Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

He said: “Nay, you cast.” And then their ropes and their staffs seemed to him, by their sorcery, to be moving,

قَالَ بَلْ اَلْقُواۚ فَاِذَا حِبَالُهُمْ وَعِصِيُّهُمْ يُخَيَّلُ اِلَيْهِ مِنْ سِحْرِهِمْ اَنَّهَا تَسْعٰى
Qala bal alqoo fa-itha hibaluhumwaAAisiyyuhum yukhayyalu ilayhi min sihrihim annahatasAAa
#wordmeaningroot
1qālaHe saidقول
2balNay
3alqūyou throwلقي
4fa-idhāThen behold
5ḥibāluhumTheir ropesحبل
6waʿiṣiyyuhumand their staffsعصو
7yukhayyaluseemedخيل
8ilayhito him
9minby
10siḥ'rihimtheir magicسحر
11annahāthat they
12tasʿā(were) movingسعي
  • Aisha Bewley

    He said, ‘No, you throw!’ And suddenly their ropes and staffs appeared to him, by their magic, to be slithering about.

  • Progressive Muslims

    He said: "No, you cast down. " So their ropes and staffs appeared from their magic as if they were moving.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    He said, "Nay, you go first. " Their smart presentation appeared to him to put life into otherwise feeble arguments with their logic wandering in different directions. (They were throwing the ropes of falsehood against the Rope of Allah).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    He said: “Nay, you cast.” And then their ropes and their staffs seemed to him, by their sorcery, to be moving,

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    He said: "You cast down." So their ropes and staffs appeared from their magic as if they were moving.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    He said, "No, you cast down." So their ropes and staffs appeared from their magic as if they were moving.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    He said, "You throw." Whereupon, their ropes and sticks appeared to him, because of their magic, as if they were moving.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Moses said: "No. You cast it first" Then it seemed to Moses that by their magic their cords and rods were flying;

  • Sahih International (Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)

    He said, "Rather, you throw. " And suddenly their ropes and staffs seemed to him from their magic that they were moving .

  • Muhammad Asad

    He answered: "Nay, you throw . " And lo! by virtue of their sorcery, their ropes and staffs seemed to him to be moving rapidly:

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    He said: Nay, do ye throw! Then lo! their cords and their staves, by their magic, appeared to him as though they ran.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Moses replied: "No, let it be you to throw first." Then suddenly it appeared to Moses, owing to their magic, as if their ropes and staffs were running.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    "But", Mussa said, "you cast first", and there, their ropes and their rods seemed as though they were living serpents in motion.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Moses replied: "Go ahead. " Their ropes and sticks put a live show on the scene.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    said: "Nay, throw you (first)!" Then behold! their ropes and their sticks, by their magic, appeared to him as though they moved fast.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    He said, "Nay, throw ye first!" Then behold their ropes and their rods-so it seemed to him on account of their magic - began to be in lively motion!

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Moses responded, "No, you go first." And suddenly their ropes and staffs appeared to him—by their magic—to be slithering.

  • Taqi Usmani

    He said, "Rather, you throw." Then, suddenly their ropes and sticks seemed to him, due to their magic, as if they were running.

  • Abdul Haleem

    ‘You throw,’ said Moses, and––lo and behold!––through their sorcery, their ropes and staffs seemed to him to be moving.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    'No, ' said Moses. 'Do you cast!' And lo, it seemed to him, by their sorcery, their ropes and their staffs were sliding;

  • E. Henry Palmer

    He said, 'Nay, throw ye!' and lo! their ropes and their staves appeared to move along.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Said they, "O Moses! Either you must throw first, or let us throw first. "

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    He said, "No indeed, you cast!" Then only then, their ropes and their staffs were made to appear to him, by their sorcery, to be gliding along.

  • George Sale

    He answered, do ye cast down your rods first. And behold, their cords and their rods appeared unto him, by their enchantment, to run about like serpents:

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    He said: "No, you throw first!" Then look, their ropes and their rods— So it appeared to him, because of their magic— Began to be in life-like movement!

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    (Moses) said, `Nay, you present first what you have. ' (Accordingly they were the first to present. No sooner did they present them) lo! their cords and their staves, appeared to him (- Moses) by their trickstery only as though they ran about.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    He said, ‘Rather you throw down first. ’ Behold, their ropes and staffs appeared to him by their magic to wriggle swiftly.