Quran verses about life, and its purpose

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ ٱلْجِنَّ وَٱلْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ ﴿٥٦﴾

Wa maa khalaqtul jinna wal insa illaa liya'budoon

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.

The purpose of creation in one sentence: jinn and mankind were created to worship Allah.

ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًۭا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ ﴿٢﴾

Allazee khalaqal mawta walhayaata liyabluwakum ayyukum ahsanu 'amalaa; wa huwal 'azeezul ghafoor

[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving -

Death and life were created to test which of you is best in deeds. Al-Mulk, which the Prophet ﷺ recited every night.

أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَٰكُمْ عَبَثًۭا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ ﴿١١٥﴾

Afahsibtum annamaa khalaqnaakum 'abasanw wa annakum ilainaa laa turja'oon

Then did you think that We created you uselessly and that to Us you would not be returned?"

Did you think We created you without purpose, and that you would not be returned to Us?

ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌۭ وَلَهْوٌۭ وَزِينَةٌۭ وَتَفَاخُرٌۢ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌۭ فِى ٱلْأَمْوَٰلِ وَٱلْأَوْلَٰدِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ ٱلْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُۥ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَىٰهُ مُصْفَرًّۭا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَٰمًۭا ۖ وَفِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ عَذَابٌۭ شَدِيدٌۭ وَمَغْفِرَةٌۭ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٌۭ ۚ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ ﴿٢٠﴾

I'lamooo annamal hayaa tud dunyaa la'ibunw wa lahwunw wa zeenatunw wa takaasurun bainakum wa takaasurn fil amwaali wal awlaad, kamasali ghaisin a'jabal kuffaara nabaatuhoo summa yaheeju fataraahu musfaaran summa yakoonu hutaamaa; wa fil aakhirati 'azaabun shadeedunw wa magh firatum minal laahi wa ridwaan; wa mal haiyaa tuddun yaaa illaa mataa'ul ghuroor

Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children - like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.

The life of this world compared to rain that brings up plants which please the farmers, then dry up and turn to straw.

وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا لَعِبٌۭ وَلَهْوٌۭ ۖ وَلَلدَّارُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌۭ لِّلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿٣٢﴾

Wa mal hayaatud dunyaaa illaa la'ibunw wa lahwunw wa lad Daarul Aakhiratu kahyrul lillazeena yattaqoon; afalaa ta'qiloon

And the worldly life is not but amusement and diversion; but the home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear Allah, so will you not reason?

This world is play and amusement, and the home of the Hereafter is better for those who fear Allah.

وَمَا هَٰذِهِ ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا لَهْوٌۭ وَلَعِبٌۭ ۚ وَإِنَّ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلْءَاخِرَةَ لَهِىَ ٱلْحَيَوَانُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٦٤﴾

Wa maa haazihil hayaa tud dunyaaa illaa lahwunw-wa la'ib; wa innad Daaral Aakhirata la hiyal ha yawaan; law kaano ya'lamoon

And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew.

The home of the Hereafter is the real life, if only they knew.

ٱلْمَالُ وَٱلْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ ٱلْحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَٱلْبَٰقِيَٰتُ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتُ خَيْرٌ عِندَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًۭا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًۭا ﴿٤٦﴾

Almaalu walbanoona zeenatul hayaatid dunya wal baaqiyaatus saalihaatu khairun 'inda Rabbika sawaabanw wa khairun amalaa

Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one's] hope.

Wealth and children are the adornment of this life, and the lasting good deeds are better with your Lord.

وَٱبْتَغِ فِيمَآ ءَاتَىٰكَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلدَّارَ ٱلْءَاخِرَةَ ۖ وَلَا تَنسَ نَصِيبَكَ مِنَ ٱلدُّنْيَا ۖ وَأَحْسِن كَمَآ أَحْسَنَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَيْكَ ۖ وَلَا تَبْغِ ٱلْفَسَادَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ ﴿٧٧﴾

Wabtaghi feemaaa aataakal laahud Daaral Aakhirata wa laa tansa naseebaka minad dunyaa wa ahsin kamaaa ahsanal laahu ilaika wa laa tabghil fasaada fil ardi innal laaha laa yuhibbul mufsideen

But seek, through that which Allah has given you, the home of the Hereafter; and [yet], do not forget your share of the world. And do good as Allah has done good to you. And desire not corruption in the land. Indeed, Allah does not like corrupters."

Seek the Hereafter with what Allah gave you, and do not forget your share of this world.

وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةًۭ وَفِى ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ حَسَنَةًۭ وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ﴿٢٠١﴾

Wa minhum mai yaqoolu rabbanaaa aatina fid dunyaa hasanatawn wa fil aakhirati hasanatanw wa qinaa azaaban Naar

But among them is he who says, "Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire."

The dua of balance: our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the Hereafter, and protect us from the Fire.

بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ ٱلْحَيَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا ﴿١٦﴾ وَٱلْءَاخِرَةُ خَيْرٌۭ وَأَبْقَىٰٓ ﴿١٧﴾

Bal tu'siroonal hayaatad dunyaa Wal Aakhiratu khairunw wa abqaa

¹⁶ But you prefer the worldly life, ¹⁷ While the Hereafter is better and more enduring.

You prefer the life of this world, while the Hereafter is better and more lasting.