20. Moses said, `I did it then inadvertently, and I was in a perplexed state of mind; 21. `So I fled from you when I feared you; then my Lord granted me right judgment and made me one of the Messengers. 22. `And this favour of bringing me up as a child with which thou now tauntest me, dost thou put forward against thy having enslaved the Children of Israel ?' 23. Pharaoh said, `And what is the Lord of the worlds ?' 24. Moses said, `The Lord of the heavens and the earth and of all that is between the two, if you would believe.' 25. Pharaoh said to those around him, `Do you not hear ?' 26. Moses said, `Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of yore.' 27. Pharaoh said, `Most surely, this Messenger of yours who has been sent to you is a madman.' 28. Moses Said, `The Lord of the East and of the West, and of all that is between the two, if only you have sense.' 29. `Pharaoh said, `If thou takest a god other than me, I will, certainly, put thee in prison.' 30. Moses said, `What, even though I bring thee something that is manifest !' 31. Pharaoh said, `Bring it then, if thou speakest the truth.' 32. So Moses threw down his rod, and behold ! it was a serpent plainly visible. 33. And he drew out his hand, and lo ! it was white for the beholders. 34. Pharaoh said to the chiefs around him, `This is surely a skillful sorcerer; 35. `He seeks to turn you out of your land by his sorcery. Now, what do you advise ?' 36. They said, `Put him off and his brother awhile and send into the cities summoners, 37. `Who should bring thee every skillful and cunning sorcerer.' 38. So the sorcerers were assembled together at the appointed time on a fixed day, 39. And it was said to the people, `Will you also gather together ? |