۞ Thereof We created you, and thereunto We return you, and therefrom We shall bring you forth once again. 55 And We verily did show him all Our tokens, but he denied them and refused. 56 He said: "Have you come to us to drive us out of our land by your sorcery? 57 In that case, we shall most certainly produce before thee the like thereof! Appoint, then, a tryst between us and thee - which we shall not fail to keep, nor [mayest] thou - at a suitable place!" 58 He (Moses) replied: 'Your meeting shall be on the day of the feast, and let the people be assembled by midmorning' 59 So Pharaoh withdrew, devised his stratagem and returned. 60 Moses said to the magicians summoned by Pharaoh, "Woe to you! Do not invent a lie against Allah or He will exterminate you with a punishment; and he has failed who invents [such falsehood]." 61 So they disputed with one another about their affair and kept the discourse secret. 62 Some of them said: "These two are magicians, who want to drive you out of your land with their magic and to destroy your excellent way of life. 63 Hence, [O sorcerers of Egypt,] decide upon the scheme which you will pursue, and then come forward in one single body: for, indeed, he who prevails today shall prosper indeed!" 64 They said, 'Moses, either thou wilt cast, or we shall be the first to cast.' 65 Moses said, "You throw down first." Suddenly their ropes and staffs appeared to him, by their magic, to be moving about rapidly, 66 So Moses conceived in his mind a (sort of) fear. 67 [But] We said: "Fear not! Verily, it is thou who shalt prevail! 68 Throw down what is in your right hand and it will swallow up all that they have performed; theirs is only a magical performance. Magicians can find no happiness in whatever they do." 69 And the sorcerers cast themselves down prostrating. 'We believe,' they said, 'in the Lord of Aaron and Moses.' 70 'Have you believed him before I have given you permission' he (Pharaoh) said. 'Indeed, he (must be) your chief, the one who taught you sorcery. I will cut off on opposite sides a hand and a foot then crucify you on the trunks of palmtrees. Indeed, you shall know whose punishment is more stern, and more lasting' 71 They said, "Never will we prefer you over what has come to us of clear proofs and [over] He who created us. So decree whatever you are to decree. You can only decree for this worldly life. 72 Lo! we believe in our Lord, that He may forgive us our sins and the magic unto which thou didst force us. Allah is better and more lasting. 73 VERILY, as for him who shall appear before his Sustainer [on Judgment Day] lost in sin - his [portion,] behold, shall be hell: he will neither die therein nor live; 74 And whoso comes unto Him a believer having done deeds of righteousness, those -- for them await the most sublime degrees; 75 he will abide forever in the Gardens of eternity, through which rivers flow. That is the recompense for those who purify themselves. 76