People pray as earnestly to gain evil as one should to gain virtue. But people are hasty. 11 And We have established the night and the day as two symbols; and thereupon We have effaced the symbol of night and set up [in its place] the light giving symbol of day, so that you might seek to obtain your Sustainer's bounty and be aware of the passing years and of the reckoning [that is bound to come]. For clearly, most clearly, have We spelt out everything! 12 And every human being's destiny have We tied to his neck; and on the Day of Resurrection We shall bring forth for him a record which he will find wide open; 13 'Read thy book! Thy soul suffices thee this day as a reckoner against thee.' 14 Whoever goes aright, for his own soul does he go aright; and whoever goes astray, to its detriment only does he go astray: nor can the bearer of a burden bear the burden of another, nor do We chastise until We raise an apostle. 15 When We desire to annihilate a village, We command those who live in ease, but they commit evil therein, then the Word is realized against it and it is utterly annihilated. 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 this fleeting one, We may give him quickly – whatever We will, to whomever We will; and then assign hell for him; for him to enter it condemned, pushed around. 18 Those who do wish for the (things of) the Hereafter, and strive therefor with all due striving, and have Faith,- they are the ones whose striving is acceptable (to Allah). 19 Each We succour, these and those, from thy Lord's gift; and thy Lord's gift is not confined. 20 Behold thou! how We have preferred some of them over some others; and surely: the Hereafter is greater in degrees and greater in preferment. 21 "Do not set up another god with God, or you will remain disgraced and destitute. 22