۞ Thereof We created you, and thereunto We return you, and therefrom We shall bring you forth once again. 55 And We certainly showed Pharaoh Our signs - all of them - but he denied and refused. 56 He said: "Hast thou come to drive us out of our land with thy magic, O Moses? 57 "Then verily, we can produce magic the like thereof; so appoint a meeting between us and you, which neither we, nor you shall fail to keep, in an open wide place where both shall have a just and equal chance (and beholders could witness the competition)." 58 Moses said: "Your tryst is the Day of the Festival, and let the people be assembled when the sun is well up." 59 So Pharaoh went away, put together his plan, and then came [to Moses]. 60 Moses said to him: Woe to you! Forge not ye a lie against Allah, lest He destroy you (at once) utterly by chastisement: the forger must suffer frustration!" 61 Thereupon they wrangled among themselves about the matter and conferred in secret. 62 saying, 'These two men are sorcerers and their purpose is to expel you out of your land by their sorcery, and to extirpate your justest way. 63 So resolve upon your plan and then come [forward] in line. And he has succeeded today who overcomes." 64 They said, “O Moosa, either you throw first – or shall we throw first?” 65 Moses said, "You throw first." When they did, their ropes and staffs through their magic seemed to be moving. 66 So Musa (Moses) conceived a fear in himself. 67 We said unto him, 'Fear not; surely thou art the uppermost. 68 Throw down what is in your right hand: It will swallow up what they have conjured. For what they have fashioned is only a trick of the sorcerer; and a sorcerer does not succeed wherever he may come." 69 So the magicians fell down prostrate. They said: "We believe in the Lord of Harun (Aaron) and Musa (Moses)." 70 (Pharaoh) said: Ye put faith in him before I give you leave. Lo! he is your chief who taught you magic. Now surely I shall cut off your hands and your feet alternately, and I shall crucify you on the trunks of palm trees, and ye shall know for certain which of us hath sterner and more lasting punishment. 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 We believe in our Lord, that He may pardon us our offences, and the sorcery thou hast constrained us to practise; God is better, and more abiding.' 73 Gehenna (Hell) awaits whosoever comes before his Lord as a sinner, there he shall neither die nor live. 74 And whoever comes to Him a believer (and) he has done good deeds indeed, these it is who shall have the high ranks, 75 Gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of one who purifies himself. 76