The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

20: 87 Ta Ha
199
then crucify you on the trunks of palm trees. You will know for
certain which of us has the fiercer and more lasting punishment.’
72 They said, ‘We shall never prefer you to the clear sign that has
come to us, nor to Him who created us. So decide whatever you will:
you can only decide matters of this present life – 73 we believe in our
Lord, [hoping] He may forgive us our sins and the sorcery that you
forced us to practise – God is better and more lasting.’
74 Hell will be the reward of those who return to their Lord as
evildoers: there they will stay, neither living nor dying. 75 But those
who return to their Lord as believers with righteous deeds will be
rewarded with the highest of ranks, 76 Gardens of lasting bliss graced
with flowing streams, and there they will stay. Such is the reward of
those who purify themselves.
77 We revealed to Moses, ‘Go out at night with My servants and
strike a dry path for them across the sea. a Have no fear of being
overtaken and do not be dismayed.’ 78 Pharaoh pursued them with
his armies and was overwhelmed by the sea. 79 Pharaoh truly led his
people astray; he did not guide them.
80 Children of Israel, We rescued you from your enemies. We made
a pledge with you on the right-hand side of the mountain. We sent
down manna and quails for you, 81 ‘Eat from the good things We have
provided for you, but do not overstep the bounds, or My wrath will
descend on you. Anyone on whom My wrath descends has truly
fallen. 82 Yet I am most forgiving towards those who repent, believe,
do righteous deeds, and stay on the right path.’
83 [God said], ‘Moses, what has made you come ahead of your
people in such haste?’ b 84 and he said, ‘They are following in my
footsteps. I rushed to You, Lord, to please You,’ 85 but God said, ‘We
have tested your people in your absence: the Samiri c has led them
astray.’ 86 Moses returned to his people, angry and aggrieved. He
said, ‘My people, did your Lord not make you a gracious promise?
Was my absence too long for you? Did you want anger to fall on
you from your Lord and so broke your word to me?’ 87 They said,
‘We did not break our word to you deliberately. We were burdened
with the weight of people’s jewellery, so we threw it [into the fire],
a Bahr, ‘sea’, means any expanse of water, fresh or salty. Cf. 35: 12.
b Moses had left his people in the charge of Aaron to contemplate on Mount Sinai.
See 7: 142 ff.
c Razi suggests various unsubstantiated identities for the Samiri.