Man prayeth for evil as he prayeth for good; for man was ever hasty. 11 We have made night and day as two signs. We made the sign of the night devoid of light, and made the sign of the day radiant that you may seek the bounty of your Lord and know the computation of years and numbers. Thus We have expounded everything in detail to keep everything distinct from the other. 12 Round each man's neck We have hung his ledger of deeds, and on the Day of Resurrection will present it as a book spread out (and say): 13 'Read thy book! Thy soul suffices thee this day as a reckoner against thee.' 14 Whosoever is guided, is only guided to his own gain, and whosoever goes astray, it is only to his own loss; no soul laden bears the load of another. We never chastise, until We send forth a Messenger. 15 And when We intend to destroy a city, We command its affluent but they defiantly disobey therein; so the word comes into effect upon it, and We destroy it with [complete] destruction. 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 "Whosoever desires what hastes away, We hasten to give him (in this life) as much as We please to whosoever We will; but afterwards there is Hell for him in which he will burn, disgraced and ostracised. 18 But as for those who care for the [good of the] life to come, and strive for it as it ought to be striven for, and are [true] believers withal - they are the ones whose striving finds favour [with God]! 19 "We bestow from the gifts of your Lord on these and on those, for the gifts of your Lord are not restricted. 20 See, how We have exalted some above others in this world, and in the Life to Come they will have higher ranks and greater degrees of excellence over others. 21 Do not associate with Allah any other god, lest you sit down despised, neglected. 22