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How many a town I have destroyed (ahlaktuhā, a variant reading has ahlaknāhā, 'We have destroyed', while it was doing wrong, that is, while its inhabitants were [doing wrong] by being disbelievers, but now it lies fallen down, collapsed, on its roofs and, how many, a neglected well, abandoned because of the death of its owners, and a lofty palace, stands empty because of the death of its residents.