﴿ إِنَّمَا مَثَلُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا كَمَآءٍ أَنزَلْنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَٱخْتَلَطَ بِهِۦ نَبَاتُ ٱلْأَرْضِ مِمَّا يَأْكُلُ ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلْأَنْعَٰمُ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَآ أَخَذَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ زُخْرُفَهَا وَٱزَّيَّنَتْ وَظَنَّ أَهْلُهَآ أَنَّهُمْ قَٰدِرُونَ عَلَيْهَآ أَتَىٰهَآ أَمْرُنَا لَيْلًا أَوْ نَهَارًۭا فَجَعَلْنَٰهَا حَصِيدًۭا كَأَن لَّمْ تَغْنَ بِٱلْأَمْسِ ۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نُفَصِّلُ ٱلْءَايَٰتِ لِقَوْمٍۢ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ﴾

“The parable of the life of this world is but that of rain which We send down from the sky, and which is absorbed by the plants of the earth whereof men and animals draw nourishment, until -when the earth has assumed its artful adornment and has been embellished, and they who dwell on it believe that they have gained mastery over it -there comes down upon it Our judgment, by night or by day, and We cause it to become [like] a field mown down, as if there had been no yesterday. Thus clearly do We spell out these messages unto people who think!”

(The similitude of the life of the world) in terms of its permanence and evanescence (is only as water) rain (which We send down from the sky, then the earth's growth of that which men and cattle eat) grains and fruits for men and plants and abundant grass for cattle (mingles with it till, when the earth hath taken on her ornaments and is embellished) with the colours red, yellow and green, (and her people) the plowmen (deem that they are masters of her) of her yielding, (Our commandment) Our punishment (cometh by night or by day) just as if sheep have trampled on its enclosure destroying all the plowmen's plantations (and we make it as reaped corn) in the summer (as if it had not flourished yesterday) as if they had not existed yesterday. (Thus do We expound the revelation) We explain in the Qur'an the evanescence of the life of this world (for people who reflect) upon the matter of this world and the Hereafter.