যদি আল্লাহ লোকদেরকে তাদের অন্যায় কাজের কারণে পাকড়াও করতেন, তবে ভুপৃষ্ঠে চলমান কোন কিছুকেই ছাড়তেন না। কিন্তু তিনি প্রতিশ্রুতি সময় পর্যন্ত তাদেরকে অবকাশ দেন। অতঃপর নির্ধারিত সময়ে যখন তাদের মৃত্যু এসে যাবে, তখন এক মুহুর্তও বিলম্বিত কিংবা তরাম্বিত করতে পারবে না।
And if Allâh were to seize mankind for their wrong-doing, He would not leave on it (the earth) a single moving (living) creature, but He postpones them for an appointed term and when their term comes, neither can they delay nor can they advance it an hour (or a moment).
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللّهُ النَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِم مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيْهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ وَلَكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى فَإِذَا جَاء أَجَلُهُمْ لاَ يَسْتَأْخِرُونَ سَاعَةً وَلاَ يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ
Walaw yu-akhithu Allahu alnnasa bithulmihim ma taraka AAalayha min dabbatin walakin yu-akhkhiruhum ila ajalin musamman fa-itha jaa ajaluhum la yasta/khiroona saAAatan wala yastaqdimoona
YUSUFALI: If Allah were to punish men for their wrong-doing, He would not leave, on the (earth), a single living creature: but He gives them respite for a stated Term: When their Term expires, they would not be able to delay (the punishment) for a single hour, just as they would not be able to anticipate it (for a single hour).
PICKTHAL: If Allah were to take mankind to task for their wrong-doing, he would not leave hereon a living creature, but He reprieveth them to an appointed term, and when their term cometh they cannot put (it) off an hour nor (yet) advance (it).
SHAKIR: And if Allah had destroyed men for their iniquity, He would not leave on the earth a single creature, but He respites them till an appointed time; so when their doom will come they shall not be able to delay (it) an hour nor can they bring (it) on (before its time).
KHALIFA: If GOD punished the people for their transgressions, He would have annihilated every creature on earth. But He respites them for a specific, predetermined time. Once their interim ends, they cannot delay it by one hour, nor advance it.