۞ AND PROPOUND unto them the parable of two men, upon one of whom We had bestowed two vinyards, and surrounded them with date-palms, and placed a field of grain in-between. 32 Each of the two gardens yielded its produce and never failed therein in any way, for We had caused a stream to gush forth in the midst of each of them. 33 And so [the man] had fruit in abundance. And [one day] he said to his friend, bandying words with him, "More wealth have I than thou, and mightier am I as regards [the number and power of my] followers!" 34 He went into his garden in a state (of mind) unjust to his soul: He said, "I deem not that 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 His comrade, when he (thus) spake with him, exclaimed: Disbelievest thou in Him Who created thee of dust, then of a drop (of seed), and then fashioned thee a man? 37 "But (I think) for my part that He is Allah, My Lord, and none shall I associate with my Lord. 38 “And why was it not that you would have said when you entered your garden, ‘Whatever Allah wills – we do not have any strength except with the help of Allah’ – if you had observed me lesser than you in wealth and children.”? 39 Yet, my Lord may haply give me a garden better than yours, and He may send a thunder-bolt, from the skies and in the morning it will be a barren plain; 40 Or the water thereof become deep sunken so that therefor thou canst not make a search. 41 And [thus it happened:] his fruitful gardens were encompassed [by ruin,] and there he was, wringing his hands over all that he had spent on that which now lay waste, with its trellises caved in; and he could but say: "Oh, would that I had not attributed divine powers to any but my Sustainer!" 42 And there was for him no company to aid him other than Allah, nor could he defend himself. 43 There the authority is [completely] for Allah, the Truth. He is best in reward and best in outcome. 44