۞ Set forth to them the parable of two men: for one of them We provided two gardens of grape-vines and surrounded them with date palms; in between the two We placed corn-fields. 32 Each of the two gardens produced its fruit and did not fall short thereof in anything. And We caused to gush forth within them a river. 33 And so [the man] had fruit in abundance. And [one day] he said to his friend, bandying words with him, "More wealth have I than thou, and mightier am I as regards [the number and power of my] followers!" 34 He went into his garden in a state (of mind) unjust to his soul: He said, "I deem not that this will ever perish, 35 I think not that the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I am brought back unto my Lord I surely shall find better than this as a resort. 36 His companion said to him, in the course of the argument with him: "Dost thou deny Him Who created thee out of dust, then out of a sperm-drop, then fashioned thee into a man? 37 He is Allah, my Lord, and I will not associate anyone with My Lord. 38 When entering your garden, you should have said, "This is what God willed; All Power belongs to Him. Even if you consider me inferior to yourself in wealth and offspring, 39 perhaps my Lord will give me a garden better than yours and strike your garden with a thunderbolt from the sky to turn it into a barren ground, 40 Or its waters should sink down into the ground so that you are unable to find it. 41 And his property was encompassed; and lo! he was wringing the palms of his hands over that which he had expended thereon, while it laid fallen down on its trellises, and saying: Oh, would that I had not associated with my Lord anyone: 42 Nor had he numbers to help him against Allah, nor was he able to deliver himself. 43 Thereover protection belongs only to God the True; He is best rewarding, best in the issue. 44