The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

حَتَّى إِذَا اسْتَيْأَسَ الرُّسُلُ وَظَنُّواْ أَنَّهُمْ قَدْ كُذِبُواْ...

12: 110. (Respite will be granted) until, when the apostles give up hope (of their people) and (come to) think that they were treated as liars,

C1795. Zannu (come to think):

I construe the nominative of this verb to be "the messengers" in agreement with the best authorities.

Kuzibu is the usual reading, though Kuzzibu, the alternative reading, also rests on good authority.

I construe the meaning to be: that Allah gives plenty of rope to the wicked (as in Joseph's story) until His own Messengers feel almost that it will be hopeless to preach to them and come to consider themselves branded as liars by an unbelieving world; that the breaking point is then reached: that Allah's help then comes swiftly to His men, and they are delivered from persecution and danger, while the wrath of Allah overtakes sinners, and nothing can then ward it off. This interpretation has good authority behind it, though there are differences of opinion.

...جَاءهُمْ نَصْرُنَا فَنُجِّيَ مَن نَّشَاء...

there reaches them Our help. And those whom We will are delivered into safety.

...وَلاَ يُرَدُّ بَأْسُنَا عَنِ الْقَوْمِ الْمُجْرِمِينَ ﴿١١٠﴾

But never will be warded off Our punishment from those who are in sin.

Other versions:

12: 110 [Yusuf, Mecca 53]

Asad [All the earlier apostles had to suffer persecution for a long time;] but at last – when those apostles had lost all hope and saw themselves branded as liars – Our succor attained to them: whereupon everyone whom We willed was saved; for, ever can Our punishment be averted from people who are lost in sin.

Yusuf Ali (Respite will be granted) until when the apostles give up hope (of their people) and (come to ) think that they were treated as liars there reaches them Our help. And those whom We will are delivered into safety. But never will be warded off Our punishment from those who are in sin.

Pickthall Till, when the messengers despaired and thought that they were denied, then came unto them Our help, and whom We would was saved. And our wrath cannot be warded from the guilty.

Yuksel Then, when the messengers gave up, and they thought that they have been denied, Our victory came to them. We then save whom We wish, and Our punishment cannot be swayed from the wicked people

Transliteration Hatta_ iza-stai'asar rusulu wa zannu_ annahum qad kuzibu_ ja_'ahum nasruna, fanujjiya man nasya_'(u), wa la_ yuraddu ba'suna_ 'anil qaumil mujrimin(a).

[[ Ruby’s note – Why God does not make it easy or less difficult for His servants? I think that it is to help us prepare for the work and make us worthy to be God’s instrument. That is a tremendous success as the Quran proclaims. One needs to work for it to be worthy. One’s patience, endurance and trust in God through a difficult path make him/her worthy I believe. I also agree with Yusuf Ali [see below] that to give the weak, the hesitant and even the wicked plenty of chances to reclaim themselves or to accrue enough wrong to be complete failures.

But the bottom line is that a great work does not take place easy. The Quran is repeatedly expounding this truth and history is repeatedly manifesting this pattern. Much roadblocks and much hurdles put in the way. The winner is who could remain steadfast putting all trust in God. ]]

[[ Ali’s notes - 1795 Zannu (come to think): I construe the nominative of this verb to be "the messengers" in agreement with the best authorities. Kuzibu is the usual reading, though Kuzzibu, the alternative reading, also rests on good authority. I construe the meaning to be: that Allah gives plenty of rope to the wicked (as in Joseph's story) until His own Messengers feel almost that it will be hopeless to preach to them and come to consider themselves branded as liars by an unbelieving world; that the breaking point is then reached: that Allah's help then comes swiftly to His men, and they are delivered from persecution and danger, while the wrath of Allah overtakes sinners, and nothing can then ward it off. This interpretation has good authority behind it, though there are differences of opinion. (12.110) ]]