And man prayeth for evil the prayer he should make for good, and man is ever hasty. 11 We have appointed the night and the day as two signs; then We have blotted out the sign of the night, and made the sign of the day to see, and that you may seek bounty from your Lord, and that you may know the number of the years, and the reckoning; and everything We have distinguished very distinctly. 12 And every man -- We have fastened to him his bird of omen upon his neck; and We shall bring forth for him, on the Day of Resurrection, a book he shall find spread wide open. 13 "Read your ledger; this day you are sufficient to take your own account. 14 Whosoever is guided, is only guided to his own gain, and whosoever goes astray, it is only to his own loss; no soul laden bears the load of another. We never chastise, until We send forth a Messenger. 15 And when We would destroy a township We send commandment to its folk who live at ease, and afterward they commit abomination therein, and so the Word (of doom) hath effect for it, and we annihilate it with complete annihilation. 16 How many a generation have We destroyed after Nuh; and sufficeth for the offences of His bondmen thy Lord as the Aware, the Beholder. 17 If any do wish for the transitory things (of this life), We readily grant them - such things as We will, to such person as We will: in the end have We provided Hell for them: they will burn therein, disgraced and rejected. 18 "But he who desires the Hereafter, and strives for it with a will, and is a believer, will be favoured for his endeavour. 19 To each [category] We extend - to these and to those - from the gift of your Lord. And never has the gift of your Lord been restricted. 20 See how We have preferred some above others. Yet the Everlasting Life is greater in rank and greater in preferment. 21 O listener, do not set up another God with Allah, for you will then remain seated condemned, helpless. 22