How many a village has turned in its pride against the Order of their Lord and His Messengers! We made it a stern reckoning, and punished it with a horrible punishment. 8 And it tasted the bad consequence of its affair, and the outcome of its affair was loss. 9 God has prepared for them severe punishment. So, you men of wisdom, and those who believe, take heed for yourselves and fear God. God has indeed sent down a Reminder for you, 10 a Messenger who rehearses to you Allah's verses that clearly expound the Guidance so that He may bring out those that believe and act righteously, from every kind of darkness into light. He will admit whosoever believes in Allah and acts righteously to Gardens beneath which rivers flow. They shall abide in them forever. For such has Allah made an excellent provision. 11 It is God who created seven heavens, and of earth their like, between them the Command descending, that you may know that God is powerful over everything and that God encompasses everything in knowledge. 12