Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
even though a short while ago, [just] before it was sent down upon them, they had abandoned all hope
M. M. Pickthall
Though before that, even before it was sent down upon them, they were in despair
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
Even though, before they received (the rain) - just before this - they were dumb with despair
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
although they had utterly lost hope just before it was sent down to them.
Safi Kaskas
even though, before it was sent down upon them they were in despair.
Wahiduddin Khan
though before thatbefore it was sent down upon them they were in despair
Shakir
Though they were before this, before it was sent down upon them, confounded in sure despair
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
And, truly, they had been—even before it is sent down on them—before that, ones who are seized with despair.
T.B.Irving
even if before it fell on them, they had felt disheartened.
Abdul Hye
surely before that (rain) is sent down upon them, they were in despair.
The Study Quran
though previously, before it was sent down upon them, they had been in despair
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
Though before it was sent down upon them—just before that—they were in despair.
Talal Itani (2012)
Although they were before this—before it was sent down upon them—in despair
Dr. Kamal Omar
And truly, they were before (the stage) that it may be sent unto them — even from (much) before this, they were surely those who go in despair
though before its coming they may have lost all hope
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
And decidedly before that, before it was sent down on them, they had been indeed dumbfounded
Muhammad Sarwar
at the rainfall, though before that they had been in despair
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
even though they were absolutely hopeless before it was sent down to them
Shabbir Ahmed
Even though before that, before it was sent down upon them, they were in despair
Dr. Munir Munshey
Prior to it, they may have given up hope before the rain actually pours down
Syed Vickar Ahamed
And verily, even though, before they received (the rain)— just before this— they were full of sorrow
Although they were, before it was sent down upon them - before that, in despair
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
Even though just before He sent it down to them, they were in despair
Abdel Haleem
though before it is sent they may have lost all hope
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
Even though before it was sent down upon them, before that, they were surely despairing
Ahmed Ali
Although before it came down they were despondent
Aisha Bewley
even though before He sent it down on them they were in despair.
Ali Ünal
Even though a short while before, just before it was sent down upon them, they had been in despair
Ali Quli Qara'i
and indeed they had, before it was sent down upon them, been despondent earlier
Hamid S. Aziz
Though they were before this, even before it was sent down upon them, in sure despair
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
even though they were hopeless before it was sent down on them.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
Even though before they received the rain, just before this, they were in despair
Musharraf Hussain
Before it was sent down, they were in despair.
Maududi
although before that they were given to despair
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
Even though just before He sent it down to them, they were in despair
Mohammad Shafi
And they were indeed in despair, before it (the rain) was sent down upon them,
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
Though before it was sent down upon them, they had shattered their hopes.
Before it fell on them, they had resorted to despair.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
though before its coming they had despaired
Maulana Muhammad Ali
Though they were before this, before it was sent down upon them, in sure despair
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
And that truly they were from before that (E) it be made to descend on them, from before it, confused/dumbfounded (E)
Bijan Moeinian
His servants who were desperate for rain become happy
Faridul Haque
Although they had lost hope before it was sent down upon them
Sher Ali
Though before that - before it was sent down upon them -they were in despair
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
Although they were in despair before the rainfall upon them
Amatul Rahman Omar
Though shortly before it was sent down upon them they were in a state of despondency
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
And verily before that (rain), just before it was sent down upon them, they were in despair
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
Even though before it was sent down on them, they were truly before it in despair.
Munir Mezyed
Although before that, even before it was sent down upon them, they were in despair.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
When before it was sent down on them they were in despair.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
although before it was bestowed upon them from on high they were indeed in despair.
Linda “iLHam” Barto
Just before receiving the rain, however, they were surely in despair.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
even if before it fell on them, they had felt disheartened.
Samy Mahdy
And they were before it was sent down upon them, before it, they were bewildered.
Sayyid Qutb
even though a short while ago, before it was sent down upon them, they had abandoned all hope.
Thomas Cleary
though earlier on, before it was sent down upon them, they were indeed in despair.
Ahmed Hulusi
Whereas before this (the rain – knowledge) came to them, they were confounded (unable to tell the difference between the reality and falsity).
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli
Although before it was sent down on them before that they had been in despair
Albeit before it rained they had lost hope and nursed despair
Mir Aneesuddin
though before it was sent down on them, (just) before it, they were in despair.
The Wise Quran
And indeed, before it was sent down upon them they were before it surely in despair.