164وَإِذ قالَت أُمَّةٌ مِنهُم لِمَ تَعِظونَ قَومًا ۙ اللَّهُ مُهلِكُهُم أَو مُعَذِّبُهُم عَذابًا شَديدًا ۖ قالوا مَعذِرَةً إِلىٰ رَبِّكُم وَلَعَلَّهُم يَتَّقونَJ. M. RodwellAnd when some of them said, why warn ye those whom God would destroy or chastise with terrible chastisement? they said, For our own excuse with your Lord; and that they may fear Him.