Sūra VII.: A’rāf, or the Heights

Section 16

130. Walaqad akhathna ala firAAawna bialssineena wanaqsin mina alththamarati laAAallahum yaththakkaroona

130. We punished the people
Of Pharaoh with years
(Of drought) and shortness
Of crops; that they might
Receive admonition.

131. Fa-itha jaat-humu alhasanatu qaloo lana hathihi wa-in tusibhum sayyi-atun yattayyaroo bimoosa waman maAAahu ala innama ta-iruhum AAinda Allahi walakinna aktharahum la yaAAlamoona

131. But when good (times) came,
They said, "This is due
To us;" when gripped
By calamity, they ascribed it
To evil omens connected
With Moses and those with him!
Behold! in truth the omens
Of evil are theirs
In God's sight, but most
Of them do not understand!

132. Waqaloo mahma ta/tina bihi min ayatin litasharana biha fama nahnu laka bimu/mineena

132. They said (to Moses):
"Whatever be the Signs
Thou bringest, to work
Therewith thy sorcery on us,"
We shall never believe
In thee."

133. Faarsalna AAalayhimu alttoofana waaljarada waalqummala waalddafadiAAa waalddama ayatin mufassalatin faistakbaroo wakanoo qawman mujrimeena

133. So We sent (plagues) on them:
Wholesale Death,
Locusts, Lice, Frogs,
And Blood: Signs openly
Self-explained: but they
Were steeped in arrogance,—
A people given to sin.

134. Walamma waqaAAa AAalayhimu alrrijzu qaloo ya moosa odAAu lana rabbaka bima AAahida AAindaka la-in kashafta AAanna alrrijza lanu/minanna laka walanursilanna maAAaka banee isra-eela

134. Every time the Penalty
Fell on them, they said:
"O Moses! on our behalf
Call on thy Lord in virtue
Of his promise to thee:
If thou wilt remove
The Penalty from us,
We shall truly believe in thee,
And we shall send away
The Children of Israel
With thee."

135. Falamma kashafna AAanhumu alrrijza ila ajalin hum balighoohu itha hum yankuthoona

135. But every tune We removed
The Penalty from them
According to a fixed term
Which they had to fulfil,—
Behold! they broke their word!

136. Faintaqamna minhum faaghraqnahum fee alyammi bi-annahum kaththaboo bi-ayatina wakanoo AAanha ghafileena

136. So We exacted retribution
From them: We drowned them
In the sea, because they
Rejected Our Signs, and failed
To take warning from them.

137. Waawrathna alqawma allatheena kanoo yustadAAafoona mashariqa al-ardi wamagharibaha allatee barakna feeha watammat kalimatu rabbika alhusna AAala banee isra-eela bima sabaroo wadammarna ma kana yasnaAAu firAAawnu waqawmuhu wama kanoo yaAArishoona

137. And We made a people,
Considered weak (and of no account),
Inheritors of lands
In both East and West,—
Lands whereon We sent
Down Our blessings.
The fair promise of thy Lord
Was fulfilled for the Children
Of Israel, because they had
Patience and constancy,
And We levelled to the ground
The great Works and fine Buildings
Which Pharaoh and his people
Erected (with such pride).

138. Wajawazna bibanee isra-eela albahra faataw AAala qawmin yaAAkufoona AAala asnamin lahum qaloo ya moosa ijAAal lana ilahan kama lahum alihatun qala innakum qawmun tajhaloona

138. We took the Children of Israel
(With safety) across the sea.
They came upon a people
Devoted entirely to some idols
They had. They said:
"O Moses! fashion for us
A god like unto the gods
They have." He said:
"Surely ye are a people
Without knowledge.

139. Inna haola-i mutabbarun ma hum feehi wabatilun ma kanoo yaAAmaloona

139. "As to these folk,—
The cult they are in
Is (but) a fragment of a ruin,
And vain is the (worship)
Which they practise."

140. Qala aghayra Allahi abgheekum ilahan wahuwa faddalakum AAala alAAalameena

140. He said: "Shall I seek for you
A god other than the (true)
God, when it is God
Who hath endowed you
With gifts above the nations?"

141. Wa-ith anjaynakum min ali firAAawna yasoomoonakum soo-a alAAathabi yuqattiloona abnaakum wayastahyoona nisaakum wafee thalikum balaon min rabbikum AAatheemun

141. And remember We rescued you
From Pharaoh's people,
Who afflicted you with
The worst of penalties,
Who slew your male children
And saved alive your females:
In that was a momentous
Trial from your Lord.

Next: Section 17 (142-147)