আর যখন তাদের মধ্যে থেকে এক সম্প্রদায় বলল, কেন সে লোকদের সদুপদেশ দিচ্ছেন, যাদেরকে আল্লাহ ধ্বংস করে দিতে চান কিংবা আযাব দিতে চান কঠিন আযাব? সে বললঃ তোমাদের পালনকর্তার সামনে দোষ ফুরাবার জন্য এবং এজন্য যেন তারা ভীত হয়।
And when a community among them said: ”Why do you preach to a people whom Allâh is about to destroy or to punish with a severe torment?” (The preachers) said: ”In order to be free from guilt before your Lord (Allâh), and perhaps they may fear Allâh.”
وَإِذَ قَالَتْ أُمَّةٌ مِّنْهُمْ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوْمًا اللّهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيدًا قَالُواْ مَعْذِرَةً إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُونَ
Wa-ith qalat ommatun minhum lima taAAithoona qawman Allahu muhlikuhum aw muAAaththibuhum AAathaban shadeedan qaloo maAAthiratan ila rabbikum walaAAallahum yattaqoona
YUSUFALI: When some of them said: “Why do ye preach to a people whom Allah will destroy or visit with a terrible punishment?”- said the preachers:” To discharge our duty to your Lord, and perchance they may fear Him.”
PICKTHAL: And when a community among them said: Why preach ye to a folk whom Allah is about to destroy or punish with an awful doom, they said: In order to be free from guilt before your Lord, and that haply they may ward off (evil).
SHAKIR: And when a party of them said: Why do you admonish a with a severe chastisement? They said: To be free from blame before your Lord, and that haply they may guard (against evil).
KHALIFA: Recall that a group of them said, “Why should you preach to people whom GOD will surely annihilate or punish severely?” They answered, “Apologize to your Lord,” that they might be saved.