وَبِفِرعَونَ إِذا تَشاقَّ لَهُ

وَبِفِرعَونَ إِذا تَشاقَّ لَهُ

الماءُ فَهَلّا لِلَّهِ كانَ شَكورَ

الماءُ فَهَلّا لِلَّهِ كانَ شَكورَ

And as for Pharaoh, when there parted for him

When the waters parted for Pharaoh

the water—why, then, was he not grateful to God?

Why did he not give thanks to God?

قالَ إِني أَنا المُجيرُ عَلى

قالَ إِني أَنا المُجيرُ عَلى

الناسِ وَلا رَبَّ لي عَليَّ مُجيرا

الناسِ وَلا رَبَّ لي عَليَّ مُجيرا

He said, “Indeed, I grant protection against

He said, "I protect all people,

the people, and I have no Lord to grant protection against me.”

I have no lord above me as protector."

فَمَحاهُ الاِلَهُ مِن دَرَجاتٍ

فَمَحاهُ الاِلَهُ مِن دَرَجاتٍ

نامياتٍ وَلَم يَكُن مَقهورا

نامياتٍ وَلَم يَكُن مَقهورا

Then God erased him from ranks

So God erased him from the ranks

that were rising, though he had not been subdued.

Of the asleep, though he was not forced.

سُلِبَ الذِكرَ في الحَياةِ جَزاءً

سُلِبَ الذِكرَ في الحَياةِ جَزاءً

وَأَراهُ العَذابَ وَالتَدميرا

وَأَراهُ العَذابَ وَالتَدميرا

He was stripped of renown in life as recompense,

He lost all mention in this life as punishment

and He showed him torment and destruction.

And God showed him torment and destruction.

فَتَداعى عَلَيهِم المَوجُ حَتىّ

فَتَداعى عَلَيهِم المَوجُ حَتىّ

صارَ موجاً وَراءَهُ مُستَطيرا

صارَ موجاً وَراءَهُ مُستَطيرا

Then the swell crashed down upon them, until

The waves crashed down upon them until

it became a wave spreading wide behind him.

The waves behind him were raging storms.

فَدَعى اللَهُ دَعوةً لا يُهنّا

فَدَعى اللَهُ دَعوةً لا يُهنّا

بَعدَ طُغيانِهِ فَصارَ مُشيرا

بَعدَ طُغيانِهِ فَصارَ مُشيرا

Then he called upon God with a plea that brought him no joy,

He called on God with a call that would not

after his tyranny, and began to gesture.

Be scorned after his tyranny, so he became a believer.

فَرَأَى اللَهُ أَنَهُم بِمَضيعٍ

فَرَأَى اللَهُ أَنَهُم بِمَضيعٍ

لا بذِي مَزرَعٍ وَلا مَثمورا

لا بذِي مَزرَعٍ وَلا مَثمورا

Then God saw that they were in a wasteland,

But God saw they were wasting

neither possessing farmland nor bearing fruit.

What was planted and grown.

فَعَفاها عَلَيهِم غادياتٌ

فَعَفاها عَلَيهِم غادياتٌ

وَتَرى مُزنَهُم خَلايا وَخورا

وَتَرى مُزنَهُم خَلايا وَخورا

Then morning showers effaced it for them,

So he forgave them, passing over

and you see their rain-clouds as beehives and milk-rich she-camels:

What you see as empty ruins and vacant abodes,

عَسَلاً ناطِفاً فُراتاً

عَسَلاً ناطِفاً فُراتاً

وَحَليباً ذا بَهجَةٍ مَمرورا

وَحَليباً ذا بَهجَةٍ مَمرورا

honey, dripping and sweet,

With honey flowing gently, date palms

and milk, full of beauty, [final epithet unclear].

And milk that is delicious when drunk.