قالَت إِحداهُما يا أَبَتِ استَأجِرهُ ۖ إِنَّ خَيرَ مَنِ استَأجَرتَ القَوِيُّ الأَمينُ
One of the women said, “My father, hire him! The best one to hire is the strong and trustworthy.”
قالَ إِنّي أُريدُ أَن أُنكِحَكَ إِحدَى ابنَتَيَّ هاتَينِ عَلىٰ أَن تَأجُرَني ثَمانِيَ حِجَجٍ ۖ فَإِن أَتمَمتَ عَشرًا فَمِن عِندِكَ ۖ وَما أُريدُ أَن أَشُقَّ عَلَيكَ ۚ سَتَجِدُني إِن شاءَ اللَّهُ مِنَ الصّالِحينَ
He said, “I intend to wed you to one of my daughters, provided you serve me for eight years. If you complete ten, it is up to you. And I don’t intend to impose any hardship on you, and God willing, you’ll find me righteous.”
قالَ ذٰلِكَ بَيني وَبَينَكَ ۖ أَيَّمَا الأَجَلَينِ قَضَيتُ فَلا عُدوانَ عَلَيَّ ۖ وَاللَّهُ عَلىٰ ما نَقولُ وَكيلٌ
He responded, “That’s an agreement between us. Whichever of the two terms I fulfill, let there be no injustice towards me, and God is the guardian over what we say.”
فَلَمّا قَضىٰ موسَى الأَجَلَ وَسارَ بِأَهلِهِ آنَسَ مِن جانِبِ الطّورِ نارًا قالَ لِأَهلِهِ امكُثوا إِنّي آنَستُ نارًا لَعَلّي آتيكُم مِنها بِخَبَرٍ أَو جَذوَةٍ مِنَ النّارِ لَعَلَّكُم تَصطَلونَ
After Moses had completed the term and was journeying with his family, he noticed a fire in the direction of the Mount. He told his family, “Stay here; I have noticed a fire. Perhaps I can bring back some news from it, or a burning ember to warm you.”
فَلَمّا أَتاها نودِيَ مِن شاطِئِ الوادِ الأَيمَنِ فِي البُقعَةِ المُبارَكَةِ مِنَ الشَّجَرَةِ أَن يا موسىٰ إِنّي أَنَا اللَّهُ رَبُّ العالَمينَ
As he approached, he was called out from the right side of the valley, from the Blessed Spot, from within the tree, “O Moses, it is I, God, Lord of the worlds.”
وَأَن أَلقِ عَصاكَ ۖ فَلَمّا رَآها تَهتَزُّ كَأَنَّها جانٌّ وَلّىٰ مُدبِرًا وَلَم يُعَقِّب ۚ يا موسىٰ أَقبِل وَلا تَخَف ۖ إِنَّكَ مِنَ الآمِنينَ
“Drop your staff.” And when he saw it writhing, as if it were a serpent, he turned to flee and didn’t look back. “O Moses, approach and fear not—you are safe.
اسلُك يَدَكَ في جَيبِكَ تَخرُج بَيضاءَ مِن غَيرِ سوءٍ وَاضمُم إِلَيكَ جَناحَكَ مِنَ الرَّهبِ ۖ فَذانِكَ بُرهانانِ مِن رَبِّكَ إِلىٰ فِرعَونَ وَمَلَئِهِ ۚ إِنَّهُم كانوا قَومًا فاسِقينَ
Insert your hand into your robe; it will come out white, without any blemish. And draw your arm toward yourself to ward off fear. These are two proofs from your Lord for Pharaoh and his chiefs; they are sinful people.”
قالَ رَبِّ إِنّي قَتَلتُ مِنهُم نَفسًا فَأَخافُ أَن يَقتُلونِ
He said, “My Lord, I have killed a man among them, so I fear that they will kill me.
وَأَخي هارونُ هُوَ أَفصَحُ مِنّي لِسانًا فَأَرسِلهُ مَعِيَ رِدءًا يُصَدِّقُني ۖ إِنّي أَخافُ أَن يُكَذِّبونِ
And my brother Aaron; he is more fluent in speech than me. So send him with me as a helper to affirm my truth; I fear they will reject me.
قالَ سَنَشُدُّ عَضُدَكَ بِأَخيكَ وَنَجعَلُ لَكُما سُلطانًا فَلا يَصِلونَ إِلَيكُما ۚ بِآياتِنا أَنتُما وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَكُمَا الغالِبونَ
He replied, “We will strengthen you with your brother, and We will grant both of you authority, so they can’t harm you. With Our signs, you and those who follow you will be victorious.”
فَلَمّا جاءَهُم موسىٰ بِآياتِنا بَيِّناتٍ قالوا ما هـٰذا إِلّا سِحرٌ مُفتَرًى وَما سَمِعنا بِهـٰذا في آبائِنَا الأَوَّلينَ
But when Moses came to them with Our clear signs, they said, “This is nothing but fabricated magic; we’ve never heard of such from our forefathers.”