People pray as earnestly to gain evil as one should to gain virtue. But people are hasty. 11 We have created night and day as two signs, then We efface the sign of the night, and make the sign of the day resplendent that you may seek the bounty of your Lord, and know the computation of years and numbers. We have expounded most distinctly everything. 12 And We have attached the destiny of every man to his neck; and We shall bring forth a register for him on the Day of Resurrection, which he will find open. 13 "Read your ledger; this day you are sufficient to take your own account. 14 "He who finds the right path does so for himself; and he who goes astray does so to his own loss; and no one who carries a burden bears another's load. We never punish till We have sent a messenger. 15 And when We intend to destroy a city, We command its affluent but they defiantly disobey therein; so the word comes into effect upon it, and We destroy it with [complete] destruction. 16 Many a generation has been destroyed by Our command since Noah's time. Your Lord is well aware and fully observant of the sins of His servants. 17 "Whosoever desires what hastes away, We hasten to give him (in this life) as much as We please to whosoever We will; but afterwards there is Hell for him in which he will burn, disgraced and ostracised. 18 And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it accordingly, and is a believer – so only their effort has borne fruit. 19 All [of them] - these as well as those - do We freely endow with some of thy Sustainer's gifts, since thy Sustainer's giving is never confined [to one kind of man]. 20 "See, how We favour one over the other; and in life to come are higher ranks and favours greater still. 21 "Do not set up another god with God, or you will remain disgraced and destitute. 22