HENCE, [remember how it was] when thy Sustainer summoned Moses: "Go unto those evil doing people. 10 and ask them, "Why do you not fear God?" 11 He said: "My Lord! I fear that they will brand me a liar. 12 I feel nervous and my tongue is not fluent, so send Aaron with me. 13 They have charged me [with a crime] for which I am afraid they will kill me." 14 God said, "Indeed not; go both of you with Our signs, We shall be with you, listening [to your call]. 15 So go you to Pharaoh, and say, "Verily, I am the Messenger of the Lord of all Being; 16 let the Children of Israel go with us!'" 17 (Pharaoh) said: "Did we not cherish thee as a child among us, and didst thou not stay in our midst many years of thy life? 18 And you commited what you did, and you are ungrateful!" 19 Moses replied: "I committed that act erringly. 20 Then I fled from you when I feared you, and my Lord bestowed on me wisdom and made me one of the sent ones. 21 “And is this some great reward for which you express favour upon me – that you have enslaved the Descendants of Israel?” 22 Pharaoh said, "What is this: Lord of the Universe?" 23 [Moses] answered: "[He is] the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all that is between them: if you would but [allow yourselves to] be convinced!" 24 Fir'awn said unto those around him: hear ye not? 25 (Moses continued): "Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers before you." 26 Fir'awn said: verily your apostle who hath been sent unto you is mad. 27 Moses said, "He is the Lord of the East and the West, and all that lies between them, if only you could understand." 28 Fir'awn said: if thou wilt take a god other than me, I shall surely place thee among the prisoners. 29 He said: What! even if I bring to you something manifest? 30 Said he: Bring it then, if you are of the truthful ones. 31 So he cast his staff, and behold, it was a serpent manifest. 32 And he drew forth his hand, and lo! it appeared white to the onlookers. 33