˹Pharaoh˺ said, "Then what is the case of the former generations?"  

قَالَ فَمَا بَالُ الْقُرُونِ الْأُولَىٰ  

˹Moses˺ said, "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord in a record. My Lord neither errs nor forgets."  

قَالَ عِلْمُهَا عِنْدَ رَبِّي فِي كِتَابٍ ۖ لَا يَضِلُّ رَبِّي وَلَا يَنْسَى  

˹It is He˺ who has made for you the earth as a bed ˹spread out˺ and inserted therein for you roadways and sent down from the sky, rain and produced thereby categories of various plants.  

الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ الْأَرْضَ مَهْدًا وَسَلَكَ لَكُمْ فِيهَا سُبُلًا وَأَنْزَلَ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ مَاءً فَأَخْرَجْنَا بِهِ أَزْوَاجًا مِنْ نَبَاتٍ شَتَّىٰ  

Eat ˹therefrom˺ and pasture your livestock. Indeed, in that are signs for those of intelligence.  

كُلُوا وَارْعَوْا أَنْعَامَكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِأُولِي النُّهَىٰ  

From the earth We created you, and into it We will return you, and from it We will extract you another time.  

مِنْهَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ وَفِيهَا نُعِيدُكُمْ وَمِنْهَا نُخْرِجُكُمْ تَارَةً أُخْرَىٰ  

And We certainly showed Pharaoh Our signs - all of them - but he denied and refused.  

وَلَقَدْ أَرَيْنَاهُ آيَاتِنَا كُلَّهَا فَكَذَّبَ وَأَبَىٰ  

He said, "Have you come to us to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Moses?  

قَالَ أَجِئْتَنَا لِتُخْرِجَنَا مِنْ أَرْضِنَا بِسِحْرِكَ يَا مُوسَىٰ  

Then we will surely bring you magic like it, so make between us and you an appointment, which we will not fail to keep and neither will you, in a place assigned."  

فَلَنَأْتِيَنَّكَ بِسِحْرٍ مِثْلِهِ فَاجْعَلْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَكَ مَوْعِدًا لَا نُخْلِفُهُ نَحْنُ وَلَا أَنْتَ مَكَانًا سُوًى  

˹Moses˺ said, "Your appointment is on the day of the festival when the people assemble at mid-morning."  

قَالَ مَوْعِدُكُمْ يَوْمُ الزِّينَةِ وَأَنْ يُحْشَرَ النَّاسُ ضُحًى  

So Pharaoh went away, put together his plan, and then came ˹to Moses˺.  

فَتَوَلَّىٰ فِرْعَوْنُ فَجَمَعَ كَيْدَهُ ثُمَّ أَتَىٰ  

Moses said to the magicians summoned by Pharaoh, "Woe to you! Do not invent a lie against Allah or He will exterminate you with a punishment; and he has failed who invents ˹such falsehood˺."  

قَالَ لَهُمْ مُوسَىٰ وَيْلَكُمْ لَا تَفْتَرُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ كَذِبًا فَيُسْحِتَكُمْ بِعَذَابٍ ۖ وَقَدْ خَابَ مَنِ افْتَرَىٰ  

So they disputed over their affair among themselves and concealed their private conversation.  

فَتَنَازَعُوا أَمْرَهُمْ بَيْنَهُمْ وَأَسَرُّوا النَّجْوَىٰ  

They said, "Indeed, these are two magicians who want to drive you out of your land with their magic and do away with your most exemplary way.  

قَالُوا إِنْ هَٰذَانِ لَسَاحِرَانِ يُرِيدَانِ أَنْ يُخْرِجَاكُمْ مِنْ أَرْضِكُمْ بِسِحْرِهِمَا وَيَذْهَبَا بِطَرِيقَتِكُمُ الْمُثْلَىٰ  

So resolve upon your plan and then come ˹forward˺ in line. And he has succeeded today who overcomes."  

فَأَجْمِعُوا كَيْدَكُمْ ثُمَّ ائْتُوا صَفًّا ۚ وَقَدْ أَفْلَحَ الْيَوْمَ مَنِ اسْتَعْلَىٰ  

They said, "O Moses, either you throw or we will be the first to throw."  

