And Pharaoh's wife said, "Joy of the eye4 to me and thee! put him not to death: haply he will be useful to us, or we may adopt him as a son." But they knew not what they did.
And the heart of Moses' mother became a blank through fear: and almost had she discovered him, but that we girt up her heart with constancy, in order that she might be one of those who believe.
She said to his sister, "Follow him." And she watched him from afar: and they perceived it not.
And we caused him to refuse the nurses,5 until his sister came and said, Shall I point out to you the family of a house that will rear him for you, and will be careful of him?
So we restored him to his mother, to be the joy of her eyes, and that she might not fret, and that she might know that the promise of God was true. But most men knew it not.
And when he had reached his age of strength, and had become a man, we bestowed on him wisdom and knowledge; for thus do we reward the righteous.
And he entered a city at the time when its inhabitants would not observe him,6 and found therein two men fighting: the one, of his own people; the other, of his enemies. And he who was of his own people asked his help against him who was of his enemies. And Moses smote him with his fist and slew him. Said he, "This is a work of Satan; for he is an enemy, a manifest misleader."
He said, "O my Lord, I have sinned to mine own hurt:7 forgive me." So God forgave him; for He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
He said, "Lord, because thou hast showed me this grace, I will never again be the helper of the wicked."
And in the city at noon he was full of fear, casting furtive glances round him: and lo! the man whom he had helped the day before, cried out to him again for help. Said Moses to him, "Thou art plainly a most depraved person."