وَنَادَىٰ فِرْعَوْنُ فِى قَوْمِهِۦ قَالَ يَٰقَوْمِ أَلَيْسَ لِى مُلْكُ مِصْرَ وَهَٰذِهِ ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِىٓ ۖ أَفَلَا تُبْصِرُونَ

And Pharaoh caused a proclamation to be made among his people saying: O my people! Is not mine the sovereignty of Egypt and these rivers flowing under me? Can ye not then discern?

أَمْ أَنَا۠ خَيْرٌۭ مِّنْ هَٰذَا ٱلَّذِى هُوَ مَهِينٌۭ وَلَا يَكَادُ يُبِينُ

I am surely better than this fellow, who is despicable and can hardly make (his meaning) plain!

فَلَوْلَآ أُلْقِىَ عَلَيْهِ أَسْوِرَةٌۭ مِّن ذَهَبٍ أَوْ جَآءَ مَعَهُ ٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةُ مُقْتَرِنِينَ

Why, then, have armlets of gold not been set upon him, or angels sent along with him?

فَٱسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُۥ فَأَطَاعُوهُ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ قَوْمًۭا فَٰسِقِينَ

Thus he persuaded his people to make light (of Moses), and they obeyed him. Lo! they were a wanton folk.

فَلَمَّآ ءَاسَفُونَا ٱنتَقَمْنَا مِنْهُمْ فَأَغْرَقْنَٰهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

So, when they angered Us, We punished them and drowned them every one.

فَجَعَلْنَٰهُمْ سَلَفًۭا وَمَثَلًۭا لِّلْءَاخِرِينَ

And We made them a thing past, and an example for those after (them).

۞ وَلَمَّا ضُرِبَ ٱبْنُ مَرْيَمَ مَثَلًا إِذَا قَوْمُكَ مِنْهُ يَصِدُّونَ

And when the son of Mary is quoted as an example, behold! the folk laugh out,

وَقَالُوٓا۟ ءَأَٰلِهَتُنَا خَيْرٌ أَمْ هُوَ ۚ مَا ضَرَبُوهُ لَكَ إِلَّا جَدَلًۢا ۚ بَلْ هُمْ قَوْمٌ خَصِمُونَ

And say: Are our gods better, or is he? They raise not the objection save for argument. Nay! but they are a contentious folk.

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا عَبْدٌ أَنْعَمْنَا عَلَيْهِ وَجَعَلْنَٰهُ مَثَلًۭا لِّبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ

He is nothing but a slave on whom We bestowed favour, and We made him a pattern for the Children of Israel.

وَلَوْ نَشَآءُ لَجَعَلْنَا مِنكُم مَّلَٰٓئِكَةًۭ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ يَخْلُفُونَ

And had We willed We could have set among you angels to be viceroys in the earth.