It is God who appointed for you the cattle, some of them to ride and of some you eat; 79 And for you therein are [other] benefits and that you may realize upon them a need which is in your breasts; and upon them and upon ships you are carried. 80 And He shows you (always) His Signs: then which of the Signs of Allah will ye deny? 81 Did they not travel in the land to see what sort of fate befell those before them? They were more than these in number, and they exceeded them in strength and the signs they left behind in the earth – so what benefit did they get from what they earned? 82 Then when their Messengers came to them with clear proofs, they were glad (and proud) with that which they had of the knowledge (of worldly things): And that at which they used to mock, surrounded them (i.e. the punishment). 83 So that when they saw Our might, they said: "We believe in God the one and single, and reject those we associated (with Him)." -- 84 But their attaining to faith after they had beheld Our punishment could not possibly benefit them; such being the way of God that has always obtained for His creatures: and so, then and there, lost were they who had denied the truth. 85