The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ إِلاَّ رِجَالاً نُّوحِي إِلَيْهِم مِّنْ أَهْلِ الْقُرَى...

12: 109. Nor did We send before thee (as Messengers) any but men, whom We did inspire -- (men) living in human habitations.

C1793. It was men that Allah sent as His Messengers to explain Him to men. He did not send angels or gods. Into His chosen men He breathed His inspiration, so that they could see truer than other men. But they were men living with men, in men's habitations in town or country; not recluses or cenobites, who had no personal experience of men's affairs and could not be teachers of men in the fullest sense. Their deeds tell their own tale.

...أَفَلَمْ يَسِيرُواْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُواْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ...

Do they not travel through the earth, and see what was the end of those before them?

...وَلَدَارُ الآخِرَةِ خَيْرٌ لِّلَّذِينَ اتَّقَواْ ...

But the home of the Hereafter is best, for those who do right.

C1794. The righteous, the men of Allah, had, as in Joseph's history, some evidence of Allah's providence in this very world with all its imperfections as reflecting our imperfections. But this world is of no real consequence to them. Their home is in the Hereafter.

Joseph's earthly home was in Canaan; but he attained his glory elsewhere; and his spiritual Home is in the great Society of the Righteous (3:39).

...أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿١٠٩﴾

Will ye not then understand?

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: 109 [Yusuf, Mecca 53. Were all prophets men?]

Yusuf Ali Nor did We send before thee (as Apostles) any but men whom We did inspire (men) living in human habitations. Do they not travel through the earth and see what was the end of those before them? But the home of the Hereafter is best for those who do right. Will ye not then understand?

Pickthall We sent not before thee (any messengers) save men whom We inspired from among the folk of the townships. Have they not travelled in the land and seen the nature of the consequence for those who were before them? And verily the abode of the Hereafter, for those who ward off (evil), is best. Have ye then no sense?

Yuksel We have not sent before you except men, to whom We gave inspiration, from the people of the towns. Would they not roam the earth and see what was the punishment of those before them? The abode of the Hereafter is far better for those who are aware. Do you not reason?*

Transliteration Wa ma_ arsalna_ min qablika illa_ rija_lan nu_hi ilaihim min ahlil qura_, afalam yasiru fil ardi fayanzuru_ kaifa ka_na 'a_qibatul lazina min qablihim, wa lada_rul a_khirati khairul lil lazina-ttaqau, afala_ ta'qilu_n(a).

12: 110

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).

[[ Yuksel - 012:109 The word rijal, which we translated as "man" has multiple meanings; it is also used to mean, "walker/pedestrian." See 2:239; 7:46-48; 22:27; 39:29; 72:5.]]