HENCE, [remember how it was] when thy Sustainer summoned Moses: "Go unto those evil doing people. 10 the people of Pharaoh; will they not be godfearing?' 11 He said: "O my Lord! I do fear that they will charge me with falsehood: 12 and "my breast is straitened and my tongue is not fluent; so send Aaron as well; 13 They also have a sin against me, and I fear they will slay me.' 14 Said He: "Not so, indeed! Go forth, then, both of you, with Our messages: verily, We shall be with you, listening [to your call]! 15 Then come to Firon and say: Surely we are the apostles of the Lord of the worlds: 16 so send forth with us the Children of Israel." 17 (Firon) said: Did we not bring you up as a child among us, and you tarried among us for (many) years of your life? 18 And thou didst the deed thou didst, being one of the ungrateful!' 19 He said: I did it then while I was of those unable to see the right course; 20 Then I fled for fear of you. Then my Lord bestowed wisdom and authority on me and made me one of the Messengers. 21 And this is the favour with which you taunt me -- that you have enslaved the Children of Israel?" 22 Said Pharaoh: "And what [and who] is that 'Sustainer of all the worlds'?" 23 Musa (Moses) said: "Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, if you seek to be convinced with certainty." 24 [Pharaoh] said to those around him, "Do you not hear?" 25 (Moses) said: "Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers from the beginning!" 26 [Pharaoh] exclaimed: "Behold, [this] your 'apostle' who [claims that he] has been sent unto you is mad indeed! 27 Moses continued: "(He is) the Lord of the east and the west, and all between them. If you only had any understanding!" 28 [Pharaoh] said, "If you take a god other than me, I will surely place you among those imprisoned." 29 Said he: "Even if I should bring about before thee something that clearly shows the truth?" 30 Pharaoh said, "Show it then, if you are telling the truth!" 31 So (Moses) threw his rod, and behold, it was a serpent, plain (for all to see)! 32 Then he uncovered his hand and it was sheer white to the onlookers. 33