(The folk of Noah and the factions) the disbelievers (after them) after the folk of Noah (denied (their messengers) before these) before your own folk, (and every nation purposed to seize their messenger) every nation wanted to kill their own messenger (and argued falsely) they argued with their messengers in favour of idolatry, ((thinking) thereby to refute the Truth) as an attempt to refute, by means of idolatry, the Truth which the messengers brought. (Then I seized them) I punished them when they disbelieved, (and how (awful) was My punishment) see, O Muhammad, how was My punishment of them when they disbelieved.