The Koran Part 47

The people of Pharaoh. What! will they not fear me?"

He said, "My Lord, in sooth I fear lest they treat me as a liar:

And my breast is straitened, and I am slow of speech:4 send therefore to Aaron to be my helpmate.

For they have a charge5 against me, and I fear lest they put me to death."

He said, "Surely not. Go ye therefore with our signs: we will be with you and will hearken.

And go to Pharaoh and say: 'Verily we are the messengers of the Lord of the worlds-

Send forth with us the children of Israel."'

He said, "Did we not rear thee among us when a child? And hast thou not pa.s.sed years of thy life among us?

And yet what a deed is that which thou hast done!6 Thou art one of the ungrateful."

He said, "I did it indeed, and I was one of those who erred: And I fled from you because I feared you; but my Lord hath given me wisdom and hath made me one of his Apostles.

And is this the favour thou hast conferred on me, that thou hast enslaved the children of Israel?"

Said Pharaoh, "Who then is the Lord of the Worlds?"

He said, "The Lord of the Heavens and of the Earth and of all that is between them, if only ye believe it."

Said Pharaoh to those around him, "Hear ye this?"

"Your Lord," said Moses, "and the Lord of your sires of old."

"In sooth, your Apostle whom He hath sent to you," said Pharaoh, "is certainly possessed."

He said, "Lord is He of the East and of the West, and of all that is between them, if ye can understand."

He said, "If ye take any G.o.d beside me, I will surely put thee in ward."

Said Moses, "What! if I shew thee that which shall be a proof of my mission?"

He said, "Forth with it then, if thou speakest truth."

Then threw he down his staff, and lo! an undoubted serpent:

And he drew out his hand, and lo! it was white7 to the beholders.

He said to his n.o.bles around him. "This truly is a right cunning sorcerer:

Fain would he drive you out of your land by his Sorcery. But what do ye suggest?"

They said, "Put him and his brother off awhile, and send summoners to all the cities,

Who shall bring to thee every cunning magician."

So the magicians were mustered at a set time, on a solemn day:

And it was said to the people, "Are ye all a.s.sembled?"

-"Yes! and we will follow the magicians if they gain the day."

And when the magicians were arrived they said to Pharaoh, "Shall we have a reward if we gain the day?"

He said, "Yes. And verily in that case ye shall be of those who are near my person."

Moses said to them, "Throw down what ye have to throw."

So they cast down their ropes and rods, and said, "By Pharaoh's might we shall surely win."

Then Moses threw down his rod, and lo! it swallowed up their cheating wonders.

Then the magicians threw themselves down in wors.h.i.+p:

They said, "We believe on the Lord of the Worlds,

The Lord of Moses and of Aaron."

Said Pharaoh, "Have ye then believed on him ere I gave you leave? He truly is your master who hath taught you magic.8 But bye and bye ye shall surely know my power.

I will cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will have you all crucified."

They said, "It cannot harm us, for to our Lord shall we return:

a.s.suredly we trust that our Lord will forgive us our sins, since we are of the first who believe."

Then revealed we this order to Moses: "Go forth by night with my servants, for ye will be pursued."

And Pharaoh sent summoners through the cities:-

"These Israelites," said they, "are a scanty band;

Yet are they enraged against us-

But we truly are numerous, wary."

Thus we caused them to quit gardens and fountains,

And treasures and splendid dwellings;

So was it; and we gave them to the children of Israel for an heritage.9

Then at sunrise the Egyptians followed them: