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