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Muhammad Asad   
And, indeed, [O Muhammad,] We sent forth apostles before thy time; some of them We have mentioned to thee, and some of them We have not mentioned to thee. And it was not given to any apostle to bring forth a miracle other than by God’s leave. Yet when God’s will becomes manifest, judgment will [already] have been passed in all justice, and lost will be, then and there, all who tried to reduce to nothing [whatever they could not understand]
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
We already sent messengers before you. We have told you the stories of some of them, while others We have not. It was not for any messenger to bring a sign without Allah’s permission. But when Allah’s decree comes, judgment will be passed with fairness, and the people of falsehood will then be in ˹total˺ loss.
Safi Kaskas   
We have sent messengers before you. Some We have told you about, and others We did not. No messenger can produce a miracle except with God’s permission. Then, when God’s command comes, just judgment will be passed, and those who followed falsehood will be lost then and there.

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَا رُسُلࣰا مِّن قَبۡلِكَ مِنۡهُم مَّن قَصَصۡنَا عَلَیۡكَ وَمِنۡهُم مَّن لَّمۡ نَقۡصُصۡ عَلَیۡكَۗ وَمَا كَانَ لِرَسُولٍ أَن یَأۡتِیَ بِءَایَةٍ إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِۚ فَإِذَا جَاۤءَ أَمۡرُ ٱللَّهِ قُضِیَ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَخَسِرَ هُنَالِكَ ٱلۡمُبۡطِلُونَ ۝٧٨
Transliteration (2021)   
walaqad arsalnā rusulan min qablika min'hum man qaṣaṣnā ʿalayka wamin'hum man lam naqṣuṣ ʿalayka wamā kāna lirasūlin an yatiya biāyatin illā bi-idh'ni l-lahi fa-idhā jāa amru l-lahi quḍiya bil-ḥaqi wakhasira hunālika l-mub'ṭilūn
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And certainly We have sent Messengers from before you. Among them (are) who - We have related to you, and among them (are) who - not We have related to you. And not is for any Messenger that he brings a Sign except by (the) permission (of) Allah. So when comes (the) Command (of) Allah, it will be decided in truth, and will lose there the falsifiers.

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
And, indeed, [O Muhammad,] We sent forth apostles before thy time; some of them We have mentioned to thee, and some of them We have not mentioned to thee. And it was not given to any apostle to bring forth a miracle other than by God’s leave. Yet when God’s will becomes manifest, judgment will [already] have been passed in all justice, and lost will be, then and there, all who tried to reduce to nothing [whatever they could not understand]
M. M. Pickthall   
Verily We sent messengers before thee, among them those of whom We have told thee, and some of whom We have not told thee; and it was not given to any messenger that he should bring a portent save by Allah's leave, but when Allah's commandment cometh (the cause) is judged aright, and the followers of vanity will then be lost
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
We did aforetime send messengers before thee: of them there are some whose story We have related to thee, and some whose story We have not related to thee. It was not (possible) for any messenger to bring a sign except by the leave of Allah: but when the Command of Allah issued, the matter was decided in truth and justice, and there perished, there and then those who stood on Falsehoods
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
We already sent messengers before you. We have told you the stories of some of them, while others We have not. It was not for any messenger to bring a sign without Allah’s permission. But when Allah’s decree comes, judgment will be passed with fairness, and the people of falsehood will then be in ˹total˺ loss.
Safi Kaskas   
We have sent messengers before you. Some We have told you about, and others We did not. No messenger can produce a miracle except with God’s permission. Then, when God’s command comes, just judgment will be passed, and those who followed falsehood will be lost then and there.
Wahiduddin Khan   
Before your time We sent other messengers: of them there are some whose story We have related to you, and some whose story We have not related to you. It was not [possible] for any messenger to bring a sign except by the leave of God: but when the command of God was issued, the matter was decided in truth and justice. There and then, those who stood on falsehoods perished
Shakir   
And certainly We sent messengers before you: there are some of them that We have mentioned to you and there are others whom We have not mentioned to you, and it was not meet for a messenger that he should bring a sign except with Allah's permission, but when the command of Allah came, judgment was given with truth, and those who treated (it) as a lie were lost
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
And, certainly, We sent Messengers before thee among whom We related to thee and of whom We relate not to thee. And it had not been for any Messenger that he bring a sign, except with the permission of God. So when the command of God drew near, the matter would be decided rightfully. And lost here are these, the ones who deal in falsehood.
