فَلَوْلَا كَانَ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ أُولُو بَقِيَّةٍ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْفَسَادِ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّمَّنْ أَنجَيْنَا مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَاتَّبَعَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مَا أُتْرِفُوا فِيهِ وَكَانُوا مُجْرِمِينَ ١١٦

If only there had been among the generations before you, persons having wisdom, prohibiting (others) from Al-Fasad (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 Mujrimun (criminals, disbelievers in Allah, polytheists, sinners, etc.).

فَلَوْلَا كَانَ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ

If only there had been among the generations before you,

أُولُو بَقِيَّةٍ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْفَسَادِ فِي الْأَرْضِ

persons having wisdom, prohibiting (others) from Al-Fasad (disbelief, polytheism, and all kinds of crimes and sins) in the earth,

إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّمَّنْ أَنجَيْنَا مِنْهُمْ ۗ

except a few of those whom We saved from among them.

وَاتَّبَعَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مَا أُتْرِفُوا فِيهِ

Those who did wrong pursued the enjoyment of good things of (this worldly) life,

وَكَانُوا مُجْرِمِينَ

and were Mujrimun (criminals, disbelievers in Allah, polytheists, sinners, etc.).

وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ لِيُهْلِكَ الْقُرَىٰ بِظُلْمٍ وَأَهْلُهَا مُصْلِحُونَ ١١٧

And your Lord would never destroy the towns wrongfully, while their people were right-doers.

وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ

And your Lord would never

لِيُهْلِكَ الْقُرَىٰ

destroy the towns

بِظُلْمٍ

wrongfully

وَأَهْلُهَا مُصْلِحُونَ

while their people were right-doers

وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ لَجَعَلَ النَّاسَ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً ۖ وَلَا يَزَالُونَ مُخْتَلِفِينَ ١١٨

And if your Lord had so willed, He could surely have made mankind one Ummah [nation or community (following one religion only i.e. Islam)], but they will not cease to disagree,

وَلَوْ شَاءَ رَبُّكَ

And if your Lord had so willed,

لَجَعَلَ النَّاسَ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً ۖ

He could surely have made mankind one Ummah [nation or community (following one religion only i.e. Islam)],

وَلَا يَزَالُونَ مُخْتَلِفِينَ

but they will not cease to disagree,

إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ رَبُّكَ ۚ وَلِذَٰلِكَ خَلَقَهُمْ ۗ وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ ١١٩

Except him on whom your Lord has bestowed His Mercy (the follower of truth - Islamic Monotheism) and for that did He create them. And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled (i.e. His Saying): "Surely, I shall fill Hell with jinns and men all together."

إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ رَبُّكَ ۚ

Except him on whom your Lord has bestowed His Mercy

وَلِذَٰلِكَ خَلَقَهُمْ ۗ

and for that did He create them.

وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ

And the Word of your Lord has been fulfilled

لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ أَجْمَعِينَ

Surely, I shall fill Hell with jinns and men all together.