or lest you say, "Verily, it was but our forefathers who, in times gone by, began to ascribe divinity to other beings beside God; and we were but their late offspring: wilt Thou, then, destroy us for the doings of those inventors of falsehoods?"

Nor say, ‘It was our forefathers who had associated others ˹with Allah in worship˺ and we, as their descendants, followed in their footsteps. Will you then destroy us for the falsehood they invented?’”

or so that you do not say, “It was our forefathers who began to ascribe divinity to other beings beside God, and we were only their children. Will You destroy us because of the falsehoods they invented?”

aw taqūlū innamā ashraka ābāunā min qablu wakunnā dhurriyyatan min baʿdihim afatuh'likunā bimā faʿala l-mub'ṭilūn

Or you say, "Only associated partners our forefathers from before (us) and we are descendants from after them. So will You destroy us for what did the falsifiers?"

or lest you say, "Verily, it was but our forefathers who, in times gone by, began to ascribe divinity to other beings beside God; and we were but their late offspring: wilt Thou, then, destroy us for the doings of those inventors of falsehoods?"

Or lest ye should say: (It is) only (that) our fathers ascribed partners to Allah of old and we were (their) seed after them. Wilt Thou destroy us on account of that which those who follow falsehood did

Or lest ye should say: "Our fathers before us may have taken false gods, but we are (their) descendants after them: wilt Thou then destroy us because of the deeds of men who were futile?"

Nor say, ‘It was our forefathers who had associated others ˹with Allah in worship˺ and we, as their descendants, followed in their footsteps. Will you then destroy us for the falsehood they invented?’”

or so that you do not say, “It was our forefathers who began to ascribe divinity to other beings beside God, and we were only their children. Will You destroy us because of the falsehoods they invented?”

Or lest you say, Our forefathers associated others with God before our time, and we are only the descendants who came after them. So are You going to destroy us for what those inventors of falsehood did

Or you should say: Only our fathers associated others (with Allah) before, and we were an offspring after them: Wilt Thou then destroy us for what the vain doers did

Or you not say: Our fathers before us ascribed partners with God. We had been offspring after them. Wilt Thou cause us to perish for what the ones who deal in falsehood accomplished?

or lest you say: "It was only our forefathers who associated [others with God] previously; offspring following them. Will You wipe us out because of what futile men have done?"

Or you should say: “Only our forefathers associated with Allah before us, and we are their offspring after them. Will you destroy us for what the wrongdoers did?”

or lest you should say, “[It is] only that our fathers ascribed partners unto God beforehand, and we were their progeny after them. Wilt Thou destroy us for that which the falsifiers have done?

Or lest you say, “It was only that our ancestors associated before, and we were but descendants after them. Will You destroy us because of the deeds of the fabricators?”

Nor can you Say, 'Our ancestors practiced idolatry before; and we are their descendants who came after them; will you destroy us for what the falsifiers did?'

Or you may say: “Definitely it was so that our fathers committed shirk aforetime and we became a progeny after them. Will You then destroy us because of what practiced those who indulge in Al-Batil

or lest you should say: "Our forefathers started the practice of shirk and we just followed, being their descendants. Will you then destroy us on account of following the sin committed by those wrongdoers?"

Or that you should not say, "Surely it is only our fathers (who) associated (i.e., associated others with Allah) earlier, and we were (their) offspring even after them. Would You then cause us to perish for what the wrong-doers performed?"

or say, "Our fathers worshipped idols before us and we as their descendants followed them. Would you then destroy us because of what the followers of falsehood have done?"

or you should say, .It was our forefathers who associated partners with Allah, and we were their progeny after them; would you then destroy us on account of what the erroneous did?

Nor will any excuse avail them such as, "It was our forefathers who took false gods and we inherited their belief system. Will you punish us for what falsehood others practiced?" (You will not be questioned what others used to do. No one will bear the load of another (2:134), (39:7))

Or lest you should say, "It was in fact our forefathers who started (practicing) ´shirk´ _ (accepted others as Allah´s partners). We were mainly the descendants who came much later. Will you then punish us for the deeds of the wrongdoers?"

