وَقالَ الَّذينَ كَفَروا هَل نَدُلُّكُم عَلىٰ رَجُلٍ يُنَبِّئُكُم إِذا مُزِّقتُم كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ إِنَّكُم لَفي خَلقٍ جَديدٍ

Those who disbelieved said, “Shall we point out to you a man who will inform you, that when you’ve disintegrated completely, you will be created anew?”

أَفتَرىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا أَم بِهِ جِنَّةٌ ۗ بَلِ الَّذينَ لا يُؤمِنونَ بِالآخِرَةِ فِي العَذابِ وَالضَّلالِ البَعيدِ

“Did he invent a lie about God, or is he afflicted with madness?” Those who don’t believe in the Hereafter suffer and are far astray.

أَفَلَم يَرَوا إِلىٰ ما بَينَ أَيديهِم وَما خَلفَهُم مِنَ السَّماءِ وَالأَرضِ ۚ إِن نَشَأ نَخسِف بِهِمُ الأَرضَ أَو نُسقِط عَلَيهِم كِسَفًا مِنَ السَّماءِ ۚ إِنَّ في ذٰلِكَ لَآيَةً لِكُلِّ عَبدٍ مُنيبٍ

Didn’t they consider what’s before them and what’s behind them of the heavens and the earth? If We will, We could let the earth swallow them, or drop pieces of the sky on them. In this, there is a sign for every returning servant.

وَلَقَد آتَينا داوودَ مِنّا فَضلًا ۖ يا جِبالُ أَوِّبي مَعَهُ وَالطَّيرَ ۖ وَأَلَنّا لَهُ الحَديدَ

We bestowed upon David a grace from Us: “O mountains, sing praises with him, and you birds as well.” And We softened iron for him.

أَنِ اعمَل سابِغاتٍ وَقَدِّر فِي السَّردِ ۖ وَاعمَلوا صالِحًا ۖ إِنّي بِما تَعمَلونَ بَصيرٌ

“Craft coats of armor, and balance the links well. And work righteousness. I am observant of what you do.”

يَعمَلونَ لَهُ ما يَشاءُ مِن مَحاريبَ وَتَماثيلَ وَجِفانٍ كَالجَوابِ وَقُدورٍ راسِياتٍ ۚ اعمَلوا آلَ داوودَ شُكرًا ۚ وَقَليلٌ مِن عِبادِيَ الشَّكورُ

They made for him whatever he pleased—sanctuaries, statues, bowls like reservoirs, and firmly fixed cooking pots. “Work gratefully, O house of David.” But few of My servants are grateful.

فَلَمّا قَضَينا عَلَيهِ المَوتَ ما دَلَّهُم عَلىٰ مَوتِهِ إِلّا دابَّةُ الأَرضِ تَأكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُ ۖ فَلَمّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الجِنُّ أَن لَو كانوا يَعلَمونَ الغَيبَ ما لَبِثوا فِي العَذابِ المُهينِ

When We decreed his death, nothing showed them his death except an earthworm consuming his staff. When he fell, the jinn perceived that if they had known the unseen, they wouldn’t have remained in the shameful torment.

لَقَد كانَ لِسَبَإٍ في مَسكَنِهِم آيَةٌ ۖ جَنَّتانِ عَن يَمينٍ وَشِمالٍ ۖ كُلوا مِن رِزقِ رَبِّكُم وَاشكُروا لَهُ ۚ بَلدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ وَرَبٌّ غَفورٌ

There was a sign for Sheba in their homeland: two gardens, one on the right and one on the left. “Eat from your Lord’s provisions, and give thanks to Him. A good land and a forgiving Lord.”

فَأَعرَضوا فَأَرسَلنا عَلَيهِم سَيلَ العَرِمِ وَبَدَّلناهُم بِجَنَّتَيهِم جَنَّتَينِ ذَواتَي أُكُلٍ خَمطٍ وَأَثلٍ وَشَيءٍ مِن سِدرٍ قَليلٍ

Yet they turned away, so We sent upon them the Flood of Dam, and We replaced their two gardens with gardens yielding bitter fruit, tamarisks, and a few thorny shrubs.

ذٰلِكَ جَزَيناهُم بِما كَفَروا ۖ وَهَل نُجازي إِلَّا الكَفورَ

We penalized them for their ingratitude. Would we penalize any but the ungrateful?