قَالُوا يَا مُوسَىٰ إِمَّا أَنْ تُلْقِيَ وَإِمَّا أَنْ نَكُونَ أَوَّلَ مَنْ أَلْقَىٰ  

He said, "Rather, you throw." And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving ˹like snakes˺.  

قَالَ بَلْ أَلْقُوا ۖ فَإِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ سِحْرِهِمْ أَنَّهَا تَسْعَىٰ  

And he sensed within himself apprehension, did Moses.  

فَأَوْجَسَ فِي نَفْسِهِ خِيفَةً مُوسَىٰ  

Allah said, "Fear not. Indeed, it is you who are superior.  

قُلْنَا لَا تَخَفْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْأَعْلَىٰ  

And throw what is in your right hand; it will swallow up what they have crafted. What they have crafted is but the trick of a magician, and the magician will not succeed wherever he is."  

وَأَلْقِ مَا فِي يَمِينِكَ تَلْقَفْ مَا صَنَعُوا ۖ إِنَّمَا صَنَعُوا كَيْدُ سَاحِرٍ ۖ وَلَا يُفْلِحُ السَّاحِرُ حَيْثُ أَتَىٰ  

So the magicians fell down in prostration. They said, "We have believed in the Lord of Aaron and Moses."  

فَأُلْقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ سُجَّدًا قَالُوا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّ هَارُونَ وَمُوسَىٰ  

˹Pharaoh˺ said, "You believed him before I gave you permission. Indeed, he is your leader who has taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and you will surely know which of us is more severe in ˹giving˺ punishment and more enduring."  

قَالَ آمَنْتُمْ لَهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ آذَنَ لَكُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُ لَكَبِيرُكُمُ الَّذِي عَلَّمَكُمُ السِّحْرَ ۖ فَلَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيْدِيَكُمْ وَأَرْجُلَكُمْ مِنْ خِلَافٍ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُمْ فِي جُذُوعِ النَّخْلِ وَلَتَعْلَمُنَّ أَيُّنَا أَشَدُّ عَذَابًا وَأَبْقَىٰ  

They said, "Never will we prefer you over what has come to us of clear proofs and ˹over˺ He who created us. So decree whatever you are to decree. You can only decree for this worldly life.  

قَالُوا لَنْ نُؤْثِرَكَ عَلَىٰ مَا جَاءَنَا مِنَ الْبَيِّنَاتِ وَالَّذِي فَطَرَنَا ۖ فَاقْضِ مَا أَنْتَ قَاضٍ ۖ إِنَّمَا تَقْضِي هَٰذِهِ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا  

Indeed, we have believed in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and what you compelled us ˹to do˺ of magic. And Allah is better and more enduring."  

إِنَّا آمَنَّا بِرَبِّنَا لِيَغْفِرَ لَنَا خَطَايَانَا وَمَا أَكْرَهْتَنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ السِّحْرِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ  

Indeed, whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal - indeed, for him is Hell; he will neither die therein nor live.  

إِنَّهُ مَنْ يَأْتِ رَبَّهُ مُجْرِمًا فَإِنَّ لَهُ جَهَنَّمَ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ  

But whoever comes to Him as a believer having done righteous deeds - for those will be the highest degrees ˹in position˺:  

وَمَنْ يَأْتِهِ مُؤْمِنًا قَدْ عَمِلَ الصَّالِحَاتِ فَأُولَٰئِكَ لَهُمُ الدَّرَجَاتُ الْعُلَىٰ  

Gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of one who purifies himself.  

جَنَّاتُ عَدْنٍ تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ جَزَاءُ مَنْ تَزَكَّىٰ  

And We had inspired to Moses, "Travel by night with My servants and strike for them a dry path through the sea; you will not fear being overtaken ˹by Pharaoh˺ nor be afraid ˹of drowning˺."  

