فَلَوْلَا كَانَ مِنَ ٱلْقُرُونِ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ أُو۟لُوا۟ بَقِيَّةٍ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْفَسَادِ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِّمَّنْ أَنجَيْنَا مِنْهُمْ ۗ وَٱتَّبَعَ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مَآ أُتْرِفُوا۟ فِيهِ وَكَانُوا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ
Falw laa kaana minal qurooni min qablikum ooloo baqiyyatiny yanhawna 'anil fasaadi fil ardi illaa qaleelam mimman anjainaa minhum; wattaba'al lazeena zalamoo maaa utrifoo feehi wa kaanoo mujrimeen
If only there had been, among the generations before your time, people with a rem-nant of good sense, to forbid corruption on the earth! We saved only a few of them, while the unjust pursued the enjoyment of plenty, and persisted in sin.
If only there had been, among the generations before you, people of lasting wisdom who forbade corruption on the earth — but there were only a few, those we saved from among them. The wrongdoers pursued the luxuries they were given, and they were guilty.