Give to them a parable; to the people of the village there came Messengers, 13 When We sent unto them twain, and they denied them both, so We reinforced them with a third, and they said: Lo! we have been sent unto you. 14 They said, "You are not but human beings like us, and the Most Merciful has not revealed a thing. You are only telling lies." 15 They said, "Our Lord knows that we have been sent to you. 16 Our duty is to convey the message clearly." 17 (The people of the city) said: We augur ill of you. If ye desist not, we shall surely stone you, and grievous torture will befall you at our hands. 18 They said: 'Your prediction is with you, if you are reminded. Surely, you are but a wayward nation' 19 Then a man came running from the other side of the city. "O my people," he said, "follow the messengers. 20 "Obey those who ask no wages of you (for themselves), and who are rightly guided. 21 And what aileth me that I should not worship Him who hath created me, and unto whom ye shall be returned. 22 What, shall I take, apart from Him, gods whose intercession, if the All-merciful desires affliction for me, shall not avail me anything, and who will never deliver me? 23 Surely, I should then be in clear error. 24 “Indeed I have believed in your Lord, so heed me.” 25 It was said: enter thou the Garden. He said: would that my people knew. 26 Of how my Lord has forgiven me and placed me among the honored." 27 ۞ And after him, We did not send down any army from heaven against his people, nor did We intend to send down an army. 28 It was only one Cry and lo, they were silent and still. 29 Alas for mankind! There never came a Messenger to them but they used to mock at him. 30 Do they not consider how many of the generations have We destroyed before them, because they do not turn to them? 31 All of them, gathered together, will certainly be brought before Us. 32