وَ اِذَا قِیْلَ لَهُمْ لَا تُفْسِدُوْا فِی الْاَرْضِ ۙ قَالُوْۤا اِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُصْلِحُوْنَ۝۱۱

When asked to desist from spreading corruption in the land they say: "Why, we are reformers."

اَلَاۤ اِنَّهُمْ هُمُ الْمُفْسِدُوْنَ وَ لٰكِنْ لَّا یَشْعُرُوْنَ۝۱۲

Yet they are surely mischief-mongers, even though they do not know.

وَ اِذَا قِیْلَ لَهُمْ اٰمِنُوْا كَمَاۤ اٰمَنَ النَّاسُ قَالُوْۤا اَنُؤْمِنُ كَمَاۤ اٰمَنَ السُّفَهَآءُ ؕ اَلَاۤ اِنَّهُمْ هُمُ السُّفَهَآءُ وَ لٰكِنْ لَّا یَعْلَمُوْنَ۝۱۳

When asked to believe as others do, they say: "Should we believe like fools?" And yet they are the fools, even though they do not know.

وَ اِذَا لَقُوا الَّذِیْنَ اٰمَنُوْا قَالُوْۤا اٰمَنَّا ۖۚ وَ اِذَا خَلَوْا اِلٰی شَیٰطِیْنِهِمْ ۙ قَالُوْۤا اِنَّا مَعَكُمْ ۙ اِنَّمَا نَحْنُ مُسْتَهْزِءُوْنَ۝۱۴

When they meet the faithful they say: "We believe;" but when alone with the devils (their fellows), they say: "We are really with you; we were joking."

اَللّٰهُ یَسْتَهْزِئُ بِهِمْ وَ یَمُدُّهُمْ فِیْ طُغْیَانِهِمْ یَعْمَهُوْنَ۝۱۵

But God will turn the joke against them and allow them to sink deeper into evil and wander perplexed in their wickedness.

اُولٰٓىِٕكَ الَّذِیْنَ اشْتَرَوُا الضَّلٰلَةَ بِالْهُدٰی ۪ فَمَا رَبِحَتْ تِّجَارَتُهُمْ وَ مَا كَانُوْا مُهْتَدِیْنَ۝۱۶

They are indeed those who bartered away good guidance for error and gained nothing from the deal, nor found the right way.

مَثَلُهُمْ كَمَثَلِ الَّذِی اسْتَوْقَدَ نَارًا ۚ فَلَمَّاۤ اَضَآءَتْ مَاحَوْلَهٗ ذَهَبَ اللّٰهُ بِنُوْرِهِمْ وَ تَرَكَهُمْ فِیْ ظُلُمٰتٍ لَّا یُبْصِرُوْنَ۝۱۷

They are like a man who kindles a fire, and when its glow has illumined the air God takes away their light leaving them in the dark where they will not be able to see.

صُمٌّۢ بُكْمٌ عُمْیٌ فَهُمْ لَا یَرْجِعُوْنَۙ۝۱۸

They are deaf, dumb and blind, and shall never return;

اَوْ كَصَیِّبٍ مِّنَ السَّمَآءِ فِیْهِ ظُلُمٰتٌ وَّ رَعْدٌ وَّ بَرْقٌ ۚ یَجْعَلُوْنَ اَصَابِعَهُمْ فِیْۤ اٰذَانِهِمْ مِّنَ الصَّوَاعِقِ حَذَرَ الْمَوْتِ ؕ وَ اللّٰهُ مُحِیْطٌۢ بِالْكٰفِرِیْنَ۝۱۹

Or like rain pouring from the sky which hides within it darkness, thunder and lightning. They thrust their fingers into their ears for safety against noise and death. But God surrounds those who believe not from all sides.

یَكَادُ الْبَرْقُ یَخْطَفُ اَبْصَارَهُمْ ؕ كُلَّمَاۤ اَضَآءَ لَهُمْ مَّشَوْا فِیْهِ ۙۗ وَ اِذَاۤ اَظْلَمَ عَلَیْهِمْ قَامُوْا ؕ وَ لَوْ شَآءَ اللّٰهُ لَذَهَبَ بِسَمْعِهِمْ وَ اَبْصَارِهِمْ ؕ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلٰی كُلِّ شَیْءٍ قَدِیْرٌ۠۝۲۰

Verily the lightning could snatch away their eyes. When it flashes forth they walk in its flare. When darkness returns they stand still. And if the Lord wills so He could take away their hearing and sight; surely God is all-powerful.