فَلَوْلَا إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُوا وَلَٰكِنْ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
Then why did they not submit when Our punishment came upon them? But their hearts were hardened, and Satan made things they were doing look attractive to them.
If only, when Our trial came upon them, they had invoked Us with humility! But their hearts grew hard and Satan decked out whatever they were doing as appealing to them.
Why did they not then, when Our punishment overtook them, grow humble? (It was for the fact that) their hearts had hardened and satan had made their deeds seem fair to them.
yet when the misfortune decreed by Us befell them, they did not humble themselves, but rather their hearts grew hard, for Satan had made all their doings seem goodly to them.
Wherefore then did they not, when the affliction from us came upon them, humble themselves? But their hearts became hardened, and the Satan made fair-seeming unto them that which they were wont to do.
So why did they not humbly plead when Our punishment came to them? But their hearts were hardened and the devil made all their deeds appear good to them!
And when they forgot what they were reminded of, We opened for them the gates of all things, until when they rejoiced at what they had, We caught them up suddenly (or unawares, unexpectedly), and Lo! They were plunged into despair.
So where it not for when Our might came to them, they became humble and humiliated themselves, and but their hearts/minds became cruel/merciless, and the devil decorated/beautified for them what they were making/doing.
Why did they not humble themselves when the sufferings overtook them? On the contrary their hearts became hardened and Shaitan made their sinful acts seem fair to them.
And indeed We sent (messengers) to nations before thee then We seized them with distress and affliction that they might humble themselves.
Why did they not submit themselves (to God) when Our torment struck them. Instead, their hearts were hardened and Satan made their evil deeds seem attractive to them.
If only, when Our disaster came on them, they had been humble! But their hearts were hardened and the devil made all that they used to do seem fair unto them!
Yet why did they not, when Our punishment came to them, humble themselves? But their hearts hardened and the Shaitan made what they did fair-seeming to them.
When Our Torment reached them, why then did they not believe with humility? But their hearts became hardened, and Shaitan (Satan) made fair-seeming to them that which they used to do.
When the suffering reached them from us, why then did they not learn humility? On the contrary their hearts became hardened, and Satan made their (sinful) acts seem alluring to them.