( ولقد استهزئ برسل من قبلك ) كما استهزءوا بك ( فأمليت للذين كفروا ) أمهلتهم ، وأطلت لهم المدة ، ومنه " الملوان " ، وهما : الليل والنهار ( ثم أخذتهم ) عاقبتهم في الدنيا بالقتل وفي الآخرة بالنار ( فكيف كان عقاب ) أي : عقابي لهم .
You are not the first messenger to be rejected and mocked at by his people. The communities before you, O Messenger, mocked at their messengers and rejected them. But I gave respite to those who rejected their messengers until they thought I would not destroy them. Then I seized them after that respite, with various forms of punishment. What do you think of My punishment of them? It was really a severe punishment!