T.B.Irving   
We have sent messengers before you, some of whom We have told you about, while We have not told you about others. No messenger may bring any sign unless it is with God´s permission. Once God´s command comes, [matters] will be decided correctly, and that is where the quibblers will lose out!
Abdul Hye   
And indeed We have sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad); some of them We have related their story to you and some of them whom We have not related their story to you, and it was not given to any Messenger so that he may bring a Verse except by the permission of Allah. So when the Commandment of Allah came, the matter was decided with truth, and the followers of falsehood suffered the loss.
The Study Quran   
Indeed We have sent messengers before thee. Among them are those whom We have recounted unto thee, and among them are those whom We have not recounted unto thee. And it was not for a messenger to bring a sign, save by God’s Leave. So when God’s Command comes, judgment is passed in truth; and those who make false claims will then be losers
Talal Itani & AI (2024)   
We sent messengers before you; some of their stories We’ve told you, and some We haven’t. No messenger can bring a sign except by God’s permission. When God’s decree comes, the matter will be settled in truth, and those who perpetuated falsehood will then lose.
Talal Itani (2012)   
We sent messengers before you. Some of them We told you about, and some We did not tell you about. No messenger can bring a miracle except by leave of God. Then, when the command of God is issued, fair judgment will be passed, and there and then the seekers of vanity will lose
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And indeed, We have sent Messengers before you; out of them is that whom We have narrated unto you, and of them is that whom We did not narrate unto you. And it was not (suitable) for a Messenger that he may approach with a credential — except under permission of Allah. So when the decree of Allah proceeded, the decision was taken in full justice, and then and there lost those who indulged in falsehood and forgery
M. Farook Malik   
O Prophet, We have sent many Rasools before you; of them there are some whose stories We have relayed to you and others whose stories We have not relayed to you. It was not possible for any of those Rasools to bring a sign except by the leave of Allah. Then when the command of Allah came, the matter was decided with justice, and it was the wrongdoers who suffered the loss.
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And indeed We already sent Messengers even before you. Among them are the ones whom We related to you, and (some) We have not related to you; and in no way (could) any Messenger come up with a sign except by the permission of Allah. Then when the Command of Allah comes, (their end) is decreed with the Truth, and there over the wrong-doers (Literally: doers of void "deeds") will lose
Muhammad Sarwar   
We have told you the stories of some of Our Messengers whom We had sent before you and We have not told you the stories of some others. A Messenger is not supposed to show a miracle without the permission of God. When God's decree of punishment comes to pass, He will judge truthfully and the supporters of the falsehood will perish when God's decree of punishemnt comes to pass
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
We had sent messengers before you. Among them there are those whose history We have narrated to you, and of them there are those whose history We did not narrate to you. And it is not up to a messenger that he could come up with a sign without permission from Allah. So, when the command of Allah will come, matters will stand decided justly, and on that occasion all adherents of falsehood will turn into losers
Shabbir Ahmed   
Yes indeed, We sent Messengers before you. Some of them We have mentioned to you, and some of them We have not mentioned to you. And none of the Messengers was given the authority to bring a Message or a Sign but by Allah's leave. But when (the period of respite was over and) the Command of Allah came, the matter was decided in truth and justice. And there and then perished the upholders of falsehood
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Indeed, We sent (many) messengers before you. We have narrated to you the tales of some of them, and We have told you nothing about the others. Without the permission of Allah (and of his own accord) no messenger could ever perform any miracles. (In the case of all the messengers), once the order came from Allah, the matter was settled with total justice. Those insisting upon falsehood incurred a total loss at that time
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
And indeed, We did send messengers before you: Of them there are some whose story We have told you and some whose story We have not told you, and it was not (possible) for any messenger to bring a Sign except by the Permission of Allah: But when the Order of Allah was given, the matter was decided in truth and justice, and those who stood on falsehoods were destroyed to be lost
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And We have already sent messengers before you. Among them are those [whose stories] We have related to you, and among them are those [whose stories] We have not related to you. And it was not for any messenger to bring a sign [or verse] except by permission of Allah . So when the command of Allah comes, it will be concluded in truth, and the falsifiers will thereupon lose [all]
