Verse 7:152 in Context

Translator Abdel Haleem

148 وَٱتَّخَذَ قَوۡمُ مُوسَىٰ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ مِنۡ حُلِیِّهِمۡ عِجۡلࣰا جَسَدࣰا لَّهُۥ خُوَارٌۚ أَلَمۡ یَرَوۡا۟ أَنَّهُۥ لَا یُكَلِّمُهُمۡ وَلَا یَهۡدِیهِمۡ سَبِیلًاۘ ٱتَّخَذُوهُ وَكَانُوا۟ ظَـٰلِمِینَ ۝١٤٨ wa-ittakhadha qawmu mūsā min baʿdihi min ḥuliyyihim ʿij'lan jasadan lahu khuwārun alam yaraw annahu lā yukallimuhum walā yahdīhim sabīlan ittakhadhūhu wakānū ẓālimīn In his absence, Moses’ people took to worshipping a mere shape that made sounds like a cow- a calf made from their jewellery. Could they not see that it did not speak to them or guide them in any way? Yet they took it for worship: they were evildoers 149 وَلَمَّا سُقِطَ فِیۤ أَیۡدِیهِمۡ وَرَأَوۡا۟ أَنَّهُمۡ قَدۡ ضَلُّوا۟ قَالُوا۟ لَىِٕن لَّمۡ یَرۡحَمۡنَا رَبُّنَا وَیَغۡفِرۡ لَنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرِینَ ۝١٤٩ walammā suqiṭa fī aydīhim wara-aw annahum qad ḍallū qālū la-in lam yarḥamnā rabbunā wayaghfir lanā lanakūnanna mina l-khāsirīn When, with much wringing of hands, they perceived that they were doing wrong, they said, ‘If our Lord does not have mercy and forgive us, we shall be the losers.’ 150 وَلَمَّا رَجَعَ مُوسَىٰۤ إِلَىٰ قَوۡمِهِۦ غَضۡبَـٰنَ أَسِفࣰا قَالَ بِئۡسَمَا خَلَفۡتُمُونِی مِنۢ بَعۡدِیۤۖ أَعَجِلۡتُمۡ أَمۡرَ رَبِّكُمۡۖ وَأَلۡقَى ٱلۡأَلۡوَاحَ وَأَخَذَ بِرَأۡسِ أَخِیهِ یَجُرُّهُۥۤ إِلَیۡهِۚ قَالَ ٱبۡنَ أُمَّ إِنَّ ٱلۡقَوۡمَ ٱسۡتَضۡعَفُونِی وَكَادُوا۟ یَقۡتُلُونَنِی فَلَا تُشۡمِتۡ بِیَ ٱلۡأَعۡدَاۤءَ وَلَا تَجۡعَلۡنِی مَعَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِینَ ۝١٥٠ walammā rajaʿa mūsā ilā qawmihi ghaḍbāna asifan qāla bi'samā khalaftumūnī min baʿdī aʿajil'tum amra rabbikum wa-alqā l-alwāḥa wa-akhadha birasi akhīhi yajurruhu ilayhi qāla ib'na umma inna l-qawma is'taḍʿafūnī wakādū yaqtulūnanī falā tush'mit biya l-aʿdāa walā tajʿalnī maʿa l-qawmi l-ẓālimīn On his return to his people, angry and aggrieved, Moses said, ‘How foul and evil is what you have done in my absence! Were you so keen to bring your Lord’s judgement forward?’ He threw the tablets down and seized his brother by the hair, pulling him towards him. Aaron said, ‘Son of my mother, these people overpowered me! They almost killed me! Do not give my enemies reason to rejoice! Do not include me with these evildoers!’ 151 قَالَ رَبِّ ٱغۡفِرۡ لِی وَلِأَخِی وَأَدۡخِلۡنَا فِی رَحۡمَتِكَۖ وَأَنتَ أَرۡحَمُ ٱلرَّ ٰحِمِینَ ۝١٥١ qāla rabbi igh'fir lī wali-akhī wa-adkhil'nā fī raḥmatika wa-anta arḥamu l-rāḥimīn Moses said, ‘My Lord, forgive me and my brother; accept us into Your mercy: You are the Most Merciful of all who show mercy

152 إِنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ ٱلۡعِجۡلَ سَیَنَالُهُمۡ غَضَبࣱ مِّن رَّبِّهِمۡ وَذِلَّةࣱ فِی ٱلۡحَیَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡیَاۚ وَكَذَ ٰلِكَ نَجۡزِی ٱلۡمُفۡتَرِینَ ۝١٥٢ inna alladhīna ittakhadhū l-ʿij'la sayanāluhum ghaḍabun min rabbihim wadhillatun fī l-ḥayati l-dun'yā wakadhālika najzī l-muf'tarīn Those who took to worshipping the calf will be afflicted by their Lord’s wrath, and by disgrace in this life.’ This is the way We repay those who invent such falsehoods

