۞ Thereof We created you, and thereunto We return you, and thence We bring you forth a second time. 55 And assuredly We shewed him Our signs, all of them, but he belied and refused. 56 He said: Hast come to drive us out from our land by thy magic, O Moses? 57 We shall also answer you by magic. Let us make an appointment for a contest among us and let each of us be present at a certain time in the appointed place". 58 [Musa (Moses)] said: "Your appointed meeting is the day of the festival, and let the people assemble when the sun has risen (forenoon)." 59 So Fir'aun (Pharaoh) withdrew, devised his plot and then came back. 60 Moses said unto them: Woe unto you! Invent not a lie against Allah, lest He extirpate you by some punishment. He who lieth faileth miserably. 61 They disputed upon their plan with one another, and spoke in secret 62 They said: "Verily! These are two magicians. Their object is to drive you out from your land with magic, and overcome your chiefs and nobles. 63 So gather your guile; then come in battle-line. Whoever today gains the upper hand shall surely prosper. 64 They said: either thou cast down, or we shall be the first to cast down. 65 He answered: "Nay, you throw [first]." And lo! by virtue of their sorcery, their [magic] ropes and staffs seemed to him to be moving rapidly: 66 So Musa (Moses) conceived a fear in himself. 67 We said unto him, 'Fear not; surely thou art the uppermost. 68 And cast thou down that which is in thy right hand: it shall swallow up that which they have wrought; They have wrought only a magician's stratagem; and the magician prospereth not wheresoever he cometh. 69 So the magicians fell down prostrate. They said: "We believe in the Lord of Harun (Aaron) and Musa (Moses)." 70 (The Pharaoh) said: "You have come to believe without my dispensation. Surely he is your chief who taught you magic. I will have your hands and feet cut off on alternate sides and crucify you on the trunks of date-palm trees. You will come to know whose punishment is harder and protracted." 71 They (the magicians) said, "We would never prefer you to the miracles that we have seen or to our Creator. Do what you want. This life is only for a short time. 72 As for us, behold, we have come to believe in our Sustainer, [hoping] that He may forgive us our faults and all that magic unto which thou hast forced us: for God is the best [to look forward to,] and the One who is truly abiding." 73 Lo! whoso cometh guilty unto his Lord, verily for him is hell. There he will neither die nor live. 74 But whoso cometh unto Him a believer, having done good works, for such are the high stations; 75 Gardens of Eden with rippling streams, where he will live for ever. This is the recompense of those who achieve integrity. 76