And ask them about the town which stood by the sea; when they exceeded the limits of the Sabbath, when their fish came to them on the day of their Sabbath, appearing on the surface of the water, and on the day on which they did not keep the Sabbath they did not come to them; thus did We try them because they transgressed. 163 And when a certain nation of them said, 'Why do you admonish a people God is about to destroy or to chastise with a terrible chastisement?' They said, 'As an excuse to your Lord; and haply they will be godfearing.' 164 So when they forgot the remindings that had been given to them, We rescued those who forbade evil, but We seized those who did wrong with a severe torment because they used to rebel (disobey Allah). 165 And when they turned in disdain from that forbidding We said to them, 'Be you apes, miserably slinking!' 166 Behold! thy Lord did declare that He would send against them, to the Day of Judgment, those who would afflict them with grievous penalty. Thy Lord is quick in retribution, but He is also Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. 167 We split them up into sections on the earth. Some of them are righteous while some of them are otherwise, and We tested them with blessings and misfortunes, so that they might return to the right path. 168 Then others succeeded them who inherited the scriptures, and yet kept themselves occupied in acquiring the goods of this world and kept saying: 'We shall be forgiven.' And when there comes to them an opportunity for acquiring more of those goods, they seize it. Was not the covenant of the Book taken from them that they would not ascribe to Allah anything but the truth? And they have read what is in the Book and know that the abode of the Hereafter is better for the God-fearing. Do you not understand? 169 And as for those who make (men) keep the Scripture, and establish worship - lo! We squander not the wages of reformers. 170 ۞ And recall what time We shook the mountain over them as though it were a canopy, and they imagined that it was going to fall on them; and We said: hold with firmness that which We have vouchsafed you, and remember that which is therein, that haply ye may fear. 171