The people of Moses made,
In his absence, out of their ornaments,
The image of a calf,
(for worship):
It seemed to low: did they
Not see that it could
Neither speak to them, nor
Show them the Way?
They took it for worship
And they did wrong.
When Moses came back
To his people, angry and grieved,
He said: "Evil it is that ye
Have done in my place
In my absence: did ye
Make haste to bring on
The judgment of your Lord?"
He put down the Tablets,
Seized his brother by (the hair
Of) his head, and dragged him
To him. Aaron said:
"Son of my mother! The people
Did indeed reckon me
As naught, and went near
To slaying me! Make not
The enemies rejoice over
My misfortune, nor count thou
Me amongst the people
Of sin."
"(Deeds) after the manner
Of the People of Pharaoh
And those before them":
They treated as false the Signs
Of their Lord: so We
Destroyed them for their crimes,
And We drowned the People
Of Pharaoh: for they were all
Oppressors and wrong-doers.
Do ye make the giving
Of drink to pilgrims,
Or the maintenance of
The Sacred Mosque, equal
To (the pious service of) those
Who believe in God
And the Last Day, and strive
With might and main
In the cause of God?
They are not comparable
In the sight of God:
And God guides not
Those who do wrong.
If they had come out
With you, they would not
Have added to your (strength)
But only (made for) disorder,
Hurrying to and fro in your midst
And sowing sedition among you,
And there would have been
Some among you
Who would have listened to them.
But God knoweth well
Those who do wrong.
Which then is best?—he that
Layeth his foundation
On piety to God
And His Good Pleasure?—or he
That layeth his foundation
On an undermined sand-cliff
Ready to crumble to pieces?
And it doth crumble to pieces
With him, into the fire
Of Hell. And God guideth not
People that do wrong.
Nay, they charge with falsehood
That whose knowledge they
Cannot compass, even before
The elucidation thereof"
Hath reached them: thus
Did those before them
Make charges of falsehood:
But see what was the end
Of those who did wrong!
Who doth more wrong
Than those who invent a lie
Against God? They will be
Turned back to the presence
Of their Lord, and the witnesses
Will say, "These are the ones
Who lied against their Lord!
Behold! the Curse of God
Is on those who do wrong!—
"I tell you not that
With me are the Treasures
Of God, nor do I know
What is hidden,
Nor claim I to be
An angel. Nor yet
Do I say, of those whom
Your eyes do despise
That God will not grant them
(All) that is good:
God knoweth best
What is in their souls:
I should, if I did,
Indeed be a wrong-doer."
Then the word went forth:
"O earth! swallow up
Thy water, and O sky!
Withhold (thy rain)!"
And the water abated,
And the matter was ended.
The Ark rested on Mount
Jūdī, and the word
Went forth: "Away
With those who do wrong!"
But she in whose house
He was, sought to seduce him
From his (true) self: she fastened
The doors, and said:
"Now come, thou (dear one)!"
He said: "God forbid!
Truly (thy husband) is
My lord! he made
My sojourn agreeable!
Truly to no good
Come those who do wrong!"
They said: "The penalty
Should be that he
In whose saddle-bag
It is found, should be held
(As bondman) to atone
For the (crime). Thus it is
We punish the wrong-doers!"
And the Unbelievers said
To their apostles: "Be sure
We shall drive you out
Of our land, or ye shall
Return to our religion."
But their Lord inspired
(This Message) to them:
"Verily We shall cause
The wrong-doers to perish!
And Satan will say
When the matter is decided:
"It was God Who gave you
A promise of Truth: I too
Promised, but I failed
In my promise to you.
I had no authority over you
Except to call you, but ye
Listened to me: then
Reproach not me, but reproach
Your own souls. I cannot listen
To your cries, nor can ye
Listen to mine. I reject
Your former act in associating
Me with God.
For wrong-doers there must be
A grievous Penalty."
God will establish in strength
Those who believe, with the Word
That stands firm, in this world
And in the Hereafter; but God
Will leave, to stray, those
Who do wrong: God doeth
What He willeth.