20. Sura Taha

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

يَا بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ قَدْ أَنجَيْنَاكُم مِّنْ عَدُوِّكُمْ...   

20: 80.  O ye Children of Israel!

We delivered you from your enemy,

...وَوَاعَدْنَاكُمْ جَانِبَ الطُّورِ الْأَيْمَنَ...

and We made a Covenant with you on the right side of Mount (Sinai),

...وَنَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكُمُ الْمَنَّ وَالسَّلْوَى ﴿٨٠﴾

and We sent down to you Manna and quails:

كُلُوا مِن طَيِّبَاتِ مَا رَزَقْنَاكُمْ...   

20: 81.  (Saying):

"Eat of the good things We have provided for your sustenance,

...وَلَا تَطْغَوْا فِيهِ فَيَحِلَّ عَلَيْكُمْ غَضَبِي...

but commit no excess therein, lest My Wrath should justly descend on you:

...وَمَن يَحْلِلْ عَلَيْهِ غَضَبِي فَقَدْ هَوَى ﴿٨١﴾

and those on whom descends My Wrath do perish indeed!

Asad’s Version:

20:80 O children of Israel! [Thus] We saved you from your enemy, and [then] We made a covenant with you on the right-hand slope of Mount Sinai, 63 and repeatedly sent down manna and quails unto you, [saying,]

(20:81) "Partake of the good things which We have provided for you as

sustenance," but do not transgress therein the bounds of equity 65 lest My condemnation fall upon you: for, he upon whom My condemnation falls has indeed thrown himself into utter

Yuksel’s version:

20:80 O Children of Israel, We have saved you from your enemy, and We summoned you at the right side of the mount, and We sent down to you manna and quail.

20:81 Eat from the good things that We have provided for you and do not transgress in this, else My wrath will be upon you. Whomever has incurred My wrath is lost.

20:82 I am forgiving for whomever repents and does good work, then is guided.

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Asad’s comments –

65 Or: "do not behave in an overweening manner" - i.e., "do not attribute these favors to your own supposed excellence on account of your descent from Abraham".

Ali’s comments –

C2601. Right side: Cf. 19:52, and n. 2504, towards the end.

The Arabian side of Sinai (Jabal Musa) was the place where Moses first received his commission before going to Egypt, and also where he received the Torah after the Exodus from Egypt.

C2602. Cf. 2:57 and n. 71; and 7:160.

1 should like to construe this not only literally but also metaphorically.

'Allah has looked after you and saved you. He has given you ethical and spiritual guidance. Enjoy the fruits of all this, but do not become puffed up and rebellious (another meaning in the root Taga); otherwise the Wrath of Allah is sure to descend on you.'

C2603. This gives the key-note to Moses' constant tussle with his own people, and introduces immediately afterwards the incident of the golden calf.