Surah Al-'A`rāf (The Heights) in English

1. قال يا موسى إني اصطفيتك على الناس برسالاتي وبكلامي فخذ ما آتيتك وكن من الشاكرين

   144

   He said, ‘O Moses, I have chosen you over the people with My messages and My speech. So take what I give you, and be among the grateful.’

   qāla yā-mūsā ʾinnī ṣṭafaytuka ʿalā n-nāsi bi-risālātī wa-bi-kalāmī fa-khudh mā ʾātaytuka wa-kun mina sh-shākirīna

2. وكتبنا له في الألواح من كل شيء موعظة وتفصيلا لكل شيء فخذها بقوة وأمر قومك يأخذوا بأحسنها سأريكم دار الفاسقين

   145

   We wrote for him in the tablets advice concerning all things and an elaboration of all things, [and We said], ‘Hold on to them with power, and bid your people to hold on to the best of [what is in] them. Soon I shall show you the abode of the transgressors.

   wa-katabnā lahū fī l-ʾalwāḥi min kulli shayʾin mawʿiẓatan wa-tafṣīlan li-kulli shayʾin fa-khudhhā bi-quwwatin wa-ʾmur qawmaka yaʾkhudhū bi-ʾaḥsanihā sa-ʾurīkum dāra l-fāsiqīna

3. سأصرف عن آياتي الذين يتكبرون في الأرض بغير الحق وإن يروا كل آية لا يؤمنوا بها وإن يروا سبيل الرشد لا يتخذوه سبيلا وإن يروا سبيل الغي يتخذوه سبيلا ذلك بأنهم كذبوا بآياتنا وكانوا عنها غافلين

   146

   Soon I shall turn away from My signs those who are unduly arrogant in the earth: [even] though they should see every sign, they will not believe in it, and if they see the way of rectitude they will not take it as [their] way, and if they see the way of error they will take it as [their] way. That is because they deny Our signs and are oblivious to them.’

   sa-ʾaṣrifu ʿan ʾāyātiya lladhīna yatakabbarūna fī l-ʾarḍi bi-ghayri l-ḥaqqi wa-ʾin yaraw kulla ʾāyatin lā yuʾminū bihā wa-ʾin yaraw sabīla r-rushdi lā yattakhidhūhu sabīlan wa-ʾin yaraw sabīla l-ghayyi yattakhidhūhu sabīlan dhālika bi-ʾannahum kadhdhabū bi-ʾāyātinā wa-kānū ʿanhā ghāfilīna

4. والذين كذبوا بآياتنا ولقاء الآخرة حبطت أعمالهم هل يجزون إلا ما كانوا يعملون

   147

   Those who deny Our signs and the encounter of the Hereafter, their works have failed. Shall they not be requited for what they used to do?

   wa-lladhīna kadhdhabū bi-ʾāyātinā wa-liqāʾi l-ʾākhirati ḥabiṭat ʾaʿmāluhum hal yujzawna ʾillā mā kānū yaʿmalūna

5. واتخذ قوم موسى من بعده من حليهم عجلا جسدا له خوار ألم يروا أنه لا يكلمهم ولا يهديهم سبيلا اتخذوه وكانوا ظالمين

   148

   The people of Moses took up in his absence a calf [cast] from their ornaments—a body that gave out a lowing sound. Did they not regard that it did not speak to them, nor did it guide them to any way? They took it up [for worship] and they were wrongdoers.

   wa-ttakhadha qawmu mūsā min baʿdihī min ḥuliyyihim ʿijlan jasadan lahū khuwārun ʾa-lam yaraw ʾannahū lā yukallimuhum wa-lā yahdīhim sabīlan-i ittakhadhūhu wa-kānū ẓālimīna

6. ولما سقط في أيديهم ورأوا أنهم قد ضلوا قالوا لئن لم يرحمنا ربنا ويغفر لنا لنكونن من الخاسرين

   149

   But when they became remorseful and realised they had gone astray, they said, ‘Should our Lord have no mercy on us, and forgive us, we will be surely among the losers.’

   wa-lammā suqiṭa fī ʾaydīhim wa-raʾaw ʾannahum qad ḍallū qālū la-ʾin lam yarḥamnā rabbunā wa-yaghfir lanā la-nakūnanna mina l-khāsirīna