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
And We have sent messengers prior to you. Some of them We mentioned to you, and some We did not mention to you. And it was not given to any messenger that he should bring a sign except by God's leave. So, when God's judgment is issued, the matter is decided with truth, and the followers of falsehood will be lost
Abdel Haleem   
We have sent other messengers before you- some We have mentioned to you and some We have not- and no messenger could bring about a sign except with God’s permission. When [the Day] God ordained comes, just judgement will be passed between them: there and then, those who followed falsehood will be lost
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
Assuredly We have sent apostlesy before thee, of them are these whose store We have recounted Unto thee and these whose story We have net recounted Unto thee. And it was not possible for anv apostle that he should bring a sign san by Allah's leave. So when the commade of Allah cometh, judgment will be given with truth, and then will lose the followers of falsehood
Ahmed Ali   
Surely We have sent apostles before you, some of whose account We have related to you, and that of some We have not told you. But no apostle was given a miracle unless God dispensed. But when the decree of God comes the sentence is passed with justice; and the lovers of vice and vanity will then come to grief
Aisha Bewley   
We sent Messengers before you. Some of them We have told you about and others We have not told you about. No Messenger can bring a Sign except with Allah´s permission. But when Allah´s command comes the matter will be decided with truth and then and there the liars will be lost.
Ali Ünal   
Indeed We sent Messengers before you; among them are those (the exemplary histories of) whom We have already related to you, and among them are those (the exemplary histories of) whom We have not related to you. It is not for a Messenger to bring forth a miracle except by God’s leave. Then, when God’s command is issued, it is judged with truth and justice, and those inventors of vain falsehoods (who associate partners with God and strive to disprove the truth) are brought to loss and ruin
Ali Quli Qara'i   
Certainly We have sent apostles before you. Of them are those We have recounted to you, and of them are those We have not recounted to you. An apostle may not bring any sign except by Allah’s permission. Hence when Allah’s edict comes, judgment is made with justice, and it is thence that the falsifiers become losers
Hamid S. Aziz   
And certainly We sent messengers before you: there are some of them that We have mentioned to you and there are others whom We have not mentioned to you; and it was not meet for a messenger that he should bring a sign except with Allah´s permission
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And We have certainly sent messengers before you. We told you the stories of some of them and We did not tell you the stories of some of them. And it is not (possible) for any messenger to bring a sign (or a miracle) except with God’s permission. So, when God’s order comes, it will be judged with truth (and fairness), and the falsifiers will lose in there.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
We sent messengers before you. Of them there are some whose story We have related to you, and some whose story We have not related to you. It was not possible for any messenger to bring a sign except by the permission of God, but when the command of God issued, the matter was decided in truth and justice, and they perished there, those who stood on falsehood
Musharraf Hussain   
We sent messengers before you; some We told you about and others We haven’t yet told you about. A messenger only brings miracles by Allah’s permission. When Allah’s command comes on Judgement Day justice will be done; there the followers of falsehood will be losers.
Maududi   
Indeed We sent many Messengers before you: of them there are some whose account We have narrated to you and there are others whose account We have not narrated to you. It did not lie in any Messenger´s power to bring any Sign except with Allah´s leave. So when Allah´s decree came, the matter was decided with justice, and those steeped in error courted utter loss, then and there
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
And We have sent messengers prior to you. Some of them We have told to you, and some We did not tell to you. And it was not given to any messenger that he should bring a sign except with the permission of God. So, when the judgment of God is issued, the matter is decided with the truth, and the followers of falsehood will be lost
Mohammad Shafi   
And We did send Messengers before you. We have told you about some of them, and We have not told you about the others. And it was not given to any Messenger that he should bring a (miraculous) sign save by Allah's leave. Then as Allah's decree comes, every matter is judged in accordance with the Truth, and the followers of falsehood will then be lost

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
And undoubtedly, We sent many Messengers before you, of them, there are some whose story We have narrated to you, and there are some whose story We have not narrated to you, and it is not for any Messenger that he should bring any sign without Allah's permission, but when the command of Allah will come, the matter shall be decided with truth, and then the men of falsehood shall lose there.
