Sūra V.: Māïda, or The Table Spread.

Section 4

20. Wa-ith qala moosa liqawmihi ya qawmi othkuroo niAAmata Allahi AAalaykum ith jaAAala feekum anbiyaa wajaAAalakum mulookan waatakum ma lam yu/ti ahadan mina alAAalameena

20. 22 Remember Moses said
To his people: "O my People!
Call in remembrance the favour
Of God unto you, when He
Produced prophets among you,
Made you kings, and gave
You what He had not given
To any other among the peoples.

21. Ya qawmi odkhuloo al-arda almuqaddasata allatee kataba Allahu lakum wala tartaddoo AAala adbarikum fatanqaliboo khasireena

21. 23 "O my people! enter
The holy land which
God hath assigned unto you,
And turn not back
Ignominiously, for then
Will ye be overthrown,
To your own ruin."

22. Qaloo ya moosa inna feeha qawman jabbareena wa-inna lan nadkhulaha hatta yakhrujoo minha fa-in yakhrujoo minha fa-inna dakhiloona

22. 24 They said: "O Moses!
In this land are a people
Of exceeding strength:
Never shall we enter it
Until they leave it:
If (once) they leave,
Then shall we enter."

23. Qala rajulani mina allatheena yakhafoona anAAama Allahu AAalayhima odkhuloo AAalayhimu albaba fa-itha dakhaltumoohu fa-innakum ghaliboona waAAala Allahi fatawakkaloo in kuntum mu/mineena

23. 25 (But) among (their) God-fearing men
Were two on whom
God had bestowed His grace:
They said: "Assault them
At the (proper) Gate:
When once ye are in,
Victory will be yours;
26 But on God put your trust
If ye have faith."

24. Qaloo ya moosa inna lan nadkhulaha abadan ma damoo feeha fa-ithhab anta warabbuka faqatila inna hahuna qaAAidoona

24. 27 They said: "O Moses!
While they remain there,
Never shall we be able
To enter, to the end of time.
Go thou, and thy Lord,
And fight ye two,
While we sit here"
(And watch)."

25. Qala rabbi innee la amliku illa nafsee waakhee faofruq baynana wabayna alqawmi alfasiqeena

25. 28 He said: "O my Lord!
I have power only
Over myself and my brother:
So separate us from this
Rebellious people!"

26. Qala fa-innaha muharramatun AAalayhim arbaAAeena sanatan yateehoona fee al-ardi fala ta/sa AAala alqawmi alfasiqeena

26. 29 God said: "Therefore
Will the land be out
Of their reach for forty years:
In distraction will they
Wander through the land:
But sorrow thou not
Over these rebellious people.

Next: Section 5 (27-34)