ally today [as well], and they will have a painful punishment
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
By God, We have sent others to nations before you, but the devil adorned their work for them. So he is their ally today, and they will have a painful retribution
Abdel Haleem   
By God, We have sent messengers before you [Muhammad] to other communities, but Satan made their foul deeds seem alluring to them. He is the patron of these present disbelievers too, and a painful punishment awaits them all
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
By Allah! assuredly We have sent apostles to communities before thee, then the Satan made their works fairseeming unto them, so he is their patron to-day, and unto them shall be a torment afflictive
Ahmed Ali   
By God, We sent apostles to many a people before you, but Satan made their acts seem attractive to them, and he is their friend this day, and a painful torment awaits them
Aisha Bewley   
By Allah, We sent Messengers to communities before your time, but Shaytan made their actions seem good to them. Therefore today he is their protector. They will have a painful punishment.
Ali Ünal   
By God, We certainly sent Messengers to the communities before you (O Messenger), but Satan decked out their deeds as appealing to (the unbelievers among) them. And this day (too, when the Qur’an is being revealed), he is their close friend, and theirs is a painful punishment
Ali Quli Qara'i   
By Allah, We have certainly sent [apostles] to nations before you. But Satan made their deeds seem decorous to them. So he is their master today and there is a painful punishment for them
Hamid S. Aziz   
By Allah! We verily sent messengers unto the nations before you, but Satan made their works fair-seeming unto them. So he is their patron this day, and for them is grievous doom
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
By God, We have certainly sent (messengers) to groups of people before you, but Satan beautified their actions for them, so today he is their supporter, and they will have a painful punishment.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
By God, We certainly sent Our messengers to peoples before you, but Satan made their acts seem fine. He is also their patron today, but they will have a most terrible penalty
Musharraf Hussain   
By Allah, We sent messengers to communities before you, but Satan made their deeds look attractive to them, so today he is their Guardian, and for them will be painful punishment.
Maududi   
By Allah, (O Muhammad), We sent Messengers to other communities before you but Satan made their evil deeds attractive to them (so they paid no heed to the call of the Messengers). The same Satan is their patron today and they are heading towards a painful chastisement
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
By God, We had sent to nations before you, but the devil adorned their work for them. So he is their ally today, and they will have a painful retribution
Mohammad Shafi   
By Allah, We did certainly send Messengers to peoples that existed before you. Then the Satan made their deeds seem good to them. And he became their walihof the day (period). And they shall have a painful punishment

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
By Allah' We have sent messengers to many nations before you, then the devil (Satan) made their works beautiful in their eyes so he is their companion this day and for them is the torment painful.
Rashad Khalifa   
By GOD, we have sent (messengers) to communities before you, but the devil adorned their works in their eyes. Consequently, he is now their lord, and they have incurred a painful retribution.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
Indeed, by Allah, We have sent Messengers before you to other nations. But satan made their deeds seem fair to them so that today he is their guardian, and a painful punishment awaits them
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
By Allah! We certainly sent (messengers) to nations before thee, but the devil made their deeds fair-seeming to them. So he is their patron to-day, and for them is a painful chastisement
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
By God, We had sent to nations from before you, so the devil decorated/beautified for them their deeds, so he is their guardian/ally today, and for them (is) a painful torture
Bijan Moeinian   
By Lord, I sent them so many Messengers, before you, to so many communities What a shame that Satan made their behavior fair seeming to their eyes. Now the Satan is their lord on the Day of Resurrection and they have nothing but an awful punishment to look forward to
Faridul Haque   
By Allah, We indeed sent Noble Messengers to several nations before you, but Satan made their misdeeds appear good to them - so he only is their companion this day, and for them is a punishment, most painful
Sher Ali   
By ALLAH, WE certainly sent Messengers to all the peoples before thee; but Satan made their works appear beautiful to them. So he is their patron this day, and they shall have a grievous punishment
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
By Allah! We certainly sent Messengers to (many) communities before you (also). Then Satan made their (evil) deeds look attractive and pleasing to them. So the same (Satan) is Today their friend. And for them there is painful punishment
Amatul Rahman Omar   
By Allah! We did send (Messengers) to (all) nations before you but (it so happened that) satan made their (evil) deeds fair-seeming to them. So he is their (- disbelievers') patron (again) this day, and there awaits them a grievous punishment
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
By Allah, We indeed sent (Messengers) to the nations before you (O Muhammad SAW), but Shaitan (Satan) made their deeds fair-seeming to them. So he (Satan) is their Wali (helper) today (i.e. in this world), and theirs will be a painful torment

