Tell them the story of the people of the town to whom Messengers came. 13 When We sent two of them they called them liars; so We sent a third to strengthen them. "We have been sent to you," they said. 14 The (people) said: "Ye are only men like ourselves; and (Allah) Most Gracious sends no sort of revelation: ye do nothing but lie." 15 They answered: Our Lord knoweth that we are indeed sent unto you, 16 "And our duty is only to convey plainly (the Message)." 17 They said: Surely we augur evil from you; if you do not desist, we will certainly stone you, and there shall certainly afflict you a painful chastisement from us. 18 They said, “Your evil omens are with you! What! You get annoyed for being advised? In fact you are a people who transgress the limits!” 19 Then a man came running from the other side of the city. "O my people," he said, "follow the messengers. 20 Follow those who ask no recompense of you and are rightly guided. 21 And what aileth me that I should not worship Him who hath created me, and unto whom ye shall be returned. 22 What, shall I take, other than Him, gods whose intercession, if the Merciful desires to afflict me, cannot help me at all, and they will never save me? 23 (Had I worshipped things besides God, I would have been in manifest error). 24 Behold, I believe in your Lord; therefore hear me!' 25 It was said: Enter the garden. He said: O would that my people had known 26 That my Lord hath forgiven me, and hath made me of the honoured ones. 27 ۞ And after that, no host out of heaven did We send down against his people, nor did We need to send down any: 28 nothing was [needed] but one single blast [of Our punishment] - and lo! they became as still and silent as ashes. 29 Woe, for those (unbelieving) worshipers! They mocked every Messenger that came to them. 30 Do they not consider how many of the generations have We destroyed before them, because they do not turn to them? 31 And without exception, all of them will be brought forth before Us. 32