وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةٌ سَبَقَتْ مِن رَّبِّكَ لَكَانَ لِزَامًا وَأَجَلٌ مُّسَمًّى

EnglishSaheeh International: And if not for a word that preceded from your Lord, it [i.e., punishment] would have been an obligation [due immediately], and [if not for] a specified term [decreed].
TamilJan Trust Foundation: உமது இறைவனிடமிருந்து ஒரு வாக்கும் (தண்டனைக்கான) குறிப்பிட்ட ஒரு தவணையும் முந்திரா விட்டால் அது (வேதனை) ஏற்பட்டு இருக்கும்.
SinhalaRuwwad Center: නුඹගේ පරමාධිපතිගෙන් වූ නියමයක් හා නියමිත කාලයක් පෙරටු නො වූයේ නම් එය (විනාශය එකහෙළා) අනිවාර්යය වන්නට තිබුණි.
UrduMaulana Muhammad Junagarhi: اگر تیرے رب کی بات پہلے ہی سے مقرر شده اور وقت معین کرده نہ ہوتا تو اسی وقت عذاب آچمٹتا.
JapaneseRyoichi Mita: もし，主から御言葉が下されていなかったならば，（懲罰は）避けられないのである。だが，定められた（猶予の）期限がある。
ChineseMa Jian: 要不是有一句话从你的主预先发出，要不是有期限，你的主加以预定，那么，（毁灭对于他们）是必然的。

Tafsir of 20:129

Many Nations were destroyed and in Them is a Lesson Allah, the Exalted, says, أَفَلَمْ يَهْدِ (Is it not a guidance for them...) This is addressed to those who reject what the Prophet came to them with: `We destroyed those who denied the Messengers from the previous nations before them. They showed open hostility, so now there is not trace of them and none of them are left. This is witnessed by the empty homes that these people left behind, and which others have now inherited, moving about in the dwellings of those of the past.' إِنَّ فِى ذلِكَ لأيَتٍ لاٌّوْلِى النُّهَى (Verily, in this are signs indeed for men of understanding.) This means those who have sound intellect and correct understanding.…

Source: Ibn Kathir (Abridged)