۞ From the earth We have created you, and to it We shall return you, and from it We shall raise you again. 55 So We showed him (Pharaoh) Our signs, all of them, but he belied and refused them. 56 He said: "Hast thou come to drive us out of our land with thy magic, O Moses? 57 Then we will surely bring you magic like it, so make between us and you an appointment, which we will not fail to keep and neither will you, in a place assigned." 58 [Moses] said, "Your appointment is on the day of the festival when the people assemble at mid-morning." 59 So Pharaoh withdrew, devised his stratagem and returned. 60 (At the time of the encounter) Moses said to them: "Woe to you! Do not invent falsehoods against Allah lest He destroy you with a scourge. Surely those who invent lies shall come to grief." 61 So they disputed with one another about their affair and kept the discourse secret. 62 and said, "These two people are magicians. They want to expel you from your land through their magic and to destroy your own tradition. 63 So resolve upon your plan and then come [forward] in line. And he has succeeded today who overcomes." 64 They said, 'Moses, either thou wilt cast, or we shall be the first to cast.' 65 Moses said: "No. You cast it first" Then it seemed to Moses that by their magic their cords and rods were flying; 66 So Moses conceived in his mind a (sort of) fear. 67 [But] We said: "Fear not! Verily, it is thou who shalt prevail! 68 And [now] throw that [staff] which is in thy right hand - it shall swallow up all that they have wrought: [for] they have wrought only a sorcerer's artifice, and the sorcerer can never come to any good, whatever he may aim at!" 69 Thereafter the sorcerers threw themselves down, prostrating, saying: 'We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses' 70 Fir'awn said; believed ye in him ere I gave you leave! verily he is your chief who hath taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and feet on the opposite sides, and will surely crucify you on the trunks of palm-trees, and ye shall surely know whichever of us is severer in torment and more lasting. 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 “Indeed we have accepted faith in our Lord, so that He may forgive us our sins and the magic which you forced us to perform; and Allah is Better, and the Most Lasting.” 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