And in the absence of Moses his people made the image of a calf from their ornaments, which lowed. Did they not observe that it could neither speak nor give them any guidance? And still they made it an object of worship. They were indeed wrong-doing. 148 But when it landed in their hands and saw that they had strayed, they said: 'If our Lord does not have mercy on us and forgive us, we shall be lost' 149 When Moses returned to his people, indignant and grieved, he said: "How wickedly you behaved in my absence. Why must you hasten the decree of your Lord?" And he cast aside the tablets, and pulled his brother by the hair. "O son of my mother," said (Aaron), "these people took advantage of my weakness and almost killed me. Do not let my enemies rejoice at my plight, and do not put me down among transgressors." 150 He said, 'O my Lord, forgive me and my brother and enter us into Thy mercy; Thou art the most merciful of the merciful.' 151