20. Ta Ha · verses 61–67

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.