وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَخْذُ رَبِّكَ إِذَآ أَخَذَ ٱلْقُرَىٰ وَهِىَ ظَـٰلِمَةٌ ۚ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُۥٓ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ
Waka tha lika akh th u rabbika i tha akha th a alqur a wahiya th a limatun inna akh th ahu aleemun shadeed un And such is thy Sustainer's punishing grasp whenever He takes to task any community that is given to evildoing: verily, His punishing grasp is grievous, severe!
 - Mohammad Asad
Such is the scourge of your Rabb when He seizes a sinful town; indeed, His seizure is terrible and painful.
 - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Such is the 'crushing' grip of your Lord when He seizes the societies entrenched in wrongdoing. Indeed, His grip is 'terribly' painful and severe.
 - Mustafa Khattab
Even thus is the grasp of thy Lord when he graspeth the townships while they are doing wrong. Lo! His grasp is painful, very strong.
 - Marmaduke Pickthall
Such is the chastisement of thy Lord when He chastises communities in the midst of their wrong: grievous indeed and severe is His chastisement.
 - Abdullah Yusuf Ali