قالَ لَئِنِ اتَّخَذتَ إِلـٰهًا غَيري لَأَجعَلَنَّكَ مِنَ المَسجونينَ
He threatened, “If you take a god other than me, I will surely imprison you.”
قالَ أَوَلَو جِئتُكَ بِشَيءٍ مُبينٍ
He countered, “What if I brought you something convincing?”
قالَ فَأتِ بِهِ إِن كُنتَ مِنَ الصّادِقينَ
He challenged, “Then bring it, if you are truthful.”
فَأَلقىٰ عَصاهُ فَإِذا هِيَ ثُعبانٌ مُبينٌ
So he threw down his staff, and it instantly transformed into a striking serpent.
وَنَزَعَ يَدَهُ فَإِذا هِيَ بَيضاءُ لِلنّاظِرينَ
Then drew out his hand, and lo and behold, it was radiant to the observers.
قالَ لِلمَلَإِ حَولَهُ إِنَّ هـٰذا لَساحِرٌ عَليمٌ
He said to the chiefs around him, “This man is a proficient magician.
يُريدُ أَن يُخرِجَكُم مِن أَرضِكُم بِسِحرِهِ فَماذا تَأمُرونَ
He seeks to expel you from your land with his magic. What do you command?”
قالوا أَرجِه وَأَخاهُ وَابعَث فِي المَدائِنِ حاشِرينَ
They suggested, “Delay him and his brother and send recruiters to the cities.
يَأتوكَ بِكُلِّ سَحّارٍ عَليمٍ
To summon to you every accomplished magician.”
فَجُمِعَ السَّحَرَةُ لِميقاتِ يَومٍ مَعلومٍ
The magicians were thus gathered at the appointed time on the designated day.
وَقيلَ لِلنّاسِ هَل أَنتُم مُجتَمِعونَ
And the people were notified, “Are you going to assemble?