|
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
- (Moses) said: "Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers from the beginning!"
- (Pharaoh) said: "Truly your apostle who has been sent to you is a veritable madman!"
- (Moses) said: "Lord of the East and the West and all between! If ye only had sense!"
- (Pharaoh) said: "If thou dost put forward any god other than me I will certainly put thee in prison!"
- (Moses) said: "Even if I showed you something clear (and) convincing?"
- (Pharaoh) said: "Show it then, if thou tellest the truth!"
- So (Moses) threw his rod, and behold, it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)!
- And he drew out his hand, and behold, it was white to all beholders!
- (Pharaoh) said to the Chiefs around him: "This is indeed a sorcerer well-versed:
- "His plan is to get you out of your land by his sorcery; then what is it ye counsel?"
- They said: "Keep him and his brother in suspense (for a while), and dispatch to the Cities heralds to collect" --
- "And bring up to thee all (our) sorcerers well-versed."
- So the sorcerers were got together for the appointment of a day well- known,
- And the people were told: "Are ye (now) assembled?
- "That we may follow the sorcerers (in religion) if they win?"
- So when the sorcerers arrived, they said to Pharaoh: "Of course -- shall we have a (suitable) reward if we win?"
- He said: "Yea, (and more), -- for ye shall in that case be (raised to posts) nearest (to my person)."
- Moses said to them: "Throw ye -- that which ye are about to throw!"
- So they threw their ropes and their rods, and said: "By the might of Pharaoh, it is we who will certainly win!"
- Then Moses threw his rod, when, behold, it straightway swallows up all the falsehoods which they fake!
- Then did the sorcerers fall down, prostrate in adoration,
- Saying: "We believe in the Lord of the Worlds,
- "The Lord of Moses and Aaron."
- Said (Pharaoh): "Believe ye in him before I give you permission? Surely he is your leader, who has taught you sorcery! But soon shall ye know!
- "But sure I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides and I will cause you all to die on the cross!"
- They said: "No matter! for us, we shall but return to our Lord!
Page 5
| |