۞ We have created you from the earth to which We will return you and will bring you back to life again. 55 Indeed We showed Pharaoh Our Signs, all of them, but he declared them to be false and rejected them. 56 He said: art thou come unto us that thou mayest drive us out of our land by thy magic, O Musa! 57 We will certainly bring you magic to match it. So appoint a time between us and you, in an open space, which neither we nor you will fail to keep." 58 [Moses] said, "Your appointment is on the day of the festival when the people assemble at mid-morning." 59 Then Pharaoh went and gathered his strength, then came (to the appointed tryst). 60 Said Moses to them: "Woe unto you! Do not invent lies against God, lest He afflict you with most grievous suffering: for He who contrives [such] a lie is already undone!" 61 Then they debated one with another what they must do, and they kept their counsel secret. 62 saying: 'These two are sorcerers whose aim is to drive you from your land by their sorcery and destroy your noble ways. 63 So arrange your plan, and come in battle line. Whoso is uppermost this day will be indeed successful. 64 They said, “O Moosa, either you throw first – or shall we throw first?” 65 He said: nay, cast ye down. And lo! their cords and their staves were made to appear to him by their magic as though they were running. 66 So Musa conceived in his mind a fear. 67 We said: Fear not, surely you shall be the uppermost, 68 "And throw that which is in your right hand! It will swallow up that which they have made. That which they have made is only a magician's trick, and the magician will never be successful, no matter whatever amount (of skill) he may attain." 69 And the sorcerers cast themselves down prostrating. 'We believe,' they said, 'in the Lord of Aaron and 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 said, 'We will not prefer thee over the clear signs that have come to us, nor over Him who originated us. Decide then what thou wilt decide; thou canst only decide touching this present life. 72 We believe in our Lord so that He forgives us our sins and the sorcery you have forced us to practice. Allah is Better, and Everlasting' 73 Whoever comes to his Lord (being) guilty, for him is surely hell; he shall not die therein, nor shall he live. 74 But he who comes to Him as a believer, having done good deeds, shall be exalted to the highest ranks, 75 and shall live for ever in everlasting Gardens beneath which rivers flow. Such will be the reward of those who purify themselves. 76