Or in case you may say: "Our fathers before us may have taken false gods, but we are (their) descendants: Then will You destroy us because of the deeds of men who were useless?"

Or [lest] you say, "It was only that our fathers associated [others in worship] with Allah before, and we were but descendants after them. Then would You destroy us for what the falsifiers have done?"

Nor can you Say: "It was our fathers who set up partners before and we were simply a progeny who came after them. Would You destroy us for what the innovators did"

or, ‘It was our forefathers who, before us, ascribed partners to God, and we are only the descendants who came after them: will you destroy us because of falsehoods they invented?’

Or lest ye should say: it Was only our fathers who associated afore, and we have been a posterity after them; wilt Thou then destroy us for that which the followers of falsehood did

Or, lest they should say: "It were our fathers who had ascribed compeers to God; we are only their offspring. Will You destroy us for the deeds of those who dealt in vanities?"

Or lest you say, ´Our forefathers associated others with Allah before our time, and we are merely descendants coming after them. So are You going to destroy us for what those purveyors of falsehood did?´

Or lest you should say (in trying to excuse yourselves): "Our forefathers used to associate partners with God before us, and we were their offspring just following after them. Will You, then, ruin us for what those did who rejected Your Lordship and invented that false way (of associating partners with You)?"

or lest you should say, ‘Our fathers ascribed partners [to Allah] before [us] and we were descendants after them. Will You then destroy us because of what the falsifiers have done?’

Or say, "Verily, our fathers associated others with Allah before us, and we were but their seed after them. Will you then destroy us for the futile deeds of the doers of futility (or vanities)?"

Or you (would not) say: “It was only our fathers who associated (partners with God) in the past, and we were descendants after them, do You destroy us for what the followers of falsehood did?”

Or lest you should say, “Our parents before us may have taken false gods, but we are their descendants. Will You then destroy us because of the deeds of people who were irresponsible?

or say, “It was our forefathers who first associated partners with Allah, and we are merely descendants who came afterwards. Will You kill us because of the actions of the falsifiers?

Or say: ´Our forefathers before us who associated others with Allah in His divinity; we were merely their offspring who followed them. And would You destroy us for that which the unrighteous did?´

Nor can you say: "It was our fathers who set up partners before and we were simply a progeny who came after them. Would You destroy us for what the innovators did?"

Or you should say, "It was our fathers, before us, who worshiped others besides Allah, and we were only their offspring following them! Will You then destroy us for what those followers of falsehood did?"

Or lest you should say, Polytheism was committed by our forefathers before, and we were their offspring! Will you then destroy us for what was done by wrongdoers?

Nor can you say, "It was our parents who practiced idolatry, and we simply followed in their footsteps. Will You punish us because of what others have innovated?"

or you say: 'Our forefathers were idolaters before, and we were the descendants after them, will You destroy us for the deeds of the vaindoers?

Or (lest) you should say: Only our fathers ascribed partners (to Allah) before (us), and we were (their) descendants after them. Wilt Thou destroy us for what liars did

Or you say: "But our fathers shared/made partners (with God) from before, and we were descendants from after them, do you perish us/destroy us because (of) what the wasters/cancellors made/did ?"

Man cannot say then: "Why do you hold us responsible for what our grandfathers started and we simply followed in their footsteps?"

Or you may say, "It is our ancestors who first ascribed partners (to Allah) and we were (their) children after them; so will You destroy us on account of the deeds of the followers of falsehood?"

Or lest you should say, `It was only our fathers who associated co-partners with ALLAH in the past and we were merely a generation after them. Wilt Thou then destroy us for what those, who lied, did

Or (lest) you start saying: ‘It was but our ancestors who associated partners with Allah before, and we were but (their) descendants after them (i.e., they are the real sinners, not we). So, will You destroy us on account of that (sin) which the infidels perpetrated?

