And thus it is: if We defer their suffering until a time-limit set [by Us], they are sure to say, "What is preventing it [from coming now]?" Oh, verily, on the Day when it befalls them there will be nothing to avert it from them; and they shall be overwhelmed by the very thing which they were wont to deride

And if We delay their punishment until an appointed time, they will definitely say, “What is holding it back?” Indeed, on the Day it overtakes them, it will not be averted from them, and they will be overwhelmed by what they used to ridicule.

If We defer their suffering for a specified time, they are sure to say, “What is preventing it [from coming now]?” On the Day when it befalls them, there will be nothing to divert it from them, and they will be overwhelmed by the very thing they mocked.

wala-in akharnā ʿanhumu l-ʿadhāba ilā ummatin maʿdūdatin layaqūlunna mā yaḥbisuhu alā yawma yatīhim laysa maṣrūfan ʿanhum waḥāqa bihim mā kānū bihi yastahziūn

And if We delay from them the punishment for a time determined, they will surely say, "What detains it?" No doubt! (On) the Day it comes to them not (will be) averted from them and will surround them what they used (to) at [it] mock.

And thus it is: if We defer their suffering until a time-limit set [by Us], they are sure to say, "What is preventing it [from coming now]?" Oh, verily, on the Day when it befalls them there will be nothing to avert it from them; and they shall be overwhelmed by the very thing which they were wont to deride

And if We delay for them the doom until a reckoned time, they will surely say: What withholdeth it? Verily on the day when it cometh unto them, it cannot be averted from them, and that which they derided will surround them

If We delay the penalty for them for a definite term, they are sure to say, "What keeps it back?" Ah! On the day it (actually) reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them, and they will be completely encircled by that which they used to mock at

And if We delay their punishment until an appointed time, they will definitely say, “What is holding it back?” Indeed, on the Day it overtakes them, it will not be averted from them, and they will be overwhelmed by what they used to ridicule.

If We defer their suffering for a specified time, they are sure to say, “What is preventing it [from coming now]?” On the Day when it befalls them, there will be nothing to divert it from them, and they will be overwhelmed by the very thing they mocked.

If We defer their punishment till an appointed time, they ask, What is holding it back? On the Day when it overtakes them, there will be nothing to avert it from them; and what they used to mock at shall encompass them

And if We hold back from them the punishment until a stated period of time, they will certainly say: What prevents it? Now surely on the day when it will come to them, it shall not be averted from them and that which they scoffed at shall beset them

If We postponed the punishment for them for a period of time, that which is numbered, they will, surely, say: What detains it? Certainly, the day it approaches them, there is not of that which will be turned away from them and surrounded them was what they had been ridiculing of it.

If We postponed torment for them till a period to be counted out, they would say: "What is delaying it?" On the day when it comes to them, there will be no means them to dodge it, while whatever they had been sneering at will sweep around them.

And if We delay the punishment for them till a determined time, they are sure to say: “What keeps it back?” Surely, on the day it reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them and they will be surrounded by what they used to mock at it!

And if We grant them reprieve from the punishment for a limited time, they will surely say, “What holds it back?” Behold! On the day when it comes upon them, it shall not be turned away from them, and that which they used to mock will beset them

If We postpone their punishment until a set time, they will question, “What holds it back?” On the day it reaches them, it won’t be averted from them, and they will be trapped by what they used to ridicule.

And if We postponed their punishment until a stated time, they would say, 'What holds it back?' On the Day when it reaches them, it will not be averted from them, and what they used to ridicule will besiege them

And if We had delayed from them the torment till a determined term, they will surely say: “What keeps it back?” Beware! The Day it approaches them, then (it will) not (become) detached from them; and engulfed them that at which they used to mock

And if We put off their punishment till an appointed time, they are sure to ask: "What is holding it back?" Beware! When the Day of that punishment comes, nothing will hold it back from them and they will be completely encircled by that which they are ridiculing

And indeed in case We defer the torment from them till an (already) fixed round, (Literally: already numbered nation) indeed they will definitely say, "What is detaining it?" Verily, the day it will come up to them, it will not be turned about from them, and whatever they used to mock at will redound on them

If We delay in afflicting them with Our punishment for an appointed time, they ask, "What is preventing it (the punishment) from taking place?" On the day when it (punishment) befalls them, no one will be able to escape from it and that which they have mocked will surround them from all sides

And if We defer the punishment for them for a certain time, they will say, .What is holding it back?. Beware, the day it will visit them, it shall not be turned back from them, and they shall be besieged by what they used to ridicule

And when We delay for them the retribution until after the Period of Respite, they will surely say, "What is keeping back the doom?" Ah! On the day it actually reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them. And their mockery will completely surround them