وَلَقَدْ أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَىٰ مُوسَىٰ أَنْ أَسْرِ بِعِبَادِي فَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ طَرِيقًا فِي الْبَحْرِ يَبَسًا لَا تَخَافُ دَرَكًا وَلَا تَخْشَىٰ  

So Pharaoh pursued them with his soldiers, and there covered them from the sea that which covered them,  

فَأَتْبَعَهُمْ فِرْعَوْنُ بِجُنُودِهِ فَغَشِيَهُمْ مِنَ الْيَمِّ مَا غَشِيَهُمْ  

And Pharaoh led his people astray and did not guide ˹them˺.  

وَأَضَلَّ فِرْعَوْنُ قَوْمَهُ وَمَا هَدَىٰ  

O Children of Israel, We delivered you from your enemy, and We made an appointment with you at the right side of the mount, and We sent down to you manna and quails,  

يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَدْ أَنْجَيْنَاكُمْ مِنْ عَدُوِّكُمْ وَوَاعَدْنَاكُمْ جَانِبَ الطُّورِ الْأَيْمَنَ وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَىٰ  

˹Saying˺, "Eat from the good things with which We have provided you and do not transgress ˹or oppress others˺ therein, lest My anger should descend upon you. And he upon whom My anger descends has certainly fallen."  

كُلُوا مِنْ طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ وَلَا تَطْغَوْا فِيهِ فَيَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبِي ۖ وَمَنْ يَحْلِلْ عَلَيْهِ غَضَبِي فَقَدْ هَوَىٰ  

But indeed, I am the Perpetual Forgiver of whoever repents and believes and does righteousness and then continues in guidance.  

وَإِنِّي لَغَفَّارٌ لِمَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صَالِحًا ثُمَّ اهْتَدَىٰ  

˹Allah˺ said, "And what made you hasten from your people, O Moses?"  

وَمَا أَعْجَلَكَ عَنْ قَوْمِكَ يَا مُوسَىٰ  

He said, "They are close upon my tracks, and I hastened to You, my Lord, that You be pleased."  

قَالَ هُمْ أُولَاءِ عَلَىٰ أَثَرِي وَعَجِلْتُ إِلَيْكَ رَبِّ لِتَرْضَىٰ  

˹Allah˺ said, "But indeed, We have tried your people after you ˹departed˺, and the Samiri has led them astray."  

قَالَ فَإِنَّا قَدْ فَتَنَّا قَوْمَكَ مِنْ بَعْدِكَ وَأَضَلَّهُمُ السَّامِرِيُّ  

So Moses returned to his people, angry and grieved. He said, "O my people, did your Lord not make you a good promise? Then, was the time ˹of its fulfillment˺ too long for you, or did you wish that wrath from your Lord descend upon you, so you broke your promise ˹of obedience˺ to me?"  

فَرَجَعَ مُوسَىٰ إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِ غَضْبَانَ أَسِفًا ۚ قَالَ يَا قَوْمِ أَلَمْ يَعِدْكُمْ رَبُّكُمْ وَعْدًا حَسَنًا ۚ أَفَطَالَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْعَهْدُ أَمْ أَرَدْتُمْ أَنْ يَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبٌ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ فَأَخْلَفْتُمْ مَوْعِدِي  

They said, "We did not break our promise to you by our will, but we were made to carry burdens from the ornaments of the people ˹of Pharaoh˺, so we threw them ˹into the fire˺, and thus did the Samiri throw."  

قَالُوا مَا أَخْلَفْنَا مَوْعِدَكَ بِمَلْكِنَا وَلَٰكِنَّا حُمِّلْنَا أَوْزَارًا مِنْ زِينَةِ الْقَوْمِ فَقَذَفْنَاهَا فَكَذَٰلِكَ أَلْقَى السَّامِرِيُّ  

And he extracted for them ˹the statue of˺ a calf which had a lowing sound, and they said, "This is your god and the god of Moses, but he forgot."  

فَأَخْرَجَ لَهُمْ عِجْلًا جَسَدًا لَهُ خُوَارٌ فَقَالُوا هَٰذَا إِلَٰهُكُمْ وَإِلَٰهُ مُوسَىٰ فَنَسِيَ  

Did they not see that it could not return to them any speech and that it did not possess for them any harm or benefit?  

أَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَلَّا يَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِمْ قَوْلًا وَلَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَرًّا وَلَا نَفْعًا  

And Aaron had already told them before ˹the return of Moses˺, "O my people, you are only being tested by it, and indeed, your Lord is the Most Merciful, so follow me and obey my order."  

وَلَقَدْ قَالَ لَهُمْ هَارُونُ مِنْ قَبْلُ يَا قَوْمِ إِنَّمَا فُتِنْتُمْ بِهِ ۖ وَإِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ فَاتَّبِعُونِي وَأَطِيعُوا أَمْرِي  

They said, "We will never cease being devoted to the calf until Moses returns to us."  

قَالُوا لَنْ نَبْرَحَ عَلَيْهِ عَاكِفِينَ حَتَّىٰ يَرْجِعَ إِلَيْنَا مُوسَىٰ  

˹Moses˺ said, "O Aaron, what prevented you, when you saw them going astray,  

قَالَ يَا هَارُونُ مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ رَأَيْتَهُمْ ضَلُّوا  

From following me? Then have you disobeyed my order?"  

أَلَّا تَتَّبِعَنِ ۖ أَفَعَصَيْتَ أَمْرِي  

˹Aaron˺ said, "O son of my mother, do not seize ˹me˺ by my beard or by my head. Indeed, I feared that you would say, 'You caused division among the Children of Israel, and you did not observe ˹or await˺ my word.' "  

قَالَ يَا ابْنَ أُمَّ لَا تَأْخُذْ بِلِحْيَتِي وَلَا بِرَأْسِي ۖ إِنِّي خَشِيتُ أَنْ تَقُولَ فَرَّقْتَ بَيْنَ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ وَلَمْ تَرْقُبْ قَوْلِي  

˹Moses˺ said, "And what is your case, O Samiri?"  

قَالَ فَمَا خَطْبُكَ يَا سَامِرِيُّ  

He said, "I saw what they did not see, so I took a handful ˹of dust˺ from the track of the messenger and threw it, and thus did my soul entice me."  

قَالَ بَصُرْتُ بِمَا لَمْ يَبْصُرُوا بِهِ فَقَبَضْتُ قَبْضَةً مِنْ أَثَرِ الرَّسُولِ فَنَبَذْتُهَا وَكَذَٰلِكَ سَوَّلَتْ لِي نَفْسِي  

˹Moses˺ said, "Then go. And indeed, it is ˹decreed˺ for you in ˹this˺ life to say, 'No contact.' And indeed, you have an appointment ˹in the Hereafter˺ you will not fail to keep. And look at your 'god' to which you remained devoted. We will surely burn it and blow it into the sea with a blast.  

قَالَ فَاذْهَبْ فَإِنَّ لَكَ فِي الْحَيَاةِ أَنْ تَقُولَ لَا مِسَاسَ ۖ وَإِنَّ لَكَ مَوْعِدًا لَنْ تُخْلَفَهُ ۖ وَانْظُرْ إِلَىٰ إِلَٰهِكَ الَّذِي ظَلْتَ عَلَيْهِ عَاكِفًا ۖ لَنُحَرِّقَنَّهُ ثُمَّ لَنَنْسِفَنَّهُ فِي الْيَمِّ نَسْفًا  

Your god is only Allah, except for whom there is no deity. He has encompassed all things in knowledge."  

إِنَّمَا إِلَٰهُكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ عِلْمًا  

Thus, ˹O Muhammad˺, We relate to you from the news of what has preceded. And We have certainly given you from Us the Qur'an.  

كَذَٰلِكَ نَقُصُّ عَلَيْكَ مِنْ أَنْبَاءِ مَا قَدْ سَبَقَ ۚ وَقَدْ آتَيْنَاكَ مِنْ لَدُنَّا ذِكْرًا  

Whoever turns away from it - then indeed, he will bear on the Day of Resurrection a burden,  

مَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَنْهُ فَإِنَّهُ يَحْمِلُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وِزْرًا