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? More numerous were they, and greater in power than they are, and in the impact which they left on earth: but all that they ever achieved was of no avail to them –
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 left firmer traces in the earth; yet that they earned did not avail them
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the End of those before them? They were more numerous than these and superior in strength and in the traces (they have left) in the land: Yet all that they accomplished was of no profit to them
Arabic
أَفَلَمۡ یَسِیرُوا۟ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَیَنظُرُوا۟ كَیۡفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡۚ كَانُوۤا۟ أَكۡثَرَ مِنۡهُمۡ وَأَشَدَّ قُوَّةࣰ وَءَاثَارࣰا فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَمَاۤ أَغۡنَىٰ عَنۡهُم مَّا كَانُوا۟ یَكۡسِبُونَ ٨٢
Transliteration (2021)
afalam yasīrū fī l-arḍi fayanẓurū kayfa kāna ʿāqibatu alladhīna min qablihim kānū akthara min'hum wa-ashadda quwwatan waāthāran fī l-arḍi famā aghnā ʿanhum mā kānū yaksibūn