Lost indeed are they who treat it as a falsehood that they must meet Allah,- until on a sudden the hour is on them, and they say: "Ah! woe unto us that we took no thought of it"; for they bear their burdens on their backs, and evil indeed are the burdens that they bear? 31 The worldly life is but useless amusement and sport (compared to) the life hereafter which is far better and is only for the pious. Will you not then understand? 32 (O Muhammad!) We know indeed that the things they say grieve you, though in truth it is not you whom they give the lie to, but it is the signs of Allah that these wrong-doers reject. 33 Rejected were the messengers before thee: with patience and constancy they bore their rejection and their wrongs, until Our aid did reach them: there is none that can alter the words (and decrees) of Allah. Already hast thou received some account of those messengers. 34 (Muhammad), if their refusal of the faith is so grievous to you and if you can dig up the earth or ascend into the sky in search of further evidence to inevitably make them believe you, you should have done so, but note that had God wanted, He could have made them all follow the same guidance. Do not ever be unaware (of this fact). 35 ۞ Only they who listen can respond to a call; and as for the dead, God will raise them up, and then they will all return to Him. 36 And they said, “Why has no sign been sent down upon him from his Lord?” Say, “Indeed Allah is Able to send down a sign”, but most of them are totally ignorant. 37 There is no crawling creature on the earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but they are nations like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book. They shall all be gathered before their Lord. 38 And they who give the lie to Our messages are deaf and dumb, in darkness deep. Whomever God wills, He lets go astray; and whomever He wills, He places upon a straight way. 39 Say: 'Do you see yourselves when the punishment of Allah smites you or the Hour overtakes you, will you call on any except Allah, if you are truthful? 40 Aye! unto Him alone ye would cry, and He would remove that where for ye cried unto Him, if He will, and ye would forget that which ye associate. 41