Or (lest) you should say, `It were only our forefathers who associated partners (with God) in the past and we only happened to be their children who came after them (to follow in their footsteps). Will You then destroy us for the vain doings of the perpetrators of falsehood?

Or lest you should say: "It was only our fathers afortime who took others as partners in worship along with Allah, and we were (merely their) descendants after them; will You then destroy us because of the deeds of men who practised Al-Batil (i.e. polytheism and committing crimes and sins, invoking and worshipping others besides Allah)?" (Tafsir At-Tabaree)

or lest you say, 'Our fathers were idolaters aforetime, and we were seed after them. What, wilt Thou then destroy us for the deeds of the vain-doers?

Or lest you should say, 'It was only our fathers who associated co-partners with God in the past and we were merely a generation after them. Wilt Thou then destroy us for what those, who lied, did

or say, 'Verily, our fathers associated others with God before us, and we were but their seed after them: wilt Thou then destroy us for what vaindoers did?'

Or lest ye should say, "Our fathers, indeed, aforetime joined other gods with our God, and we are their seed after them: wilt thou destroy us for the doings of vain men?"

or you should say: ‘Our forefathers were, indeed, idolaters; but will You destroy us, their descendants, on account of what the followers of falsehood did?‘

Or lest you say, “It was but our fathers who ascribed partners to Allah beforehand and we were descendants after them. Therefore will You destroy us for that which the falsifiers had done?”

Or lest you should say: “It was only our forefathers who had associated partners with Allâh (in worship) in the past and we were merely descendants after them. Will you then chastise us for what those who denied the truth did?”

Or that you would say: our fathers were idolaters before and we are descendants after them, are You going to destroy us for what the inventors did?

You will not be able to say, “Our fathers before us accepted false gods. We are descendants after them. Will you destroy us because of the deeds of those who followed inventions?”

Nor can you say, “Our forefathers practiced polytheism before, and we were their offspring who came after them. Will you annihilate us for what the advocates of falsehood did?”

or lest you say: "It was only our forefathers who associated [others with Allah (God)] previously; offspring following them. Will You wipe us out because of what futile men have done?"

Or you say, "It was that our parents only associated with Allah before, and we were offspring after them. So, would You destroy us with what the invalidators have done?"

or lest you say, “It was our forefathers who, in times gone by, associated partners with God, and we were only their late offspring. Will You destroy us on account of what those inventors of falsehood did?”

And so that you don’t say, “Our fathers lived only as dualists, and we are their descendants (the continuation of their genetic coding) so will You destroy us because of our fathers’ denial of the Truth?” (i.e. This is an invalid excuse as everyone is created upon the natural disposition of Islam, but their understanding of religion derives from the environmental conditionings they receive).

Or lest you should say: ' Verily our fathers were idolaters from before and we were descendants after them (following them) . Will You then destroy us for what the vain-doers did ? '

Or you might say: "Our fathers had incorporated with Allah other deities, and as their descendents, they have had much influence on our thoughts; will You O Allah subject us to the torment to pay a debt owed to You by the damned!"

Or you should say, "Our forefathers associated partners (with Allah) before (us) and we were only their descendants (following their traditions) after them, will You destroy us for what the followers of falsehood did?"

Or you say, 'Only our fathers associated others before, and we are offspring after them; will you then destroy us for what the vain-doers did?'

Or lest ye should say: "Our fathers before us may have taken false gods, but we are (their) descendants after them: wilt Thou then destroy us because of the deeds of men who were futile?"

Or you say, "Only our forefathers associated par before (us) and we are descendants after them. So will You destroy us for what did the falsifiers?

Aw taqooloo innama ashraka abaona min qablu wakunna thurriyyatan min baAAdihim afatuhlikuna bima faAAala almubtiloona