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Surah 20. Ta-Ha, Ayah 44

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فَقُولَا لَهُۥ قَوْلًا لَّيِّنًا لَّعَلَّهُۥ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوْ يَخْشَىٰ
Faqool a lahu qawlan layyinan laAAallahu yata th akkaru aw yakhsh a
But speak; unto him in a mild manner, so that he might bethink himself or [at least] be filled with apprehension."28
  - Mohammad Asad

Lit., "or [that he might] fear" - i.e., that there is some truth in the words of Moses. Since God knows the future, the tentative form in the above phrase-"so that he might (la'allahu) bethink himself", etc.,-obviously does not imply any "doubt" on God's part as to Pharoah's future reaction: it implies no more than His command to the bearer of His message to address the sinner with a view to the latter's bethinking himself: in other words, it relates to the intention or hope with which the message-bearer should approach his task (Razi). And since every Qur'anic narrative aims at bringing out an eternal truth or truths or at elucidating a universal principle of human behaviour, it is evident that God's command to Moses to speak to one particular sinner "in a mild manner, so that he might [have a chance to] bethink himself" retains its validity for all times and all such attempts at conversion.

Speak to him in gentle words; perhaps he may take heed of the reminder or fear Our punishment."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
Speak to him gently, so perhaps he may be mindful 'of Me' or fearful 'of My punishment'.'
  - Mustafa Khattab
And speak unto him a gentle word, that peradventure he may heed or fear.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
"But speak to him mildly; perchance he may take warning or fear (Allah)." 2568
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

So far Pharaoh in his inordinate vanity had forgotten himself and forgotten how small a creature he was before Allah. This was to be brought to his recollection, so that he might perhaps repent and believe, or at least be deterred by fear from "transgressing all bounds". Some men eschew wrong from sincere love of Allah and understanding of their fellow-men, and some (of coarser minds) from the fear of consequences. Even the latter conduct may be a step to the former.

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