۞ We have created you from the earth to which We will return you and will bring you back to life again. 55 And truly We showed him Our signs, all of them, but he rejected and refused. 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 indeed bring sorcery similar to yours. Appoint a meeting place between us and you, in a place which is agreeable to both which neither we nor you shall not fail (to keep)' 58 (Moses) said: Your tryst shall be the day of the feast, and let the people assemble when the sun hath risen high. 59 So Pharaoh withdrew and gathered his guile, then returned, 60 and Moses said to them: 'Alas! Do not forge a lie against Allah lest He destroys you with a punishment. Indeed, whosoever forges has failed' 61 So they discussed their strategy among themselves and conferred privately, 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 Gather your guile and then lineup a rank those who gain the upper hand today shall indeed prosper' 64 They said, "Moses, would you be the first to show your skill or should we be the first to throw down our devices?" 65 He said: Nay! cast down. then lo! their cords and their rods-- it was imaged to him on account of their magic as if they were running. 66 and Moses conceived a fear within him. 67 We said to him: "Fear not. You will certainly be victorious. 68 Cast down what is in thy right hand, and it shall swallow what they have fashioned; for they have fashioned only the guile of a sorcerer, and the sorcerer prospers not; wherever he goes.' 69 The magicians bowed down in prostration saying, "We believe in the Lord of Moses and Aaron". 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 prefer you not over the clear signs that have come to us, and to Him (Allah) Who created us. So decree whatever you desire to decree, for you can only decree (regarding) this life of the world. 72 "Verily! We have believed in our Lord, that He may forgive us our faults, and the magic to which you did compel us. And Allah is better as regards reward in comparison to your [Fir'aun's (Pharaoh)] reward, and more lasting (as regards punishment in comparison to your punishment)." 73 Verily he who comes to his Lord as a sinner (at Judgment),- for him is Hell: therein shall he neither die nor live. 74 But whoever comes to Him (Allah) as a believer (in the Oneness of Allah, etc.), and has done righteous good deeds, for such are the high ranks (in the Hereafter), 75 Gardens of Eden underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide for ever. That is the reward of him who groweth. 76