People pray as earnestly to gain evil as one should to gain virtue. But people are hasty. 11 And We have appointed the night and the day as two signs; then We blurred the sign of the night and made the sign of the day illuminating that ye may seek grace from your Lord, and that ye may know the number of the years and the reckoning; and everything We have detailed in full details. 12 And every man -- We have fastened to him his bird of omen upon his neck; and We shall bring forth for him, on the Day of Resurrection, a book he shall find spread wide open. 13 We will tell him, "Read it and judge for yourself." 14 Whosoever goeth right, it is only for (the good of) his own soul that he goeth right, and whosoever erreth, erreth only to its hurt. No laden soul can bear another's load, We never 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 How many generations have We destroyed since Noah! And Allah sufficeth as Knower and Beholder of the sins of His slaves. 17 If any do wish for the transitory things (of this life), We readily grant them - such things as We will, to such person as We will: in the end have We provided Hell for them: they will burn therein, disgraced and 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 Each We succour, these and those, from thy Lord's gift; and thy Lord's gift is not confined. 20 Behold how We bestow [on earth] more bounty on some of them than on others: but [remember that] the life to come will be far higher in degree and far greater in merit and bounty. 21 Do not set up any other god with Allah lest you are rendered humiliated and helpless. 22