They impatiently urge you to bring about evil before good,1 while there has already occurred before them similar punishments [to what they demand]. And indeed, your Lord is the possessor of forgiveness for the people despite their wrongdoing, and indeed, your Lord is severe in penalty.
Translation: Saheeh International (English)
1 They said, challenging the Prophet (ﷺ) in ridicule, "Bring on the punishment, if you are truthful," rather than asking for mercy and forgiveness from Allāh.
وَيَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَكَAnd they ask you to hastenwayastaʿjilūnaka
بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِthe evilbil-sayi-ati
قَبۡلَbeforeqabla
ٱلۡحَسَنَةِthe goodl-ḥasanati
وَقَدۡand verilywaqad
خَلَتۡhas occurredkhalat
مِنfrommin
قَبۡلِهِمُbefore themqablihimu
ٱلۡمَثُلَٰتُۗ[the] similar punishmentsl-mathulātu
وَإِنَّAnd indeedwa-inna
رَبَّكَyour Lordrabbaka
لَذُو(is) fullladhū
مَغۡفِرَةٖ(of) forgivenessmaghfiratin
لِّلنَّاسِfor mankindlilnnāsi
عَلَىٰforʿalā
ظُلۡمِهِمۡۖtheir wrongdoingẓul'mihim
وَإِنَّand indeedwa-inna
رَبَّكَyour Lordrabbaka
لَشَدِيدُ(is) severelashadīdu
ٱلۡعِقَابِ(in) the penaltyl-ʿiqābi
Tafsir
The idolaters ask you, O Messenger, to bring on the punishment and they enquire as to why it is taking so long to come on them before they completely enjoy the favours that Allah has decreed for them. Many such punishments have come before on people like them from the nations who disbelieved. Why do they not take a lesson from them? Your Lord, O Messenger, is one who pardons people despite their wrongdoing. He, therefore, does not rush to take retribution from them giving them a chance to repent to Allah. He is truly severe in punishing those who persist in their denial if they do not repent.