20. Ta Ha · verses 58–62

فَلَنَأۡتِيَنَّكَ بِسِحۡرٖ مِّثۡلِهِۦ فَٱجۡعَلۡ بَيۡنَنَا وَبَيۡنَكَ مَوۡعِدٗا لَّا نُخۡلِفُهُۥ نَحۡنُ وَلَآ أَنتَ مَكَانٗا سُوٗى

Falanatiyannaka bisihrin mithlihi faijAAal baynana wabaynaka mawAAidan la nukhlifuhu nahnu wala anta makanan suwan

"But we can surely produce magic to match thine! So make a tryst between us and thee, which we shall not fail to keep - neither we nor thou - in a place where both shall have even chances."

قَالَ مَوۡعِدُكُمۡ يَوۡمُ ٱلزِّينَةِ وَأَن يُحۡشَرَ ٱلنَّاسُ ضُحٗى

Qala mawAAidukum yawmu alzzeenati waan yuhshara alnnasu duhan

Moses said: "Your tryst is the Day of the Festival, and let the people be assembled when the sun is well up."

فَتَوَلَّىٰ فِرۡعَوۡنُ فَجَمَعَ كَيۡدَهُۥ ثُمَّ أَتَىٰ

Fatawalla firAAawnu fajamaAAa kaydahu thumma ata

So Pharaoh withdrew: He concerted his plan, and then came (back).

قَالَ لَهُم مُّوسَىٰ وَيۡلَكُمۡ لَا تَفۡتَرُواْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ كَذِبٗا فَيُسۡحِتَكُم بِعَذَابٖۖ وَقَدۡ خَابَ مَنِ ٱفۡتَرَىٰ

Qala lahum moosa waylakum la taftaroo AAala Allahi kathiban fayushitakum biAAathabin waqad khaba mani iftara

Moses said to him: Woe to you! Forge not ye a lie against Allah, lest He destroy you (at once) utterly by chastisement: the forger must suffer frustration!"

فَتَنَٰزَعُوٓاْ أَمۡرَهُم بَيۡنَهُمۡ وَأَسَرُّواْ ٱلنَّجۡوَىٰ

FatanazaAAoo amrahum baynahum waasarroo alnnajwa

So they disputed, one with another, over their affair, but they kept their talk secret.