أَمْ Or am have We given them ātaynāhum a book kitāban before it min before it qablihi so they fahum to it bihi (are) holding fast mus'tamsikūna
Or have We given them a book before it [i.e., the Qur’ān] to which they are adhering?
بَلْ Nay bal they say qālū Indeed, we innā [we] found wajadnā our forefathers ābāanā upon ʿalā a religion ummatin and indeed, we wa-innā on ʿalā their footsteps āthārihim (are) guided muh'tadūna
Rather, they say, "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are in their footsteps [rightly] guided."
وَكَذَٰلِكَ And thus wakadhālika not mā We sent arsalnā before you min before you qablika in fī a town qaryatin any min warner nadhīrin except illā said qāla (the) wealthy ones of it mut'rafūhā Indeed, we innā [we] found wajadnā our forefathers ābāanā on ʿalā a religion ummatin and indeed, we wa-innā [on] ʿalā their footsteps āthārihim (are) following muq'tadūna
And similarly, We did not send before you any warner into a city except that its affluent said, "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are, in their footsteps, following."
۞ قَـٰلَ He said qāla Even if awalaw I brought you ji'tukum better guidance bi-ahdā than what mimmā you found wajadttum on it ʿalayhi your forefathers ābāakum They said qālū Indeed, we innā with what bimā you are sent ur'sil'tum with [it] bihi (are) disbelievers kāfirūna
[Each warner] said, "Even if I brought you better guidance than that [religion] upon which you found your fathers?" They said, "Indeed we, in that with which you were sent, are disbelievers."
فَٱنتَقَمْنَا So We took retribution fa-intaqamnā from them min'hum Then see fa-unẓur how kayfa was kāna (the) end ʿāqibatu (of) the deniers l-mukadhibīna
So We took retribution from them; then see how was the end of the deniers.