۞ Out of the earth We created you, and We shall restore you into it, and bring you forth from it a second time.' 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 shall certainly meet you with like magic. So make an appointment when we and you could meet on common ground, which neither we nor you should fail to keep." 58 Moses said, "Let the contest take place on the Day of Feast so that all the people can come together during the brightness of the day." 59 So Firaun went away and gathered his schemes,* then came. (* 72000 magicians and their materials.) 60 Moses said to them, "Woe to you! Do not invent lies against God, lest He destroy you by some calamity: whoever invents lies is bound to fail." 61 Then they wrangled about their affair among themselves, and kept secret their private counsel. 62 They said, “Undoubtedly these two are magicians for sure, who wish to expel you from your land by the strength of their magic, and destroy your exemplary religion!” 63 So prepare your strategy and come forward. He alone shall win today who is superior." 64 They said: either thou cast down, or we shall be the first to cast down. 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 Moses became fearful within himself. 67 We said to him: "Fear not. You will certainly be victorious. 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 So the magicians fell down in prostration. They said, "We have believed in the Lord of Aaron and Moses." 70 Pharaoh said: "What! Did you believe in Him even before I permitted you to do so? Surely, he must be your chief who taught you magic. Now I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and will crucify you on the trunks of palm-trees, and then you will come to know which of us can inflict sterner and more lasting torment." 71 The magicians answered: "By Him Who has created us, we shall never prefer you to the Truth after manifest Signs have come to us. So decree whatever you will. Your decree will pertain, at the most, to the present life of the world. 72 we have believed in our Lord so that He may forgive us our sins and forgive us the sorcery that you have forced us to practice. God is the best and the most abiding." 73 Surely for him who comes before his Lord a sinner shall be Hell, where he will neither die nor live. 74 But whoever comes to Him as a believer having done righteous deeds - for those will be the highest degrees [in position]: 75 Gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of one who purifies himself. 76