He said, "O my people, why are you impatient for evil before [i.e., instead of] good?1 Why do you not seek forgiveness of Allāh that you may receive mercy?"
Translation: Saheeh International (English)
1 By challenging Ṣāliḥ to bring on the promised punishment rather than asking for mercy from Allāh.
تَسۡتَعۡجِلُونَ(do) you seek to hastentastaʿjilūna
بِٱلسَّيِّئَةِthe evilbil-sayi-ati
قَبۡلَbeforeqabla
ٱلۡحَسَنَةِۖthe goodl-ḥasanati
لَوۡلَاWhy notlawlā
تَسۡتَغۡفِرُونَyou ask forgivenesstastaghfirūna
ٱللَّهَ(of) Allahl-laha
لَعَلَّكُمۡso that you maylaʿallakum
تُرۡحَمُونَreceive mercytur'ḥamūna
Tafsir
Salih (peace be upon him) said: “why do you seek to hasten the punishment instead of seeking Allah's mercy? Why do you not seek forgiveness from Allah for your sins, in the hope that he will forgive you?”