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 We have made every man's actions to cling to his neck, and We will bring forth to him on the resurrection day a book which he will find wide open: 13 'Read your book. Your self suffices you this Day as a reckoner against you' 14 Whoever chooses to follow the right path, follows it for his own good; and whoever goes astray, goes astray at his own peril; no bearer of burdens shall bear the burdens of another. Nor do We punish until We have sent forth a messenger to forewarn them. 15 And when We decide to destroy a town (population), We (first) send a definite order (to obey Allah and be righteous) to those among them [or We (first) increase in number those of its population] who are given the good things of this life. Then, they transgress therein, and thus the word (of torment) is justified against it (them). Then We destroy it with complete destruction. 16 And how many generations have We destroyed after Nuh (Noah)! And Sufficient is your Lord as an All-Knower and All-Beholder of the sins of His slaves. 17 Unto him who cares for [no more than the enjoyment of] this fleeting life We readily grant thereof as much as We please, [giving] to whomever it is Our will [to give]; but in the end We consign him to [the suffering of] hell; which he will have to endure disgraced and disowned! 18 Whosoever, being a believer, desires the Everlasting Life and strives for it as he should; those their striving will be thanked. 19 To all of these as well as those We shall provide the wherewithal of this life in the present world by dint of your Lord's Bounty; and from none shall the Bounty of your Lord be withheld. 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 with Allah another god, or you will sit condemned and forsaken. 22