Popular Translations
Muhammad Asad
[Say unto them: "You are] like those [hypocrites] who lived before your time. Greater than you were they in power, and richer in wealth and in children; and they enjoyed their share [of happiness]. And you have been enjoying your share -just as those who preceded you enjoyed their share; and you have been indulging in scurrilous talk -just as they indulged in it. It is they whose works have come to nought in this world and in the life to come - and it is they, they who are the cost!"
Arthur John Arberry
those before you, who were stronger than you in might, and more abundant in wealth and children; they took enjoyment in their share; so do you take enjoyment in your share, as those before you took enjoyment in their share. You have plunged as they plunged. Those -- their works have failed in this world and in the world to come; those -- they are the losers
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
As in the case of those before you: they were mightier than you in power, and more flourishing in wealth and children. They had their enjoyment of their portion: and ye have of yours, as did those before you; and ye indulge in idle talk as they did. They!- their work are fruitless in this world and in the Hereafter, and they will lose (all spiritual good)
Arabic
كَٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ كَانُوۤا۟ أَشَدَّ مِنكُمۡ قُوَّةࣰ وَأَكۡثَرَ أَمۡوَ ٰلࣰا وَأَوۡلَـٰدࣰا فَٱسۡتَمۡتَعُوا۟ بِخَلَـٰقِهِمۡ فَٱسۡتَمۡتَعۡتُم بِخَلَـٰقِكُمۡ كَمَا ٱسۡتَمۡتَعَ ٱلَّذِینَ مِن قَبۡلِكُم بِخَلَـٰقِهِمۡ وَخُضۡتُمۡ كَٱلَّذِی خَاضُوۤا۟ۚ أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ حَبِطَتۡ أَعۡمَـٰلُهُمۡ فِی ٱلدُّنۡیَا وَٱلۡءَاخِرَةِۖ وَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرُونَ ٦٩
Transliteration (2021)
ka-alladhīna min qablikum kānū ashadda minkum quwwatan wa-akthara amwālan wa-awlādan fa-is'tamtaʿū bikhalāqihim fa-is'tamtaʿtum bikhalāqikum kamā is'tamtaʿa alladhīna min qablikum bikhalāqihim wakhuḍ'tum ka-alladhī khāḍū ulāika ḥabiṭat aʿmāluhum fī l-dun'yā wal-ākhirati wa-ulāika humu l-khāsirūn