قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ لِمَ تَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَ بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِ قَبۡلَ ٱلۡحَسَنَةِۖ لَوۡلَا تَسۡتَغۡفِرُونَ ٱللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُرۡحَمُونَ ٤٦
Qāla yāqawmi lima tasta'jilūna bis-sayyi'ati qablal-hasanati lawlā tastaghfirūnallāha la'allakum turhamūn
He said, "O my people, why are you impatient for evil before [i.e., instead of] good?1078 Why do you not seek forgiveness of Allāh that you may receive mercy?"
Footnotes
1078 By challenging Ṣāliḥ to bring on the promised punishment rather than asking for mercy from Allāh.