When We postpone the punishment for a brief period, they taunt, "What kept it?" Beware! The day it (actually) lands on them, they will not be able to keep it away. That which they joke about, will engulf them

If We postpone the penalty for them for a fixed time, they are sure to say, "What keeps it back?" Verily! On the day when it reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them, and they will completely fall into what they used to joke about

And if We hold back from them the punishment for a limited time, they will surely say, "What detains it?" Unquestionably, on the Day it comes to them, it will not be averted from them, and they will be enveloped by what they used to ridicule

And if We delay for them the retribution to a near period, they will Say: "What has kept it" Alas, on the day it comes to them, nothing will turn it away from them, and what they used to mock will catch-up with them

If We defer their punishment for a determined time, they are sure to say, ‘What is holding it back?’ But on the Day it comes upon them, nothing will divert it from them; what they mocked will be all around them

And if We defer from them the torment until a period determined, they say: What withholdeth it! Lo! the day it betideth them it shall not be averted from them, and shall beset them that whereat they have been mocking

If We defer their punishment for a certain time, they will say: "What is keeping it back?" And yet, the day it comes, they will not be able to avert it; and what they used to laugh at will encompass them

If We postpone the punishment for them for a limited time, they will say, ´What is holding it back?´ No, indeed! The day it reaches them it will not be averted from them and the things they mocked at will encompass them.

Seeing that We postpone the punishment (with which We threaten them) until an appointed term, they are sure to say (in mockery): "What detains it that it does not come?" Beware! on the Day when it befalls them, it will not be averted from them, and that which they have been mocking at will overwhelm them

And if We defer their punishment until a certain time, they will surely say, ‘What holds it back?’ Look! On the day it overtakes them it shall not be turned away from them, and they will be besieged by what they used to deride

And if We delay from them the doom to a stated time, they will surely say, "What hinders it?" Verily, on the day it comes to them there is no averting it from them and that which they mocked shall close in on them

And if We delay the punishment from them for a limited time, they shall say: “What holds it back?” In fact, on the day when it comes to them, it will not be turned away from them, and what they used to ridicule will surround them.

If We delay the penalty for them for a definite term, they are sure to say, “What keeps it back?” On the day it reaches them, nothing will keep it back, and they will be completely encircled by that which they used to mock

And suppose We were to delay their punishment for a short while, they would say, “What is holding it back?” Isn’t it true on the day that it does come upon them, it won’t be deflected from them, and the very thing they used to mock will engulf them?

And were We to put off the chastisement from them for a determined period, they will cry out: 'What withholds Him from chastising?' Surely when the day of the chastisement will come, nothing will avert it and the chastisement which they had ridiculed shall encompass them.

And if We delay for them the retribution to a near period, they will say: "What has kept it?" Alas, on the day it comes to them, nothing will turn it away from them, and they will be surrounded by that which they used to mock.

And if We put off the punishment from them for a certain period of time, they will certainly say, "What holds it back?" Verily on the day when it will come to them, nothing can turn it away from them. And that which they scoffed at shall besiege them

And if We defer from them the torment for a counted period, then they would certainly say, 'what has detained it?" Listen, 'the day when it will come to them, it shall not be averted from them, and the same torment which they used to mock at shall encompass them.

And if we delay the retribution they have incurred - for we reserve it for a specific community - they say, "What is keeping Him?" In fact, once it comes to them, nothing can stop it, and their mocking will come back to haunt them.

And if We delay the punishment till an appointed time, they will ask: 'What has detained it? ' Indeed, the Day will come to them, it will not be turned awayfrom them, and that they mocked at will encompass them

And if We delay for them the chastisement for a stated period, they will certainly say: What prevents it? Now surely on the day when it will come to them, it will not be averted from them, and that which they scoffed at will beset them

And if We delayed the punishment from them to a counted/numbered generation they will say (E) what prevents/withholds it ? Is it not (on that) day (when it) comes to them (it is) not diverted/sent away from them? And surrounded/encircled with them what they were with it mocking/making fun of

If I [out of mercy] postpone the most severe punishment which they have earned (and is reserved for certain communities (such as Sodom & Gomorrah)), they will start making fun and say: “How come our punishment is delayed?” If they knew how their mocking will come back to haunt them, when they get their punishment

And if We postpone the punishment upon them for a specified time, they will surely say, "What holds it back?" Pay heed! On the day when it comes upon them, it will not be averted from them, and the very punishment they mocked at will encompass them

And if WE put off their punishment until a reckoned time, they would certainly say, `What withholds it?' Now, surely, on the day it shall come unto them, it shall not be averted from them, and that which they used to mock at shall encompass them

And if We defer their torment for a few fixed days, they will definitely say: ‘What has held it back?’ Beware! The day when that (torment) comes upon them, (then) that will not be averted from them, and that (chastisement) which they used to make fun of will beset them

