الَّذينَ كَذَّبوا شُعَيبًا كَأَن لَم يَغنَوا فيهَا ۚ الَّذينَ كَذَّبوا شُعَيبًا كانوا هُمُ الخاسِرينَ

Those who denied Shuaib—it is as though they had never thrived there. Those who denied Shuaib—they were the losers.

فَتَوَلّىٰ عَنهُم وَقالَ يا قَومِ لَقَد أَبلَغتُكُم رِسالاتِ رَبّي وَنَصَحتُ لَكُم ۖ فَكَيفَ آسىٰ عَلىٰ قَومٍ كافِرينَ

Then he turned away from them and said, “O my people, I have conveyed to you my Lord’s messages, and I have advised you. So, How could I grieve for a people who reject faith?”

وَما أَرسَلنا في قَريَةٍ مِن نَبِيٍّ إِلّا أَخَذنا أَهلَها بِالبَأساءِ وَالضَّرّاءِ لَعَلَّهُم يَضَّرَّعونَ

Whenever We sent a prophet to a city, We tested its people with adversity and hardship so that they might turn in humility.

ثُمَّ بَدَّلنا مَكانَ السَّيِّئَةِ الحَسَنَةَ حَتّىٰ عَفَوا وَقالوا قَد مَسَّ آباءَنَا الضَّرّاءُ وَالسَّرّاءُ فَأَخَذناهُم بَغتَةً وَهُم لا يَشعُرونَ

Then, We replaced their hardship with ease until they multiplied and said, “Our ancestors, too, experienced hardship and ease.” Suddenly, We seized them unawares.

وَلَو أَنَّ أَهلَ القُرىٰ آمَنوا وَاتَّقَوا لَفَتَحنا عَلَيهِم بَرَكاتٍ مِنَ السَّماءِ وَالأَرضِ وَلـٰكِن كَذَّبوا فَأَخَذناهُم بِما كانوا يَكسِبونَ

Had the residents of the towns believed and been righteous, We would’ve opened upon them blessings from the sky and the earth. But they denied the truth, so We seized them on account of their misdeeds.

أَوَأَمِنَ أَهلُ القُرىٰ أَن يَأتِيَهُم بَأسُنا ضُحًى وَهُم يَلعَبونَ

Are the townsfolk carefree that Our punishment won’t come to them in the daytime while they play?

أَفَأَمِنوا مَكرَ اللَّهِ ۚ فَلا يَأمَنُ مَكرَ اللَّهِ إِلَّا القَومُ الخاسِرونَ

Do they feel safe from God’s scheme? None feel secure from God’s scheme except the losers.

أَوَلَم يَهدِ لِلَّذينَ يَرِثونَ الأَرضَ مِن بَعدِ أَهلِها أَن لَو نَشاءُ أَصَبناهُم بِذُنوبِهِم ۚ وَنَطبَعُ عَلىٰ قُلوبِهِم فَهُم لا يَسمَعونَ

Doesn’t it guide those who inherit the earth after its inhabitants, that if We wish, We could afflict them because of their sins and seal their hearts, so they would not hear?

تِلكَ القُرىٰ نَقُصُّ عَلَيكَ مِن أَنبائِها ۚ وَلَقَد جاءَتهُم رُسُلُهُم بِالبَيِّناتِ فَما كانوا لِيُؤمِنوا بِما كَذَّبوا مِن قَبلُ ۚ كَذٰلِكَ يَطبَعُ اللَّهُ عَلىٰ قُلوبِ الكافِرينَ

These are the towns; We tell you their stories. Their messengers came to them with evident signs, but they would not believe in what they had already rejected. Thus, God seals the hearts of the unbelievers.

وَما وَجَدنا لِأَكثَرِهِم مِن عَهدٍ ۖ وَإِن وَجَدنا أَكثَرَهُم لَفاسِقينَ

We found most of them not true to their commitments; We found most of them sinful.