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
By God, assuredly We sent Messengers to nations before thee, but Satan decked out fair to them their deeds; he is their protector today, and there yet awaits them a painful chastisement
George Sale   
By God, We have heretofore sent messengers unto the nations before thee: But Satan prepared their works for them; he was their patron in this world, and in that which is to come they shall suffer a grievous torment
Edward Henry Palmer   
By God! we sent (messengers) to nations before thee, but Satan made their works seemly to them, for he is their patron today, and for them is grievous woe
John Medows Rodwell   
By God we have sent Apostles to nations before thee, but Satan prepared their work for them, and this day is he their liege; and a woeful punishment doth await them
N J Dawood (2014)   
By the Lord, We have sent forth before you to other communities. But Satan made their deeds seem fair to them, and to this day he is their patron. Woeful punishment awaits them

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
By Allah We have indeed sent [messengers] to nations before you but Satan made their deeds seem goodly to them so he is their ally today and for them is a painful punishment.
Munir Mezyed   
By Allâh! We have surely sent Messengers to (different) nations before you, but the devil made their (evil deeds) appealing to them. So he is their guardian today, and they will be subjected to a painful chastisement.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
By Allah, We sent to communities before you, then the devil made their deeds appeal to them, so he is their protector today, and theirs is a painful punishment.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
By Allah, We certainly sent Our prophets to people before (Prophet Muhammed), but Satan made their own acts seem alluring. He is also their buddy today, but they shall have a wretched penalty.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
(I swear ) by Allah, We sent messengers to communities before yousg, but Satan adorned their deeds for them, so that he is their master today, and they will have a painful punishment.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
By Allah (God), We have sent for nations before you, and Satan has made their actions seem attractive to them! He is their patron today, while they shall have painful torment.
Samy Mahdy   
By Allah, We already sent (Messengers) to communities before you, so Satan prettified their works for them. So, he is their guardian Today, and for them a painful torment.
Sayyid Qutb   
By God, We have sent messengers to various communities before your time, but Satan made their foul deeds seem fair to them. He is also their patron today. A grievous suffering awaits them.
Ahmed Hulusi   
By Allah... We also disclosed to people before you but Satan made their deeds attractive to them (and they denied the messages of the Rasuls)! He (Satan – illusion) is their friend today (too)... There is a painful suffering for them.
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli   
By Allah, We verily sent (messengers) unto the nations before you, but the Satan made their (abominable) acts fair- seeming to them. Then he (the Satan) is their guardian today, and they will have a painful punishment.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Rest assured O Muhammad by Allah, your Creator, We sent Messengers before you to nations who preceded in order of time. 'They presented them with the spirit of truth guiding into all truth. But AL-Shaytan (Satan) allured them to brighter worlds as a logical result or sequence to their doings and he led the way then and he leads it now amid the encircling gloom wherein he leads them by the nose, but they shall suffer painfully for it
Mir Aneesuddin   
By Allah, We had sent (messengers) to the communities before you but the devil made their deeds fair-seeming to them, so he is their friend this day and for them there is a painful punishment.
The Wise Quran   
By God, certainly We sent to nations before you, but the devil beautified for them their works, and he is their patron today, and for them is painful punishment.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
By God, We (also) sent (Our apostles) to Peoples before thee; but Satan made, (to the wicked), their own acts seem alluring: He is also their patron today, but they shall have a most grievous penalty
OLD Literal Word for Word   
By Allah, certainly We have sent to nations before you but made fair-seeming to them the Shaitaan their deeds. So he (is) their ally today, and for them (is) a punishment painful
OLD Transliteration   
TaAllahi laqad arsalna ila omamin min qablika fazayyana lahumu alshshaytanu aAAmalahum fahuwa waliyyuhumu alyawma walahum AAathabun aleemun