Rashad Khalifa   
We have sent messengers before you - some of them we mentioned to you, and some we did not mention to you. No messenger can produce any miracle without GOD's authorization. Once GOD's judgment is issued, the truth dominates, and the falsifiers are exposed and humiliated.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
We sent other Messengers before you; of some, We have already told you, of others We have not told you. Yet it was not for any Messenger to bring a verse except by the permission of Allah. And when the command of Allah comes the matter will be justly decided; and the vaindoers will be lost
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And certainly We sent messengers before thee -- of them are those We have mentioned to thee and of them are those We have not mentioned to thee. Nor was it possible for a messenger to bring a sign except with Allah’s permission; so when Allah’s command comes, judgment is given with truth, and those who treat (it) as a lie are lost
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira   
And We had (E) sent messengers from before you, from them whom We relayed/informed on (to) you, and from them whom We did not relay/inform on (to) you; and (it) was not to a messenger that (E) He comes with an evidence/verse/sign except with God's permission , so if God's order/command came, judgment was passed/ordered with the truth , and at that place and time the wasters/falsifiers lost
Bijan Moeinian   
I sent many Prophets before you. The life story of some of them are mentioned to you and the others you do not know about them. No Prophet may produce a miracle without God’s authorization. When God passes His Judgment, the falsehood will disappear and the truth will prevail
Faridul Haque   
Indeed We sent many Noble Messengers before you, so We have related to you the affairs of some among them, and not related the affairs of some; and no Noble Messenger has the right to bring any sign except with the command of Allah; so the time when the command of Allah comes, the true judgement will be delivered and there will the people of falsehood be ruined
Sher Ali   
And WE, indeed, sent Messengers before thee; of them are some whom WE have mentioned to thee ; and of them are some whom WE have not mentioned to thee, and it is not possible for any Messenger to bring a Sign except by the leave of ALLAH. But when ALLAH's decree comes, the matter is decided with justice and then there perish those who utter falsehoods
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And no doubt We sent many Messengers before you. We have given you an account of some of them whilst We have not (yet) narrated to you the annals of some others. And it was not possible for any Messenger to bring any sign without Allah’s leave. Then when the command of Allah came (and) the judgment was given with truth and justice, the exponents of evil went into loss
Amatul Rahman Omar   
And indeed We have already sent (Our) Messengers before you. There are some of them whom We have mentioned to you and of them there are some whom We have not mentioned to you. And it is not given to a Messenger to bring a Message by himself except by the leave of Allah. But when the judgment of Allah comes to pass the issues are settled in all fairness, and it is then that who endeavour to nullify the truth suffer the loss
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
And, indeed We have sent Messengers before you (O Muhammad SAW); of some of them We have related to you their story and of some We have not related to you their story, and it was not given to any Messenger that he should bring a sign except by the Leave of Allah. So, when comes the Commandment of Allah, the matter will be decided with truth, and the followers of falsehood will then be lost

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
We sent Messengers before thee; of some We have related to thee, and some We have not related to thee. It was not for any Messenger to bring a sign, save by God's leave. When God's command comes, justly the issue shall be decided; then the vain-doers shall be lost
George Sale   
We have sent a great number of apostles before thee; the histories of some of whom We have related unto thee, and the histories of others of them We have not related unto thee: But no apostle had the power to produce a sign, unless by the permission of God. When the command of God, therefore, shall come, judgment shall be given with truth; and then shall they perish who endeavour to render the signs of God of no effect
Edward Henry Palmer   
And we did send apostles before thee: of them are some whose stories we have related to thee, and of them are some whose stories we have not related to thee; and no apostle might ever bring a sign except by the permission of God; but when God's bidding came it was decided with truth, and there were those lost who deemed it vain
John Medows Rodwell   
And we have already sent apostles before thee: of some we have told thee, and of others we have told thee nothing: but no apostle had the power to work a miracle unless by the leave of God. But when God's behest cometh, everything will be decided with truth: and then they perish who treated it as a vain thing
N J Dawood (2014)   
We sent forth apostles before you; of some We have already told you, of others We have not yet told you. None of those apostles could bring a sign except by God‘s leave. And when God‘s will was done, justice prevailed and there and then the deniers lost

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame   
And We indeed sent messengers before you, among them there are those whom We have mentioned to you and among them are those that We have not mentioned to you and it is not fitting for a messenger to bring a sign except with the permission of Allah. And when the commandment of Allah comes, decree is done by the truth and the people of falsehood come to loss there at.
