He said, “Thus said your Lord, `It is easy for Me. We will render him a sign for the people, and mercy from us. This is a predestined matter.’ “
قالَ كَذٰلِكِ قالَ رَبُّكِ هُوَ عَلَىَّ هَيِّنٌ وَلِنَجعَلَهُ ءايَةً لِلنّاسِ وَرَحمَةً مِنّا وَكانَ أَمرًا مَقضِيًّا
qaala kazaaliki qaala Rabbuki huwa ‘alaiya haiyimunw wa linaj ‘alahooo Aayatal linnaasi wa rahmatam minnaa; wa kaana amram maqdiyyaa
(The Birth of Jesus)
When she bore him, she isolated herself to a faraway place.
فَحَمَلَتهُ فَانتَبَذَت بِهِ مَكانًا قَصِيًّا
fahamalat hu fantabazat bihee makaanan qasiyyaa
The birth process came to her by the trunk of a palm tree. She said, “(I am so ashamed;) I wish I were dead before this happened, and completely forgotten.”
فَأَجاءَهَا المَخاضُ إِلىٰ جِذعِ النَّخلَةِ قالَت يٰلَيتَنى مِتُّ قَبلَ هٰذا وَكُنتُ نَسيًا مَنسِيًّا
fa ajaaa ‘ahal makhaadu ilaa jiz’in nakhlati qaalat yaa laitanee mittu qabla haazaa wa kuntu nasyam mansiyyaa
(The infant) called her from beneath her, saying, “Do not grieve. Your Lord has provided you with a stream.
فَنادىٰها مِن تَحتِها أَلّا تَحزَنى قَد جَعَلَ رَبُّكِ تَحتَكِ سَرِيًّا
fanaadaahaa min tahtihaaa allaa tahzanee qad ja’ala Rabbuki tahtaki sariyyaa
“If you shake the trunk of this palm tree, it will drop ripe dates for you.*
وَهُزّى إِلَيكِ بِجِذعِ النَّخلَةِ تُسٰقِط عَلَيكِ رُطَبًا جَنِيًّا
wa huzzeee ilaiki bijiz ‘in nakhlati tusaaqit ‘alaiki rutaban janiyyaa
*19:25 Thus, Jesus was born in late September or early October. This is when dates ripen in the Middle East to the point of falling off the tree.
“Eat and drink, and be happy. When you see anyone, say, `I have made a vow of silence, [to the Most Gracious]*; I am not talking today to anyone.’ “
فَكُلى وَاشرَبى وَقَرّى عَينًا فَإِمّا تَرَيِنَّ مِنَ البَشَرِ أَحَدًا فَقولى إِنّى نَذَرتُ لِلرَّحمٰنِ صَومًا فَلَن أُكَلِّمَ اليَومَ إِنسِيًّا
fakulee washrabee wa qarree ‘ainaa; fa immaa tarayinnna minal bashari ahadan faqooleee innee nazartu lir Rahmaani sawman falan ukallimal yawma insiyyaa
*19:26 The statement [to the Most Gracious] occurs in the original Arabic Quran after “vow of silence” and is not included in the English translation.
She came to her family, carrying him. They said, “O Mary, you have committed something that is totally unexpected.
فَأَتَت بِهِ قَومَها تَحمِلُهُ قالوا يٰمَريَمُ لَقَد جِئتِ شَيـًٔا فَرِيًّا
fa atat bihee qawmahaa tahmiluhoo qaaloo yaa Maryamoo laqad ji’ti shai’an fariyyaa
“O descendant of Aaron, your father was not a bad man, nor was your mother unchaste.”
يٰأُختَ هٰرونَ ما كانَ أَبوكِ امرَأَ سَوءٍ وَما كانَت أُمُّكِ بَغِيًّا
yaaa ukhta Haaroona maa kaana abookimra’a saw’inw wa maa kaanat ummuki baghiyyaa
(The Infant Makes a Statement)
She pointed to him. They said, “How can we talk with an infant in the crib?”
فَأَشارَت إِلَيهِ قالوا كَيفَ نُكَلِّمُ مَن كانَ فِى المَهدِ صَبِيًّا
fa ashaarat ilaih; qaaloo kaifa nukallimu man kaana fil mahdi sabiyyaa
(The infant spoke and) said, “I am a servant of God. He has given me the scripture, and has appointed me a prophet.
قالَ إِنّى عَبدُ اللَّهِ ءاتىٰنِىَ الكِتٰبَ وَجَعَلَنى نَبِيًّا
qaala innee ‘abdullaahi aataaniyal Kitaaba wa ja’alanee Nabiyyaa