وَمَاwamāAnd nothingمَنَعَmanaʿapreventsالنَّاسَl-nāsamenاَنْanthatيُؤْمِنُٓواyu'minūthey believeاِذْidhwhenجَٓاءَهُمُjāahumuhas come to themالْهُدٰىl-hudāthe guidanceوَيَسْتَغْفِرُواwayastaghfirūand they ask forgivenessرَبَّهُمْrabbahum(of) their Lordاِلَّٓاillāexceptاَنْanthatتَأْتِيَهُمْtatiyahumcomes to themسُنَّةُsunnatu(the) wayالْاَوَّل۪ينَl-awalīna(of) the former (people)اَوْaworيَأْتِيَهُمُyatiyahumucomes to themالْعَذَابُl-ʿadhābuthe punishmentقُبُلاًqubulanbefore (them)When the guidance came to them nothing prevented the people from acknowledging, and seeking forgiveness from their Lord, except they sought to receive the ways of the previous people, or receive the retribution face to face.