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Muhammad Asad   
AND HOW MANY a generation have We destroyed before those [who now deny the truth] people of greater might than theirs; but [when Our chastisement befell them,] they became wanderers on the face of the earth, seeking no more than a place of refug
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
˹Imagine˺ how many peoples We destroyed before them, who were far mightier than them. Then ˹when the torment came,˺ they ˹desperately˺ sought refuge in the land. ˹But˺ was there any escape?
Safi Kaskas   
How many a generation We destroyed before them, who were more powerful and had searched every land. Was there any escape?

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Source Arabic and Literal tools
Arabic   
وَكَمْ أَهْلَكْنَا قَبْلَهُم مِّن قَرْنٍ هُمْ أَشَدُّ مِنْهُم بَطْشًا فَنَقَّبُوا فِي الْبِلَادِ هَلْ مِن مَّحِيص
Transliteration (2021)   
wakam ahlaknā qablahum min qarnin hum ashaddu min'hum baṭshan fanaqqabū fī l-bilādi hal min maḥīṣi
Word for Word
Dr. Shehnaz Shaikh, Ms. Kauser Katri, and more
  
And how many We destroyed before them of a generation, they (were) stronger than them (in) power. so they explored throughout the lands. Is (there) any place of escape?

Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad   
AND HOW MANY a generation have We destroyed before those [who now deny the truth] people of greater might than theirs; but [when Our chastisement befell them,] they became wanderers on the face of the earth, seeking no more than a place of refug
M. M. Pickthall   
And how many a generation We destroyed before them, who were mightier than these in prowess so that they overran the lands! Had they any place of refuge (when the judgment came)
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)   
But how many generations before them did We destroy (for their sins),- stronger in power than they? Then did they wander through the land: was there any place of escape (for them)
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab   
˹Imagine˺ how many peoples We destroyed before them, who were far mightier than them. Then ˹when the torment came,˺ they ˹desperately˺ sought refuge in the land. ˹But˺ was there any escape?
Safi Kaskas   
How many a generation We destroyed before them, who were more powerful and had searched every land. Was there any escape?
Wahiduddin Khan   
How many a generation, far greater in prowess, have We destroyed before them! They searched the entire land: but could they find a refuge
Shakir   
And how many a generation did We destroy before them who were mightier in prowess than they, so they went about and about in the lands. Is there a place of refuge
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar   
And how many We caused to perish before them of generations who were stronger than they in courage so that they searched about on the land. Was there any asylum?
T.B.Irving   
How many generations have We wiped out before them? They were much braver than they are and stormed through the land. Yet had they any escape?
Abdul Hye   
And how many generations We have destroyed before them who were stronger in power than them? (When punishment came) they ran for a refuge in the land! Could they find any place of refuge (to save them from destruction)?
The Study Quran   
How many a generation before them have We destroyed who were of greater prowess than them? Then they searched about in the lands: “Is there any refuge?
Dr. Kamal Omar   
And how many out of the generations We destroyed before them — they happened to be stronger than them power-wise. At this stage they ran hither and thither in the cities, (and they were constantly crying): “Is there any place of escape or refuge?”
Farook Malik   
How many generations, far stronger in power, have We destroyed before them! They searched the entire land: but could they find any refuge
Talal A. Itani (new translation)   
How many generations before them, who were more powerful than they, did We destroy? They explored the lands—was there any escape
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali   
And how many a generation We caused to perish before them (who) were more valiant in assault than they, so that they overran the lands; (yet) had they any evasion (from Us)
Muhammad Sarwar   
How many an ancient town who were much stronger than them (unbelievers) did We destroy. (In vain), they wandered through the land in search of a place of refuge from Our torment
Muhammad Taqi Usmani   
And how many a generation We have destroyed before them who were stronger than these in their grip on power, and they searched out the cities. Was there any place (for them) to escape
Shabbir Ahmed   
(All this is the Law of Requital.) And how many a generation We annihilated before them, of greater might than theirs! But, then they wandered on the face of the earth asking, "Is there a place of refuge?"
Dr. Munir Munshey   
Many nations have We destroyed (for their sins) prior to them _ nations that were stronger, (more developed) and mightier. They penetrated (and colonized many) other lands. But did they find any place to escape
Syed Vickar Ahamed   
And how many generations before them did We destroy (for their sins)— (Though) they were stronger in power than them? And they wandered through the land: Was there any place of escape (for them)
Umm Muhammad (Sahih International)   
And how many a generation before them did We destroy who were greater than them in [striking] power and had explored throughout the lands. Is there any place of escape
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)   
And how many a generation before them have We destroyed They were stronger in power, and they had dominated the land. Did they find any sanctuar
Abdel Haleem   
We have destroyed even mightier generations before these disbelievers, who travelled through [many] lands- was there any escape
Abdul Majid Daryabadi   
And how many a generation have We destroyed before them, who were mightier in power than they, and they traversed the cities! No place of refuge could they find
Ahmed Ali   
How many generations have We destroyed before them who were mightier in power than they. Then they searched throughout the land to see if there was a way of escape
Aisha Bewley   
How many generations before them We destroyed who had greater force than them and scoured many lands! Did they find any way of escape?
Ali Ünal   
How many a generation We have destroyed before them who were mightier than these in prowess, and overran other lands. But was there any place of escape (for them when God’s punishment became due: is there ever?
Ali Quli Qara'i   
How many generations We have destroyed before them, who were stronger than these, insomuch that they ransacked the towns?! Is there any escape [from Allah’s punishment]
Hamid S. Aziz   
And how many a generation did We destroy before them who were mightier in prowess than they. Then they wander through (or overrun) the land; but was there for them a place of refuge (when the Judgment came)
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad   
And how many of generation did We destroy before them who were more courageous (and powerful) than them, and they explored throughout the land? Is there any way (or place) of escape
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)   
But how many generations before them did We destroy who were stronger in power than they were? Then they wandered through the land. Was there any place of escape for them
Musharraf Hussain   
We destroyed people in the past who were far stronger than them; they used to travel everywhere – did they escape?
Maududi   
How many a nation did We destroy before them that were stronger in prowess than these. They searched about the lands of the world. But could they find a refuge
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)   
And how many a generation before them have We destroyed? They were stronger in power, and they had dominated the land. Did they find any refuge?
Mohammad Shafi   
And how many a generation before them, stronger in power than they, did We destroy! They had wandered through the lands in search of a place of escape!

Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)   
How many a generation We destroyed before them that they were stronger in velour than they, then they searched about in the cities. Is there any place of refuge?
Rashad Khalifa   
Many a generation before them, who were more powerful, we annihilated. They searched the land; did they find an escape?
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah   
How many generations, stronger in might than they have We destroyed before them! They searched the land, could they find any asylum
Maulana Muhammad Ali   
And how many a generation We destroyed before them who were mightier in prowess than they! so they went about in the lands. Is there a place of refuge
Muhammad Ahmed - Samira   
And how many We destroyed before them from (a) generation/century they are stronger than them (in) violent destruction/attack, so they searched/investigated in the countries/lands , is (there) from (an) escape/diversion
Bijan Moeinian   
I (God) have destroyed many nations before them. They were much stronger (not only in their own land) and had brought other nations under their domination. Where can then these (weak people) find a refuge (if God decides to punish them)
Faridul Haque   
And many a generation We did destroy before them, who exceeded them in strength, therefore venturing in the cities! Is there a place to escape
Sher Ali   
And how many a generation, who were mightier than they in prowess, have WE destroyed before them ! But when the punishment came, they went about in the lands, devising plans to escape it. But was there any place of refuge for them
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri   
And how many generations We destroyed before them (the disbelievers and idolaters of Mecca) who were far stronger in power and might than they! So they searched the cities (of the world) to run away somewhere for refuge (from death or torment)
Amatul Rahman Omar   
So many (a guilty) generation, who were mightier than these people in prowess, have We destroyed (for their wrongs) before them. They journeyed from land to land (to escape). (But We seized them with Our punishment.) Was there any asylum (for them) to take refuge
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali   
And how many a generation We have destroyed before them, who were stronger in power than them, and (when Our Torment came) they ran for a refuge in the land! Could they find any place of refuge (for them to save themselves from destruction)

Non-Muslim and/or Orientalist works
Arthur John Arberry   
How many a generation We destroyed before them that was stronger in valour than they, then they searched about in the land; was there any asylum
George Sale   
How many generations have We destroyed before the Meccans, which were more mighty than they in strength? Pass, therefore, through the regions of the earth, and see whether there be any refuge from our vengeance
Edward Henry Palmer   
How many a generation have we destroyed before them, mightier than they in prowess! Pass through the land, is there any refuge
John Medows Rodwell   
And how many generations have we destroyed ere the days of these (Meccans), mightier than they in strength! Search ye then the land. Is there any escape
N J Dawood (2014)   
How many generations, far greater in prowess, have We wiped out before them! They searched the entire land: but could they find a refuge

New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Linda “iLHam” Barto   
How many generations before them did We destroy, stronger in power than they? They wandered through the land; was there any place of escape?
Irving & Mohamed Hegab   
How many generations have We wiped out before them? They were much braver than they are and stormed through the land. Yet had they any escape?
Ahmed Hulusi   
Many generations We have destroyed before them who were mightier than them in strength! And they sought a place (of refuge) because of this... Is there any place of escape?
Mir Aneesuddin   
And how many a generation did We destroy before them, who were stronger than them in taking hold (of others), but We made them to wander (from place to place) in the lands (asking), “Is there (a place of) refuge?”
Al-muntakhab fi tafsir al-Qur'an al-Karim   
How many generations before them -the Meccans-, mightier than them in power, did We destine to destruction, and how soon did their mightiness meet misery! They wandered about not knowing where, in quest of a means of escaping death, but is there any

Obsolete and/or older editions
Yusuf Ali (Orig. 1938)   
But how many generations before them did We destroy (for their sins),- stronger in power than they? Then did they wander through the land: was there any place of escape (for them)
OLD Literal Word for Word   
And how many We destroyed before them of a generation, they (were) stronger than them (in) power. so they explored throughout the lands. Is (there) any place of escape