3 Their hearts trifling. And they — the wrongdoers — counsel in secret: He is nothing but a mortal like yourselves; will you then yield to enchantment while you see?

4 He said: My Lord knows (every) utterance in the heaven and the earth, and He is the Hearer, the Knower.

5 Nay, say they: Medleys of dreams! nay, he has forged it! nay, he is a poet! so let him bring to us a sign such as the former (prophets) were sent (with).

6 Not a town believed before them which We destroyed: will they then believe?

7 And We sent not before thee any but men to whom We sent revelation; so ask the followers of the Reminder if you know not.

8 Nor did We give them bodies not eating food, nor did they abide.

9 Then We made Our promise good to them; so We delivered them and whom We pleased, and We destroyed the extravagant.

10 Certainly We have revealed to you a Book which will give you eminence. Do you not then understand?

11 And how many a town which was iniquitous did We demolish, and We raised up after it another people!

12 So when they felt Our might, lo! they began to flee from it.

13 Flee not and return to the easy lives which you led, and to your dwellings, that you may be questioned.

14 They said: O woe to us! Surely we were unjust.

15 And this cry of theirs ceased not till We made them cut off, extinct.

16 And We created not the heaven and the earth and what is between them for sport.

17 Had We wished to take a pastime, We would have taken it from before Ourselves; by no means would We do (so).

18 Nay, We hurl the Truth against falsehood, so it knocks out its brains, and lo! it vanishes. And woe to you for what you describe!

19 And to Him belongs whoever is in the heavens and the earth. And those who are with Him are not too proud to serve Him, nor are they weary.