Munir Mezyed   
And most surely We have sent Messengers before you. Of them are those whom We have mentioned to you, and of them are those whom We have not mentioned to you. It is not possible for a Messenger to be able to produce any revelation knowledge without the Will of Allâh. And when the command of Allâh comes, the matter will be decided with truth. And there where the promoters of falsehood are doomed to face perdition.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher   
We previously sent messengers, some of whom We related to you and some of whom We did not relate to you, and no messenger would bring a sign except with the permission of Allah, then when the command of Allah came, it was decided with truth and the followers of falsehood were the losers by then.
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
We certainly sent messengers before you. We have told some of their stories to you, and We have not told you some other stories. No messenger could bring a sign except by the will of Allah. When the command of Allah was issued, the matter was decided in justice. Those who represented lies perished.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation   
And surely We sent messengers before yousg, some of whose stories We related to you, and some We did not. And it was never for any messenger to bring about a sign except by Allah's leave. So when the command of Allah comes, matters are decreed between them with fairness, and there and then the advocates of falsehood will lose.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
We have sent messengers before you, some of whom We have told you about, while We have not told you about others. No messenger may bring any sign unless it is with Allah (God)'s permission. Once Allah (God)'s command comes, [matters] will be decided correctly, and that is where the quibblers will lose out! (IX)
Samy Mahdy   
And We already sent messengers before you. Among them who We storified upon you, and among them who We did not story upon you. And it was not for a messenger to bring a verse except by permission of Allah. So, when Allah’s command comes, it will be decreed with the right, and the invalidators will thereupon lose.
Ahmed Hulusi   
Indeed, We have also disclosed Rasuls before you... Among them are some whose stories We have narrated to you, and some whose stories We have not... It is not possible for a Rasul to bring a miracle outside the permission of Allah! When the command of Allah comes, it will be judged with Truth, and those who pursue falsity will be in loss!
Mir Aneesuddin   
And We had sent messengers before you. Among them are those about whom We did narrate to you and among them are those about whom We did not narrate to you. And it is not for a messenger to come with a sign without Allah’s permission. So when the command of Allah came, it was judged with truth, and there lost those who were on falsehood.
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur‘an al-Karim   
Before you O Muhammad We sent Messengers to their people, some of whom We mentioned and narrated to you their stories and some we did not relate to you their account, nor was it ever in the power of any Messenger to display an act of a miraculous nature but through Allah's instrumentality and authorization. And when His command comes to pass, here or Hereafter. judgement is conducted in equity and justice. There and then shall the loss fall on those given to intentional assertion of what is false
The Wise Quran   
And certainly we sent messengers before you, of them are those whose stories We have related to you, and of them are those whose stories We have not related to you; and it was not for a messenger that he comes with a sign, except with God's permission; but when God's command came it was decided with truth, and there the vain-doers lost.

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
We did aforetime send apostles before thee: of them there are some whose story We have related to thee, and some whose story We have not related to thee. It was not (possible) for any apostle to bring a sign except by the leave of God: but whe n the Command of God issued, the matter was decided in truth and justice, and there perished, there and then those who stood on Falsehoods
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And certainly We have sent Messengers before you. Among them (are) who - We have related to you, and among them (are) who - not We have related to you. And not is for any Messenger that he brings a Sign except by (the) permission (of) Allah. So when comes (the) Command (of) Allah, it will be decided in truth, and will lose there the falsifiers
OLD Transliteration   
Walaqad arsalna rusulan min qablika minhum man qasasna AAalayka waminhum man lam naqsus AAalayka wama kana lirasoolin an ya/tiya bi-ayatin illa bi-ithni Allahi fa-itha jaa amru Allahi qudiya bialhaqqi wakhasira hunalika almubtiloona