۞ From the (earth) did We create you, and into it shall We return you, and from it shall We bring you out once again. 55 AND, INDEED, We made Pharaoh aware of all Our messages - but he gave them the lie and refused [to heed them]. 56 He said: 'Moses, have you come to drive us from our land with your sorcery? 57 by thy sorcery? We shall assuredly bring thee sorcery the like of it; therefore appoint a tryst between us and thee, a place mutually agreeable, and we shall not fail it, neither thou.' 58 [Musa (Moses)] said: "Your appointed meeting is the day of the festival, and let the people assemble when the sun has risen (forenoon)." 59 Then Pharaoh went and gathered his strength, then came (to the appointed tryst). 60 Moses said to them: "Woe betide you. Do not fabricate a lie against God, or He will destroy you with some affliction. For he who fabricates lies is doomed to failure." 61 Then they debated with one another what they must do, and they kept their talk 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 muster all your stratagem and come forth in a row. Whoever prevails today shall triumph." 64 They said, 'Moses, either thou wilt cast, or we shall be the first to cast.' 65 [Musa (Moses)] said: "Nay, throw you (first)!" Then behold, their ropes and their sticks, by their magic, appeared to him as though they moved fast. 66 So Moses conceived in his mind a (sort of) fear. 67 We said to him: "Have no fear; for it is you who will prevail. 68 And cast down what is in your right hand; it shall devour what they have wrought; they have wrought only the plan of a magician, and the magician shall not be successful wheresoever he may come from. 69 The magicians bowed down in prostration saying, "We believe in the Lord of Moses and Aaron". 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 They replied: "We cannot choose you in the face of the clear testimony we have received, and over Him who created us. So do what you are determined to do. All that you would do will only be confined to our life on earth. 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 Lo! whoso cometh guilty unto his Lord, verily for him is hell. There he will neither die nor live. 74 And whoso comes unto Him a believer having done deeds of righteousness, those -- for them await the most sublime degrees; 75 and shall live for ever in everlasting Gardens beneath which rivers flow. Such will be the reward of those who purify themselves. 76