فَلَا يَصُدَّنَّكَ عَنۡهَا مَن لَّا يُؤۡمِنُ بِهَا وَٱتَّبَعَ هَوَىٰهُ فَتَرۡدَىٰ
Do not let anyone who does not believe in it and follows his own desires distract you from it, and so bring you to ruin.’
وَمَا تِلۡكَ بِيَمِينِكَ يَٰمُوسَىٰ
‘Moses, what is that in your right hand?’
قَالَ هِيَ عَصَايَ أَتَوَكَّؤُاْ عَلَيۡهَا وَأَهُشُّ بِهَا عَلَىٰ غَنَمِي وَلِيَ فِيهَا مَـَٔارِبُ أُخۡرَىٰ
‘It is my staff,’ he said, ‘I lean on it; restrain my sheep with it; I also have other uses for it.’
قَالَ أَلۡقِهَا يَٰمُوسَىٰ
God said, ‘Throw it down, Moses.’
فَأَلۡقَىٰهَا فَإِذَا هِيَ حَيَّةٞ تَسۡعَىٰ
He threw it down and- lo and behold!- it became a fast-moving snake.
قَالَ خُذۡهَا وَلَا تَخَفۡۖ سَنُعِيدُهَا سِيرَتَهَا ٱلۡأُولَىٰ
He said, ‘Pick it up without fear: We shall turn it back into its former state.
وَٱضۡمُمۡ يَدَكَ إِلَىٰ جَنَاحِكَ تَخۡرُجۡ بَيۡضَآءَ مِنۡ غَيۡرِ سُوٓءٍ ءَايَةً أُخۡرَىٰ
Now place your hand under your armpit and it will come out white, though unharmed: that is another sign.