Infact, if We defer the punishment from them till a reckoned time they would certainly ask, `What is that which withholds it?' Behold! the day this (punishment) befalls them, it shall not be such as to be averted from them. And that (punishment) which they used to hold in scorn, shall overwhelm them

And if We delay the torment for them till a determined term, they are sure to say, "What keeps it back?" Verily, on the day it reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them, and they will be surrounded by (fall in) that at which they used to mock

And if We postpone the chastisement from them till a reckoned moment they will say 'What is detaining it?' Surely, the day it shall come to them, it shall not be turned aside from them, and they shall be encompassed by that they mocked at

And verily if We defer their punishment unto a determined season, they will say, what hindreth it from falling on us? Will it not come upon them on a day, wherein there shall be none to avert it from them; and that which they scoffed at shall encompass them

and if we keep back from them the torment to a stated generation, they will surely say, 'What hinders it?' - Aye! on the day it comes to them there is no turning it away from them, but that shall close in on them at which they mocked

And if we defer their chastisement to some definite time, they will exclaim, "What keepeth it back?" What! will it not come upon them on a day when there shall be none to avert it from them? And that at which they scoffed shall enclose them in on every side

And if We put off their punishment till an appointed time, they will surely say: ‘Why is it delayed?‘ On the day it overtakes them, they shall not be immune from it: the terrors at which they scoffed will encompass them

If We were to postpone the punishment from them till a term well counted, they would surely say, “What is holding it back?” Lo! On the day it will come to them it shall not be averted from them and [the thing] that which they used to deride will befall them.

If We delayed for them the (divine) retribution until a reckoned time, they would surely say: ‘What detains it?’ Verily, on the day when it will come to them, nothing can prevent it from reaching them. And they will be encompassed by that which they used to scoff.

And if We delayed the punishment for them to a fixed term, they would say: what holds it back? For sure, on the day it reaches them, it will not leave them and that which they used to make fun of will overcome them.

And if We were to defer the punishment from them until a fixed period of time, they would most surely say, “What holds it back?” Undoubtedly, on the day when it comes to them, it is not averted from them, and they became surrounded by what they used to ridicule.

If We delayed the penalty for them for a definite term, they would certainly say, “What is preventing it?” On the day it finally comes to them, nothing can divert it from them. They will be completely encircled by that which they used to mock.

If We postponed torment for them till a period to be counted out, they would say: "What is delaying it?" On the day when it comes to them, there will be no means for them to dodge it, while whatever they had been sneering at will sweep around them.

And if we postponed, about them the torment to a counted community, they would say, “What detained it?” Verily on a Day when it comes to them, it will not be averted about them, and it banded with them what they were ridiculing with.

If We defer their suffering for a definite term, they are sure to say: 'What is holding it back?' On the day when it befalls them there will be nothing to avert it from them; and they shall be overwhelmed by that which they used to deride.

Do they not reflect within their souls? God did not create the heavens and the earth and all that is between them but in the right way and for an appointed term: but most of humanity does not believe in the meeting with their Lord.

Indeed, if We postpone the suffering from them for a set time, they will certainly say, “What detains it?” Know with certainty! The day it comes to them, it will not be averted from them! They will be enveloped by the very thing they mock.

And if We postpone the penalty from them until a limited period of time, they will surely say: 'What prevents it ' Beware! On the day it will come to them it shall not be turned aside from them, and they will be encompassed by that which they used to mock at.

And if We in all manner of wisdom delay their retributive punishment to a determined point of time giving them a chance to come-back to their senses, they shall say: "What keeps it back!" Indeed the Day the punishment comes about and falls to their lot, no expedient shall ever avert it, and on all sides shall they be beset by the same material and immaterial things they turned in to ridicule

And if We postpone the punishment from them for a measured period of time, they will definitely say, “What stops it? Beware ! the day it will come on them, nothing will turn it away from them and that which they used to mock at will surround them.

And surely if We keep back from them the punishment to a numbered nation, they will surely say, 'What detains it?' Lo, on the day it comes to them, it will not be turned away from them, and what they used to mock at surrounded them.

If We delay the penalty for them for a definite term, they are sure to say, "What keeps it back?" Ah! On the day it (actually) reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them, and they will be completely encircled by that which they used to mock at

And if We delay from them the punishment for a time determined, they will surely say, "What detains it?" No doubt! (On) the Day it comes to them not (will be) averted from them and will surround them what they used (to) mock at [it]

Wala-in akhkharna AAanhumu alAAathaba ila ommatin maAAdoodatin layaqoolunna ma yahbisuhu ala yawma ya/teehim laysa masroofan AAanhum wahaqa bihim ma kanoo bihi yastahzi-oona