Lost indeed are they that cried lies to the encounter with God, so that when the Hour comes to them suddenly they shall say, 'Alas for us, that we neglected it!' On their backs they shall be bearing their loads; O how evil the loads they bear! 31 The worldly life is but useless amusement and sport (compared to) the life hereafter which is far better and is only for the pious. Will you not then understand? 32 We know that you, [O Muhammad], are saddened by what they say. And indeed, they do not call you untruthful, but it is the verses of Allah that the wrongdoers reject. 33 Other messengers have been denied before you, and they bore their rejection and persecution steadfastly, until Our help came to them. There is no one who can change the words of God. You have already received some account of those messengers. 34 If their aversion still weighs upon you, seek out a tunnel (going deep) into the earth, or a ladder reaching out to the skies, and bring them a sign: (Even then they will not believe). If God had willed He would have brought them all to the right path. So be not like the pagans. 35 ۞ Only those who hear will respond. But the dead - Allah will resurrect them; then to Him they will be returned. 36 And they said: "Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord?" Say: "Allah is certainly Able to send down a sign, but most of them know not." 37 although there is no beast that walks on earth and no bird that flies on its two wings which is not [God's] creature like yourselves: no single thing have We neglected in Our decree. And once again: Unto their Sustainer shall they [all] be gathered. 38 And they who give the lie to Our messages are deaf and dumb, in darkness deep. Whomever God wills, He lets go astray; and whomever He wills, He places upon a straight way. 39 Say thou: look ye now, were Allah's torment to come upon you, or the Hour come upon you, would ye then cry unto other than Allah, if ye are truthful? 40 Aye! unto Him alone ye would cry, and He would remove that where for ye cried unto Him, if He will, and ye would forget that which ye associate. 41