And man prays for evil as he ought to pray 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 Round each man's neck We have hung his ledger of deeds, and on the Day of Resurrection will present it as a book spread out (and say): 13 Read thine book; sufficeth today thy soul against thee as a reckoner. 14 Whoever chooses to follow the right path, follows it for his own good; and whoever goes astray, goes astray at his own peril; no bearer of burdens shall bear the burdens of another. Nor do We punish until We have sent forth a messenger to forewarn them. 15 When We decide to destroy a population, We (first) send a definite order to those among them who are given the good things of this life and yet transgress; so that the word is proved true against them: then (it is) We destroy them utterly. 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 Whoever desires (only) the enjoyment of this life will receive it if We want it to be so. Then We will make Hell his reward wherein he will suffer, despised and driven away from Our mercy. 18 And whoever desires the hereafter and strives for it as he ought to strive and he is a believer; (as for) these, their striving shall surely be accepted. 19 Upon all, both these [who desire the world] and those [who desire the Hereafter] We bestow the bounty of your Lord: none shall be denied the bounty of your Lord -- 20 See how We have made some of them to excel others, and certainly the hereafter is much superior in respect of excellence. 21 Take not with Allah another object of worship; or thou (O man!) wilt sit in disgrace and destitution. 22