Strike for them a similitude -- the inhabitants of the city, when the Envoys came to it; 13 When We sent two of them they called them liars; so We sent a third to strengthen them. "We have been sent to you," they said. 14 They said: ye are but human beings like ourselves; the Compassionate hath not sent down aught; ye are only lying. 15 They said, "Our Lord knows that we have been sent to you. 16 but we are not bound to do more than clearly deliver the message [entrusted to us]." 17 They rejoined: "We feel you augur ill. If you do not desist, we shall stone you to death, and inflict a grievous punishment on you." 18 (The messengers) said: "The augury is within your own selves. Do you (consider it a bad omen) that you should be warned? You are a people guilty of excess." 19 A man came running from the farthest part of the city saying, "My people, follow the Messengers. 20 Follow those who ask not of you any hire, and who are rightly guided. 21 Why should I not serve the One Who created me and to Whom all of you shall be sent back? 22 What, shall I take, other than Him, gods whose intercession, if the Merciful desires to afflict me, cannot help me at all, and they will never save me? 23 Verily then I should be in error manifest. 24 Verily! I have believed in your Lord, so listen to me!" 25 It was said: enter thou the Garden. He said: would that my people knew. 26 With what (munificence) my Lord hath pardoned me and made me of the honoured ones! 27 ۞ And We did not send down to his nation after him any army from heaven, neither would We send any down. 28 It was not but one shout, and immediately they were extinguished. 29 And it was said, “Woe to those bondmen – whenever a Noble Messenger comes to them, they mock at him!” 30 See they not how many generations before them we destroyed? Not to them will they return: 31 and [that] all of them, all together, will [in the end] before Us be arraigned? 32