Ash-Shuara
قَالَ فَعَلْتُهَا إِذًا وَأَنَا مِنَ الضَّالِّينَ20
Moses replied, ‘I was misguided when I did it
فَفَرَرْتُ مِنْكُمْ لَمَّا خِفْتُكُمْ فَوَهَبَ لِي رَبِّي حُكْمًا وَجَعَلَنِي مِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ21
and I fled from you in fear; later my Lord gave me wisdom and made me one of His messengers
وَتِلْكَ نِعْمَةٌ تَمُنُّهَا عَلَيَّ أَنْ عَبَّدْتَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ22
And is this- that you have enslaved the Children of Israel- the favour with which you reproach me?’
قَالَ فِرْعَوْنُ وَمَا رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ23
Pharaoh asked, ‘What is this “Lord of the Worlds”?’
قَالَ رَبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ مُوقِنِينَ24
Moses replied, ‘He is the Lord of the heavens and earth and everything between them. If you would only have faith!’
قَالَ لِمَنْ حَوْلَهُ أَلَا تَسْتَمِعُونَ25
Pharaoh said to those present, ‘Do you hear what he says?’
قَالَ رَبُّكُمْ وَرَبُّ آبَائِكُمُ الْأَوَّلِينَ26
Moses said, ‘He is your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.’
قَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَكُمُ الَّذِي أُرْسِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ لَمَجْنُونٌ27
Pharaoh said, ‘This messenger who has been sent to you is truly possessed.’
قَالَ رَبُّ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا ۖ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ28
Moses continued, ‘Lord of the East and West and everything between them. If you would only use your reason!’
قَالَ لَئِنِ اتَّخَذْتَ إِلَـٰهًا غَيْرِي لَأَجْعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ الْمَسْجُونِينَ29
But Pharaoh said [to him], ‘If you take any god other than me, I will throw you into prison,’
قَالَ أَوَلَوْ جِئْتُكَ بِشَيْءٍ مُبِينٍ30
and Moses asked, ‘Even if I show you something convincing?’
قَالَ فَأْتِ بِهِ إِنْ كُنْتَ مِنَ الصَّادِقِينَ31
‘Show it then,’ said Pharaoh, ‘if you are telling the truth.’
فَأَلْقَىٰ عَصَاهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ ثُعْبَانٌ مُبِينٌ32
So Moses threw down his staff and- lo and behold!- it became a snake for everyone to see
وَنَزَعَ يَدَهُ فَإِذَا هِيَ بَيْضَاءُ لِلنَّاظِرِينَ33
Then he drew out his hand and- lo and behold!- it was white for the onlookers to see
قَالَ لِلْمَلَإِ حَوْلَهُ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَسَاحِرٌ عَلِيمٌ34
Pharaoh said to the counsellors around him, ‘This man is a learned sorcerer
يُرِيدُ أَنْ يُخْرِجَكُمْ مِنْ أَرْضِكُمْ بِسِحْرِهِ فَمَاذَا تَأْمُرُونَ35
He means to use his sorcery to drive you out of your land! What do you suggest?’
قَالُوا أَرْجِهْ وَأَخَاهُ وَابْعَثْ فِي الْمَدَائِنِ حَاشِرِينَ36
They answered, ‘Delay him and his brother for a while, and send messengers to all the cities
يَأْتُوكَ بِكُلِّ سَحَّارٍ عَلِيمٍ37
to bring every accomplished sorcerer to you.’
فَجُمِعَ السَّحَرَةُ لِمِيقَاتِ يَوْمٍ مَعْلُومٍ38
The sorcerers were [to be] assembled at the appointed time on a certain day
وَقِيلَ لِلنَّاسِ هَلْ أَنْتُمْ مُجْتَمِعُونَ39
and the people were asked