Surah Ţāhā (Ta-Ha) in English

1. قال علمها عند ربي في كتاب لا يضل ربي ولا ينسى

   52

   He said, ‘Their knowledge is with my Lord, in a Book. My Lord neither makes any error nor forgets.’

   qāla ʿilmuhā ʿinda rabbī fī kitābin lā yaḍillu rabbī wa-lā yansā

2. الذي جعل لكم الأرض مهدا وسلك لكم فيها سبلا وأنزل من السماء ماء فأخرجنا به أزواجا من نبات شتى

   53

   He, who made the earth for you a cradle, and in it threaded for you ways, and sent down water from the sky, and with it We brought forth various kinds of vegetation.

   alladhī jaʿala lakumu l-ʾarḍa mahdan wa-salaka lakum fīhā subulan wa-ʾanzala mina s-samāʾi māʾan fa-ʾakhrajnā bihī ʾazwājan min nabātin shattā

3. كلوا وارعوا أنعامكم إن في ذلك لآيات لأولي النهى

   54

   ‘Eat and pasture your cattle.’ There are indeed signs in that for those who have sense.

   kulū wa-rʿaw ʾanʿāmakum ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyātin li-ʾulī n-nuhā

4. منها خلقناكم وفيها نعيدكم ومنها نخرجكم تارة أخرى

   55

   From it did We create you, into it shall We return you, and from it shall We bring you forth another time.

   minhā khalaqnākum wa-fīhā nuʿīdukum wa-minhā nukhrijukum tāratan ʾukhrā

5. ولقد أريناه آياتنا كلها فكذب وأبى

   56

   Certainly We showed him all Our signs. But he denied [them] and refused [to believe them].

   wa-la-qad ʾāraynāhu ʾāyātinā kullahā fa-kadhdhaba wa-ʾabā

6. قال أجئتنا لتخرجنا من أرضنا بسحرك يا موسى

   57

   He said, ‘Moses, have you come to us to expel us from our land with your magic?

   qāla ʾa-jiʾtanā li-tukhrijanā min ʾarḍinā bi-siḥrika yā-mūsā

7. فلنأتينك بسحر مثله فاجعل بيننا وبينك موعدا لا نخلفه نحن ولا أنت مكانا سوى

   58

   Yet we [too] will bring you a magic like it! So fix a tryst between us and you, which neither we shall fail nor you, at a middle place.’

   fa-la-naʾtiyannaka bi-siḥrin mithlihī fa-jʿal baynanā wa-baynaka mawʿidan lā nukhlifuhū naḥnu wa-lā ʾanta makānan suwan

8. قال موعدكم يوم الزينة وأن يحشر الناس ضحى

   59

   He said, ‘Your tryst shall be the Day of Adornment, and let the people be assembled in early forenoon.’

   qāla mawʿidukum yawmu z-zīnati wa-ʾan yuḥshara n-nāsu ḍuḥan

9. فتولى فرعون فجمع كيده ثم أتى

   60

   Then Pharaoh withdrew [to consult privately], summoned up his guile, and then arrived [at the scene of the contest].

   fa-tawallā firʿawnu fa-jamaʿa kaydahū thumma ʾatā

10. قال لهم موسى ويلكم لا تفتروا على الله كذبا فيسحتكم بعذاب وقد خاب من افترى

    61

    Moses said to them, ‘Woe to you! Do not fabricate lies against Allah, or He will obliterate you with a punishment. Whoever fabricates lies certainly fails.’

    qāla lahum mūsā waylakum lā taftarū ʿalā llāhi kadhiban fa-yusḥitakum bi-ʿadhābin wa-qad khāba mani ftarā

11. فتنازعوا أمرهم بينهم وأسروا النجوى

    62

    So they disputed their matter among themselves, and kept their confidential talks secret.

    fa-tanāzaʿū ʾamrahum baynahum wa-ʾasarrū n-najwā

12. قالوا إن هذان لساحران يريدان أن يخرجاكم من أرضكم بسحرهما ويذهبا بطريقتكم المثلى

    63

    They said, ‘These two are indeed magicians who intend to expel you from your land with their magic, and to abolish your excellent tradition!

    qālū ʾin hādhāni la-sāḥirāni yurīdāni ʾan yukhrijākum min ʾarḍikum bi-siḥrihimā wa-yadhhabā bi-ṭarīqatikumu l-muthlā

13. فأجمعوا كيدكم ثم ائتوا صفا وقد أفلح اليوم من استعلى

    64

    So summon up your ingenuity, then come in ranks. Today he who has the upper hand will be felicitous!’

    fa-ʾajmiʿū kaydakum thumma ʾtū ṣaffan wa-qad ʾaflaḥa l-yawma mani staʿlā