20. Ta Ha · verses 58–71

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.

قَالُوٓاْ إِنۡ هَٰذَٰنِ لَسَٰحِرَٰنِ يُرِيدَانِ أَن يُخۡرِجَاكُم مِّنۡ أَرۡضِكُم بِسِحۡرِهِمَا وَيَذۡهَبَا بِطَرِيقَتِكُمُ ٱلۡمُثۡلَىٰ

Qaloo in hathani lasahirani yureedani an yukhrijakum min ardikum bisihrihima wayathhaba bitareeqatikumu almuthla

They said: "These two are certainly (expert) magicians: their object is to drive you out from your land with their magic, and to do away with your most cherished institutions.

فَأَجۡمِعُواْ كَيۡدَكُمۡ ثُمَّ ٱئۡتُواْ صَفّٗاۚ وَقَدۡ أَفۡلَحَ ٱلۡيَوۡمَ مَنِ ٱسۡتَعۡلَىٰ

FaajmiAAoo kaydakum thumma itoo saffan waqad aflaha alyawma mani istaAAla

"Therefore concert your plan, and then assemble in (serried) ranks: He wins (all along) today who gains the upper hand."

قَالُواْ يَٰمُوسَىٰٓ إِمَّآ أَن تُلۡقِيَ وَإِمَّآ أَن نَّكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنۡ أَلۡقَىٰ

Qaloo ya moosa imma an tulqiya waimma an nakoona awwala man alqa

They said: "O Moses! whether wilt thou that thou throw (first) or that we be the first to throw?"

قَالَ بَلۡ أَلۡقُواْۖ فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمۡ وَعِصِيُّهُمۡ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيۡهِ مِن سِحۡرِهِمۡ أَنَّهَا تَسۡعَىٰ

Qala bal alqoo faitha hibaluhum waAAisiyyuhum yukhayyalu ilayhi min sihrihim annaha tasAAa

He said, "Nay, throw ye first!" Then behold their ropes and their rods-so it seemed to him on account of their magic - began to be in lively motion!

فَأَوۡجَسَ فِي نَفۡسِهِۦ خِيفَةٗ مُّوسَىٰ

Faawjasa fee nafsihi kheefatan moosa

So Moses conceived in his mind a (sort of) fear.

قُلۡنَا لَا تَخَفۡ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ

Qulna la takhaf innaka anta alaAAla

We said: "Fear not! for thou hast indeed the upper hand:

وَأَلۡقِ مَا فِي يَمِينِكَ تَلۡقَفۡ مَا صَنَعُوٓاْۖ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُواْ كَيۡدُ سَٰحِرٖۖ وَلَا يُفۡلِحُ ٱلسَّاحِرُ حَيۡثُ أَتَىٰ

Waalqi ma fee yameenika talqaf ma sanaAAoo innama sanaAAoo kaydu sahirin wala yuflihu alssahiru haythu ata

"Throw that which is in thy right hand: Quickly will it swallow up that which they have faked what they have faked is but a magician´s trick: and the magician thrives not, (no matter) where he goes."

فَأُلۡقِيَ ٱلسَّحَرَةُ سُجَّدٗا قَالُوٓاْ ءَامَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَٰرُونَ وَمُوسَىٰ

Faolqiya alssaharatu sujjadan qaloo amanna birabbi haroona wamoosa

So the magicians were thrown down to prostration: they said, "We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses".

قَالَ ءَامَنتُمۡ لَهُۥ قَبۡلَ أَنۡ ءَاذَنَ لَكُمۡۖ إِنَّهُۥ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ ٱلَّذِي عَلَّمَكُمُ ٱلسِّحۡرَۖ فَلَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيۡدِيَكُمۡ وَأَرۡجُلَكُم مِّنۡ خِلَٰفٖ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمۡ فِي جُذُوعِ ٱلنَّخۡلِ وَلَتَعۡلَمُنَّ أَيُّنَآ أَشَدُّ عَذَابٗا وَأَبۡقَىٰ

Qala amantum lahu qabla an athana lakum innahu lakabeerukumu allathee AAallamakumu alssihra falaoqattiAAanna aydiyakum waarjulakum min khilafin walaosallibannakum fee juthooAAi alnnakhli walataAAlamunna ayyuna ashaddu AAathaban waabqa

(Pharaoh) said: "Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? Surely this must be your leader, who has taught you magic! be sure I will cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will have you crucified on trunks of palm-trees: so shall ye know for certain, which of us can give the more severe and the more lasting punishment!"