أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنْظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِمْ كَانُوا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً وَأَثَارُوا الْأَرْضَ وَعَمَرُوهَا أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا عَمَرُوهَا وَجَاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُهُمْ بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ فَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيَظْلِمَهُمْ وَلَكِنْ كَانُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ

Popular Translations

Muhammad Asad

Have they, then, never journeyed about the earth and beheld what happened in the end to those [deniers of the truth] who lived before their time? Greater were they in power than they are; and they left a stronger impact on the earth, and built it up even better than these [are doing]; and to them [too] came their apostles with all evidence of the truth: and so, [when they rejected the truth and thereupon perished,] it was not God who wronged them, but it was they who had wronged themselves

Arthur John Arberry

What, have they not journeyed in the land and beheld how was the end of those before them? They were stronger than themselves in might, and they ploughed up the earth and cultivated it more than they themselves have cultivated it; and their Messengers came to them with the clear signs; and God would never wrong them, but themselves they wronged

Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)

Do they not travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those before them? They were superior to them in strength: they tilled the soil and populated it in greater numbers than these have done: there came to them their messengers with Clear (Signs). (Which they rejected, to their own destruction): It was not Allah Who wronged them, but they wronged their own souls

Arabic

أَوَ لَمۡ یَسِیرُوا۟ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَیَنظُرُوا۟ كَیۡفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۚ كَانُوۤا۟ أَشَدَّ مِنۡهُمۡ قُوَّةࣰ وَأَثَارُوا۟ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَعَمَرُوهَاۤ أَكۡثَرَ مِمَّا عَمَرُوهَا وَجَاۤءَتۡهُمۡ رُسُلُهُم بِٱلۡبَیِّنَـٰتِۖ فَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِیَظۡلِمَهُمۡ وَلَـٰكِن كَانُوۤا۟ أَنفُسَهُمۡ یَظۡلِمُونَ ۝٩

Transliteration (2021)

awalam yasīrū fī l-arḍi fayanẓurū kayfa kāna ʿāqibatu alladhīna min qablihim kānū ashadda min'hum quwwatan wa-athārū l-arḍa waʿamarūhā akthara mimmā ʿamarūhā wajāathum rusuluhum bil-bayināti famā kāna l-lahu liyaẓlimahum walākin kānū anfusahum yaẓlimūn