The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

398
The Quran 74: 32
Hellfire – and We have made their number a a test for the disbelievers.
So those who have been given the Scripture will be certain
and those who believe will have their faith increased: neither those
who have been given the Scripture nor the believers will have any
doubts, but the sick at heart and the disbelievers will say, ‘What
could God mean by this description?’ God leaves whoever He will to
stray and guides whoever He will – no one knows your Lord’s forces
except Him – this [description] is a warning to mortals. 32 Yes –by
the moon! 33 By the departing night! 34 By the shining dawn! 35 It is
one of the mightiest things, 36 a warning to all mortals, 37 to those of
you who choose to go ahead and those who lag behind.
38 Every soul is held in pledge for its deeds, 39 but the Companions
of the Right will stay 40 in Gardens and ask 41 about the guilty.
42 ‘What drove you to the Scorching Fire?’ [they will ask] 43 and they
will answer, ‘We did not pray; 44 we did not feed the poor; 45 we
indulged with others [in mocking the believers]; 46 we denied the
Day of Judgement 47 until the Certain End came upon us.’ 48 No
intercessor’s plea will benefit them now.
49 What is the matter with them? Why do they turn away from the
warning, 50 like frightened asses 51 fleeing from a lion? 52 Each one of
them demands that a scripture be sent down to him and unrolled
before his very eyes – 53 No! Truly they have no fear of the life to
come – 54 but truly this is a reminder. 55 Let whoever wishes to take
heed do so: 56 they will only take heed if God so wishes. He is the
Lord who should be heeded, the Lord of forgiveness.
a Some have taken this literally to allude to a special significance of the number 19,
but it is much more likely to be idda in the meaning of ‘number, group’ (al-Mujam
al-Wasit).