153 وَٱلَّذِینَ عَمِلُوا۟ ٱلسَّیِّءَاتِ ثُمَّ تَابُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهَا وَءَامَنُوۤا۟ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهَا لَغَفُورࣱ رَّحِیمࣱ ۝١٥٣ wa-alladhīna ʿamilū l-sayiāti thumma tābū min baʿdihā waāmanū inna rabbaka min baʿdihā laghafūrun raḥīmu but your Lord is most forgiving and most merciful towards those who do wrong, then repent afterwards and truly believe 154 وَلَمَّا سَكَتَ عَن مُّوسَى ٱلۡغَضَبُ أَخَذَ ٱلۡأَلۡوَاحَۖ وَفِی نُسۡخَتِهَا هُدࣰى وَرَحۡمَةࣱ لِّلَّذِینَ هُمۡ لِرَبِّهِمۡ یَرۡهَبُونَ ۝١٥٤ walammā sakata ʿan mūsā l-ghaḍabu akhadha l-alwāḥa wafī nus'khatihā hudan waraḥmatun lilladhīna hum lirabbihim yarhabūn When Moses’ anger abated, he picked up the Tablets, on which were inscribed guidance and mercy for those who stood in awe of their Lord 155 وَٱخۡتَارَ مُوسَىٰ قَوۡمَهُۥ سَبۡعِینَ رَجُلࣰا لِّمِیقَـٰتِنَاۖ فَلَمَّاۤ أَخَذَتۡهُمُ ٱلرَّجۡفَةُ قَالَ رَبِّ لَوۡ شِئۡتَ أَهۡلَكۡتَهُم مِّن قَبۡلُ وَإِیَّـٰیَۖ أَتُهۡلِكُنَا بِمَا فَعَلَ ٱلسُّفَهَاۤءُ مِنَّاۤۖ إِنۡ هِیَ إِلَّا فِتۡنَتُكَ تُضِلُّ بِهَا مَن تَشَاۤءُ وَتَهۡدِی مَن تَشَاۤءُۖ أَنتَ وَلِیُّنَا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَاۖ وَأَنتَ خَیۡرُ ٱلۡغَـٰفِرِینَ ۝١٥٥ wa-ikh'tāra mūsā qawmahu sabʿīna rajulan limīqātinā falammā akhadhathumu l-rajfatu qāla rabbi law shi'ta ahlaktahum min qablu wa-iyyāya atuh'likunā bimā faʿala l-sufahāu minnā in hiya illā fit'natuka tuḍillu bihā man tashāu watahdī man tashāu anta waliyyunā fa-igh'fir lanā wa-ir'ḥamnā wa-anta khayru l-ghāfirīn Moses chose from his people seventy men for Our appointment, and when they were seized by trembling, he prayed, ‘My Lord, if You had chosen to do so, You could have destroyed them long before this, and me too, so will You now destroy us for what the foolish among us have done? This is only a trial from You- through it, You cause whoever You will to stray and guide whoever You will- and You are our Protector, so forgive us and have mercy on us. You are the best of those who forgive 156 ۞ وَٱكۡتُبۡ لَنَا فِی هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنۡیَا حَسَنَةࣰ وَفِی ٱلۡءَاخِرَةِ إِنَّا هُدۡنَاۤ إِلَیۡكَۚ قَالَ عَذَابِیۤ أُصِیبُ بِهِۦ مَنۡ أَشَاۤءُۖ وَرَحۡمَتِی وَسِعَتۡ كُلَّ شَیۡءࣲۚ فَسَأَكۡتُبُهَا لِلَّذِینَ یَتَّقُونَ وَیُؤۡتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلَّذِینَ هُم بِءَایَـٰتِنَا یُؤۡمِنُونَ ۝١٥٦ wa-uk'tub lanā fī hādhihi l-dun'yā ḥasanatan wafī l-ākhirati innā hud'nā ilayka qāla ʿadhābī uṣību bihi man ashāu waraḥmatī wasiʿat kulla shayin fasa-aktubuhā lilladhīna yattaqūna wayu'tūna l-zakata wa-alladhīna hum biāyātinā yu'minūn Grant us good things in this world and in the life to come. We turn to You.’ God said, ‘I bring My punishment on whoever I will, but My mercy encompasses all things. ‘I shall ordain My mercy for those who are conscious of God and pay the prescribed alms; who believe in Our Revelations