۞ And strike for them a similitude: two men. To one of them We assigned two gardens of vines, and surrounded them with palm-trees, and between them We set a sown field; 32 Each of those gardens brought forth its produce, and failed not in the least therein: in the midst of them We caused a river to flow. 33 And he possessed much wealth; so he said to his companion, while he disputed with him: I have greater wealth than you, and am mightier in followers. 34 Having thus harmed his own soul, he entered his garden saying, "I do not think this will ever perish, 35 And I do not think the hour will come, and even if I am returned to my Lord I will most certainly find a returning place better than this. 36 And his friend answered him in the course of their argument: "Wilt thou blaspheme against Him who has created thee out of dust, and then out of a drop of sperm, and in the end has fashioned thee into a [complete] man? 37 As for myself, Allah alone is my Lord, and I associate none with my Lord in His Divinity. 38 If only, when thou enteredst thy garden, thou hadst said: That which Allah willeth (will come to pass)! There is no strength save in Allah! Though thou seest me as less than thee in wealth and children, 39 it may well be that my Lord will give me something better than your vineyard, and send a calamity upon your vineyard from the heavens and it will be reduced to a barren waste, 40 or its water sinks deep into the ground, so that thou wilt never be able to find it again!" 41 And his property was encompassed; and lo! he was wringing the palms of his hands over that which he had expended thereon, while it laid fallen down on its trellises, and saying: Oh, would that I had not associated with my Lord anyone: 42 Nor had he numbers to help him against Allah, nor was he able to deliver himself. 43 For thus it is: all protective power belongs to God alone, the True One. He is the best to grant recompense, and the best to determine what is to be. 44