কাজেই, তোমাদের পূর্ববতী জাতি গুলির মধ্যে এমন সৎকর্মশীল কেন রইল না, যারা পৃথিবীতে বিপর্যয় সৃষ্টি করতে বাধা দিত; তবে মুষ্টিমেয় লোক ছিল যাদেরকে আমি তাদের মধ্য হতে রক্ষা করেছি। আর পাপিষ্ঠরা তো ভোগ বিলাসে মত্ত ছিল যার সামগ্রী তাদেরকে যথেষ্ট দেয়া হয়েছিল। আসলে তারা ছিল মহা অপরাধী।
If only there had been among the generations before you, persons having wisdom, prohibiting (others) from Al-Fasâd (disbelief, polytheism, and all kinds of crimes and sins) in the earth, except a few of those whom We saved from among them. Those who did wrong pursued the enjoyment of good things of (this worldly) life, and were Mujrimûn (criminals, disbelievers in Allâh, polytheists, sinners, etc.).
فَلَوْلاَ كَانَ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ أُوْلُواْ بَقِيَّةٍ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْفَسَادِ فِي الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً مِّمَّنْ أَنجَيْنَا مِنْهُمْ وَاتَّبَعَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مَا أُتْرِفُواْ فِيهِ وَكَانُواْ مُجْرِمِينَ
Falawla kana mina alqurooni min qablikum oloo baqiyyatin yanhawna AAani alfasadi fee al-ardi illa qaleelan mimman anjayna minhum waittabaAAa allatheena thalamoo ma otrifoo feehi wakanoo mujrimeena
YUSUFALI: Why were there not, among the generations before you, persons possessed of balanced good sense, prohibiting (men) from mischief in the earth – except a few among them whom We saved (from harm)? But the wrong-doers pursued the enjoyment of the good things of life which were given them, and persisted in sin.
PICKTHAL: If only there had been among the generations before you men possessing a remnant (of good sense) to warn (their people) from corruption in the earth, as did a few of those whom We saved from them! The wrong-doers followed that by which they were made sapless, and were guilty.
SHAKIR: But why were there not among the generations before you those possessing understanding, who should have forbidden the making of mischief in the earth, except a few of those whom We delivered from among them? And those who were unjust went after what they are made to enjoy of plenty, and they were guilty.
KHALIFA: If only some of those among the previous generations possessed enough intelligence to forbid evil! Only a few of them deserved to be saved by us. As for the transgressors, they were preoccupied with their material luxuries; they were guilty.