وَاِذْ قَالَتْ اُمَّةٌ مِّنْهُمْ لِمَ تَعِظُوْنَ قَوْمَاۙ اࣙللّٰهُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ اَوْ مُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِيْدًاؕ قَالُوْا مَعْذِرَةً اِلٰي رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ يَتَّقُوْنَ ١٦٤
Translation
When a group of them said, ‘Why do you advise a people whom Allah will destroy, or punish with a severe punishment?’ They said, ‘As an excuse before your Lord, and [with the hope] that they may be Godwary.’