People pray as earnestly to gain evil as one should to gain virtue. But people are hasty. 11 And We have made the night and the day two signs, then We have made the sign of the night to pass away and We have made the sign of the day manifest, so that you may seek grace from your Lord, and that you might know the numbering of years and the reckoning; and We have explained everything with distinctness. 12 And every man's augury have We fastened to his own neck, and We shall bring forth for him on the Day of Resurrection a book which he will find wide open. 13 It will be said, “Read your ledger; this day you are sufficient to take your own account.” 14 Whoever chooses to follow the right path, follows it but for his own good; and whoever goes astray, goes but astray to his own hurt; and no bearer of burdens shall be made to bear another's burden. Moreover, We would never chastise [any community for the wrong they may do] ere We have sent an apostle [to them]. 15 But when [this has been done, and] it is Our will to destroy a community, We convey Our last warning to those of its people who have lost themselves entirely in the pursuit of pleasures; and [if] they [continue to] act sinfully, the sentence [of doom] passed on the community takes effect, and We break it to smithereens. 16 And how many a generation have We [thus] destroyed after [the time of] Noah! For, none has the like of thy Sustainer's awareness and insight into His creatures' sins. 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 And whoever desires the Hereafter and strives for it accordingly, and is a believer – so only their effort has borne fruit. 19 To all of these as well as those We shall provide the wherewithal of this life in the present world by dint of your Lord's Bounty; and from none shall the Bounty of your Lord be withheld. 20 See how We have preferred some above others. Yet the Everlasting Life is greater in rank and greater in preferment. 21 Set not up with God another god, or thou wilt sit condemned and forsaken. 22