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.

فَأُلقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ ساجِدينَ

The sorcerers fell down in prostration.

رَبِّ موسىٰ وَهارونَ

The Lord of Moses and Aaron.”

قالَ آمَنتُم لَهُ قَبلَ أَن آذَنَ لَكُم ۖ إِنَّهُ لَكَبيرُكُمُ الَّذي عَلَّمَكُمُ السِّحرَ فَلَسَوفَ تَعلَمونَ ۚ لَأُقَطِّعَنَّ أَيدِيَكُم وَأَرجُلَكُم مِن خِلافٍ وَلَأُصَلِّبَنَّكُم أَجمَعينَ

He said, “How dare you believe in Him before I gave you permission! He is your chief who taught you magic. But you will soon know. I will cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will crucify you all.”

قالوا لا ضَيرَ ۖ إِنّا إِلىٰ رَبِّنا مُنقَلِبونَ

They said, “No harm, we are returning to our Lord anyway.

إِنّا نَطمَعُ أَن يَغفِرَ لَنا رَبُّنا خَطايانا أَن كُنّا أَوَّلَ المُؤمِنينَ

We aspire that our Lord will forgive our sins, as we are among the first believers.”

وَأَوحَينا إِلىٰ موسىٰ أَن أَسرِ بِعِبادي إِنَّكُم مُتَّبَعونَ

We then revealed to Moses: “Depart with My servants at night, and expect pursuit.”