Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
How many a generation have We destroyed before their time [for this very sin]! And [how] they called [unto Us] when it was too late to escape
M. M. Pickthall
How many a generation We destroyed before them, and they cried out when it was no longer the time for escape
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
How many generations before them did We destroy? In the end they cried (for mercy)- when there was no longer time for being saved
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
˹Imagine˺ how many peoples We destroyed before them, and they cried out when it was too late to escape.
Safi Kaskas
How many generations have We destroyed before them (for the same sins)? They called out (to Us), but it was too late to escape.
Wahiduddin Khan
How many generations We have destroyed before them! And they cried out when it was too late to escape
Shakir
How many did We destroy before them of the generations, then they cried while the time of escaping had passed away
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
How many before them have We caused to perish of generations! And they cried out but there was no time for escape for a while.
T.B.Irving
How many generations have We wiped out before them? They called out, and the time for escape had lapsed.
Abdul Hye
How many generations have We destroyed before them? They cried out when there was no longer time for escape!
The Study Quran
How many a generation before them have We destroyed? And they called out when the time for escape had passed
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
How many generations before them did We destroy? They screamed, but it was too late for escape.
Talal Itani (2012)
How many generations have We destroyed before them? They cried out when it was too late to escape
Dr. Kamal Omar
How many a generation We have destroyed before them, so they called out (to Us) and it was not a time for a place of escape
How many generations have We destroyed before them? When their doom approached, they all cried out for mercy, but it was no longer the time to be saved
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
How many a generation We caused to perish even before them, yet they called out, while time had lapsed for shirking (their doom)
Muhammad Sarwar
How many ancient generations did We destroy? (On facing Our torment) they cried out for help, but it was too late for them to escape
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
How many a generation have We destroyed before them, so they cried out (for mercy), while no time was left for having any refuge
Shabbir Ahmed
How many a generation have We (Our Law of Requital) wiped out before them, and they cried out when it was too late to escape
Dr. Munir Munshey
Many generations have We destroyed prior to them. (In the end) they all cried out and pleaded (to be saved); but then it is too late to escape
Syed Vickar Ahamed
How many generations before them did We destroy? In the end, they cried but there was no more time (for them) to be saved
How many a generation have We destroyed before them, and they [then] called out; but it was not a time for escape
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
How many a generation have We destroyed before them. And they called out when it was far too late
Abdel Haleem
How many generations We have destroyed before them! They all cried out, once it was too late, for escape
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
How many a generation have We destroyed afore them, and they cried when there was not time of fleeing
Ahmed Ali
How many generations have We destroyed before them who cried (for mercy) when it was too late for escape
Aisha Bewley
How many generations We have destroyed before them! And they cried out when it was too late to escape.
Ali Ünal
We destroyed before them many generations (who likewise willfully persisted in unbelief and opposition). (In the end) they called out for help but only when it was too late for the punishment (they had earned) to be canceled
Ali Quli Qara'i
How many a generation We have destroyed before them! They cried out [for help], but it was no more the time for escape
Hamid S. Aziz
How many generations did We destroy before them, then they cried when there was no longer time to escape
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
How many generations did We destroy before them, and they called out (for help) and it was too late to escape?
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
How many generations before them did We destroy? In the end they cried, when there was no longer time for being saved
Musharraf Hussain
How many generations We destroyed before them? They all cried out for help , but there was no time to escape.
Maududi
How many a nation did We destroy before them! (When they approached their doom) they cried out (for deliverance), but the time for deliverance was already past
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
How many a generation have We destroyed before them. And they called out when it was far too late
Mohammad Shafi
How many a generation have We destroyed before them! They (the earlier generations) prayed to Us when it was too late for them to escape
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
How many a generation We destroyed before them, then now they cried when there was no time for deliverance
Many a generation before them we annihilated. They called for help, in vain.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
How many generations have We destroyed before them. They called: 'The time is neither of escape, nor safety.
Maulana Muhammad Ali
How many a generation We destroyed before them, then they cried when there was no longer time for escape
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
How many from (a) people of one era/generation We destroyed from before them? So they called: "And it is not the time, time for escape (expression) ."
Bijan Moeinian
How many nations before them I (God) destroyed. At the time of their doom they cried for mercy but it was too late
Faridul Haque
Many a generation We did destroy before them – thereupon they cried out whereas it is not the time to escape
Sher Ali
How many a generation have WE destroyed before them ! they cried out for help, but it was no longer the time for escape
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
How many a community We have destroyed before them! And they started crying (on seeing the torment) when there was no time left for deliverance (and release)
Amatul Rahman Omar
(Do they not see that) We have destroyed so many generations before them? (They did not care to listen to the warning at first) then (later) they cried (for help) but the time for escape had passed
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
How many a generation We have destroyed before them, and they cried out when there was no longer time for escape
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
How many of a generation before them have We destroyed and they called out [for salvation] when the time of escape had long gone by.
Munir Mezyed
So many generations We have destroyed before them- (When they had to face the doom), they cried out (for help) but it was too late for them to escape .
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
How many generations have We destroyed before them, then they called out when it was too late to escape.
Linda “iLHam” Barto
How many generations before them did We destroy? In the end, they called out, when there was no longer time for being saved.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
How many generations have We caused to perish before them, so they called out when it was too late to escape!
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
How many generations have We wiped out before them? They called out, and the time for escape had lapsed.
Samy Mahdy
How many among generations We have destroyed before them, and they called out when there was no longer time for escape!
Sayyid Qutb
How many a generation have We destroyed before their time? They all cried out [for mercy], but it was too late to escape.
Ahmed Hulusi
How many a generation We have destroyed before them while they called out in agony! But it was not possible for them to escape!
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli
How many a generation We destroyed before them, then they cried, but time was none to escape.
How many generations who came to this world before them did We justly reduce to a useless form! In their distress they cried for mercy and help but that was not the time for either, it was too late
Mir Aneesuddin
How many of the generations did We destroy before them, so that they cried out, but that was not the time for escape.
The Wise Quran
How many a generation have We destroyed before them, and they cried out, but it was no time to escape.