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?
لَعَلَّنا نَتَّبِعُ السَّحَرَةَ إِن كانوا هُمُ الغالِبينَ
Perhaps we will follow the magicians if they are the victors.”
فَلَمّا جاءَ السَّحَرَةُ قالوا لِفِرعَونَ أَئِنَّ لَنا لَأَجرًا إِن كُنّا نَحنُ الغالِبينَ
Upon their arrival, the magicians asked Pharaoh, “Will we be rewarded if we prevail?”
قالَ نَعَم وَإِنَّكُم إِذًا لَمِنَ المُقَرَّبينَ
He replied, “Indeed, and you will be counted among those near me.”
قالَ لَهُم موسىٰ أَلقوا ما أَنتُم مُلقونَ
Moses then said to them, “Present whatever you’re going to present.”
فَأَلقَوا حِبالَهُم وَعِصِيَّهُم وَقالوا بِعِزَّةِ فِرعَونَ إِنّا لَنَحنُ الغالِبونَ
And they threw their ropes and staffs, proclaiming, “By Pharaoh’s might, it is us who will prevail.”
فَأَلقىٰ موسىٰ عَصاهُ فَإِذا هِيَ تَلقَفُ ما يَأفِكونَ
Then Moses threw his staff, and behold, it started swallowing what they had fabricated.