11. Surah Hud, Verse 8
وَلَئِنْ اَخَّرْنَا عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ اِلٰٓى اُمَّةٍ مَعْدُودَةٍ لَيَقُولُنَّ مَا يَحْبِسُهُۜ اَلَا يَوْمَ يَأْت۪يهِمْ لَيْسَ مَصْرُوفاً عَنْهُمْ وَحَاقَ بِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا بِه۪ يَسْتَهْزِؤُ۫نَ۟
Wala-in akhkharna AAanhumu alAAathabaila ommatin maAAdoodatin layaqoolunna ma yahbisuhuala yawma ya/teehim laysa masroofan AAanhum wahaqabihim ma kanoo bihi yastahzi-oon
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.
- Progressive Muslims
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.
- Shabbir Ahmed
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.
- Sam Gerrans
And if We delay from them the punishment until a reckoned time, they will say: “What detains it?” In truth, the day it comes to them, it will not be averted from them; and there will surround them that whereat they mocked.
- The Monotheist Group
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.
- Edip-Layth
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.
- Aisha Bewley
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.
- Rashad Khalifa
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.
- Mohamed Ahmed - Samira
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.
- Sahih International
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.
- Muhammad Asad
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.
- Marmaduke Pickthall
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.
- Abdel Khalek Himmat
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.
- Bijan Moeinian
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.
- Al-Hilali & Khan
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 (or fall in) that at which they used to mock!
- Abdullah Yusuf Ali
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!
- Mustafa Khattab
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.
- Taqi Usmani
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.
- Abdul Haleem
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.
- Arthur John Arberry
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.
- E. Henry Palmer
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.
- Hamid S. Aziz
He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six days, and His Throne (or authority, control) was (first) upon the Water that He might try you, which of you is best in conduct. But should you say, "You will be raised up after death," those who disbelieve will surely say, "This is naught but obvious magic."
- Mahmoud Ghali
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.
- George Sale
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?
- Syed Vickar Ahamed
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!
- Amatul Rahman Omar
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.
- Ali Quli Qarai
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.