بخش 26 - قصهٔ خواب دیدن فرعون آمدن موسی را علیه السلام و تدارک اندیشیدن

Inasmuch as Pharaoh's toil was unblest (by God), whatsoever he would stitch, that (stitching) was (in effect an act of) ripping asunder.

He had a thousand astrologers at his beck, and also a countless multitude of dream-interpreters and magicians.

There was shown to him in a dream the coming of Moses, who would destroy Pharaoh and his kingdom.

He said to the interpreters and astrologers, “How may (the fulfilment of) the ill-boding phantasm and dream be warded off?”

They all said to him, “We will contrive something, we will waylay the birth (of Moses), like brigands.”

(They waited) till the night arrived on which the begetting (of Moses) took place; those Pharaoh's men deemed it advisable,

Early on that day, to bring forth the King's banquet and throne towards the maydán (public arena outside of the city),

(Proclaiming), “Welcome, O all ye Israelites! The King calls you from that place (where ye are),

That he may show unto you his face unveiled, and do kindness unto you for the sake of the (Divine) recompense”;

For to those captives there was naught but farness (from Pharaoh's presence): the sight of Pharaoh was not permitted (to them).

If they fell in with him on the road, they would lie (flat) on their faces on account of the law.

The law was this: no captive in or out of season shall behold the countenance of that Prince,

And whenever on the road he hears the shout of the (royal) beadles, he shall turn his face towards a wall, that he may not see;

And if he see his face, he shall be guilty of a crime, and the worst punishment shall befall him.

They (the Israelites) had a greed for the inaccessible countenance, since Man is greedy for that which has been forbidden.