Those before them had already plotted, but Allah came at their building (16:26)

﴿قَدْ مَكَرَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَأَتَى اللَّهُ بُنْيَانَهُم مِّنَ الْقَوَاعِدِ فَخَرَّ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّقْفُ مِن فَوْقِهِمْ وَأَتَاهُمُ الْعَذَابُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ﴾
[ النحل: 26]

16:26 Those before them had already plotted, but Allah came at their building from the foundations, so the roof fell upon them from above them, and the punishment came to them from where they did not perceive.

The disbelievers before these people devised plots against their Messengers.
Allah then destroyed their buildings from the foundations and as a result their roofs fell on them from above.
The punishment came to them from where they did not expect as they had expected their buildings to protect them but they were destroyed by them.

Those before them indeed plotted, but Allah struck at the foundation of their building, and then the roof fell down upon them, from above them, and the torment overtook them from directions they did not perceive.

phonetic Transliteration

Qad makara allatheena min qablihim faata Allahu bunyanahum mina alqawaAAidi fakharra AAalayhimu alssaqfu min fawqihim waatahumu alAAathabu min haythu la yashAAuroona

Abdullah Yusuf Ali - Translation

Those before them did also plot (against Allah's Way): but Allah took their structures from their foundations, and the roof fell down on them from above; and the Wrath seized them from directions they did not perceive.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Those before them indeed plotted, but Allah struck at the foundation of their building, the roof fell down upon them from above them, and the torment overtook them from directions they did not perceive.

Page 269 English transliteration