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 We have attached the destiny of every man to his neck; and We shall bring forth a register for him on the Day of Resurrection, which he will find open. 13 [and he will be told:] "Read this thy record! Sufficient is thine own self today to make out thine account!" 14 Whosoever is guided is only guided for his own self, and whosoever goes astray it is only against it. No soul shall bear another's burden. Nor do We punish until we have sent a Messenger. 15 When We desire to annihilate a village, We command those who live in ease, but they commit evil therein, then the Word is realized against it and it is utterly annihilated. 16 And many a generation We did destroy after Nooh! And Allah is Sufficient, Aware of the sins of His bondmen, the Beholder. 17 Whoso desireth that (life) which hasteneth away, We hasten for him therein what We will for whom We please. And afterward We have appointed for him hell; he will endure the heat thereof, condemned, rejected. 18 Those who do wish for the (things of) the Hereafter, and strive therefor with all due striving, and have Faith,- they are the ones whose striving is acceptable (to Allah). 19 All do We aid-- these as well as those-- out of the bounty of your Lord, and the bounty of your Lord is not confined. 20 Behold thou! how We have preferred some of them over some others; and surely: the Hereafter is greater in degrees and greater in preferment. 21 O listener, do not set up another God with Allah, for you will then remain seated condemned, helpless. 22