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

1. ولما رجع موسى إلى قومه غضبان أسفا قال بئسما خلفتموني من بعدي أعجلتم أمر ربكم وألقى الألواح وأخذ برأس أخيه يجره إليه قال ابن أم إن القوم استضعفوني وكادوا يقتلونني فلا تشمت بي الأعداء ولا تجعلني مع القوم الظالمين

   150

   When Moses returned to his people, angry and indignant, he said, ‘Evil has been your conduct in my absence! Would you hasten on the edict of your Lord?’ He threw down the tablets and seized his brother by the head, pulling him towards himself. He said, ‘Son of my mother, indeed this people thought me to be weak, and they were about to kill me. So do not let the enemies gloat over me, and do not take me with the wrongdoing lot.’

   wa-lammā rajaʿa mūsā ʾilā qawmihī ghaḍbāna ʾasifan qāla biʾsamā khalaftumūnī min baʿdī ʾa-ʿajiltum ʾamra rabbikum wa-ʾalqā l-ʾalwāḥa wa-ʾakhadha bi-raʾsi ʾakhīhi yajurruhū ʾilayhi qāla bna ʾumma ʾinna l-qawma staḍʿafūnī wa-kādū yaqtulūnanī fa-lā tushmit biya l-ʾaʿdāʾa wa-lā tajʿalnī maʿa l-qawmi ẓ-ẓālimīna

2. قال رب اغفر لي ولأخي وأدخلنا في رحمتك وأنت أرحم الراحمين

   151

   He said, ‘My Lord, forgive me and my brother, and admit us into Your mercy, for You are the most merciful of the merciful.

   qāla rabbi ghfir lī wa-li-ʾakhī wa-ʾadkhilnā fī raḥmatika wa-ʾanta ʾarḥamu r-rāḥimīna

3. إن الذين اتخذوا العجل سينالهم غضب من ربهم وذلة في الحياة الدنيا وكذلك نجزي المفترين

   152

   Indeed those who took up the calf [for worship] shall be overtaken by their Lord’s wrath and abasement in the life of the world.’ Thus do We requite the fabricators [of lies].

   ʾinna lladhīna ttakhadhū l-ʿijla sa-yanāluhum ghaḍabun min rabbihim wa-dhillatun fī l-ḥayāti d-dunyā wa-ka-dhālika najzī l-muftarīna

4. والذين عملوا السيئات ثم تابوا من بعدها وآمنوا إن ربك من بعدها لغفور رحيم

   153

   Yet [to] those who commit misdeeds but repent after that, and believe—indeed, after that, your Lord shall surely be all-forgiving, all-merciful.

   wa-lladhīna ʿamilū s-sayyiʾāti thumma tābū min baʿdihā wa-ʾāmanū ʾinna rabbaka min baʿdihā la-ghafūrun raḥīmun

5. ولما سكت عن موسى الغضب أخذ الألواح وفي نسختها هدى ورحمة للذين هم لربهم يرهبون

   154

   When Moses’ indignation abated, he picked up the tablets whose inscriptions contained guidance and mercy for those who are in awe of their Lord.

   wa-lammā sakata ʿan mūsā l-ghaḍabu ʾakhadha l-ʾalwāḥa wa-fī nuskhatihā hudan wa-raḥmatun li-lladhīna hum li-rabbihim yarhabūna

6. واختار موسى قومه سبعين رجلا لميقاتنا فلما أخذتهم الرجفة قال رب لو شئت أهلكتهم من قبل وإياي أتهلكنا بما فعل السفهاء منا إن هي إلا فتنتك تضل بها من تشاء وتهدي من تشاء أنت ولينا فاغفر لنا وارحمنا وأنت خير الغافرين

   155

   Moses chose seventy men from his people for Our tryst, and when the earthquake seized them, he said, ‘My Lord, had You wished, You would have destroyed them and me before. Will You destroy us because of what the fools amongst us have done? It is only Your test, by which You lead astray whomever You wish and guide whomever You wish. You are our master, so forgive us and have mercy on us, for You are the best of those who forgive.

   wa-khtāra mūsā qawmahū sabʿīna rajulan li-mīqātinā fa-lammā ʾakhadhathumu r-rajfatu qāla rabbi law shiʾta ʾahlaktahum min qablu wa-ʾiyyāya ʾa-tuhlikunā bi-mā faʿala s-sufahāʾu minnā ʾin hiya ʾillā fitnatuka tuḍillu bihā man tashāʾu wa-tahdī man tashāʾu ʾanta waliyyunā fa-ghfir lanā wa-rḥamnā wa-ʾanta khayru l-ghāfirīna