۞ Thereof We created you, and thereunto We return you, and therefrom We shall bring you forth once again. 55 So We showed him (Pharaoh) Our signs, all of them, but he belied and refused them. 56 He said, "Have you come to us to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Moses? 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 'Your tryst shall be upon the Feast Day.' said Moses. 'Let the people be mustered at the high noon.' 59 So Pharaoh withdrew, devised his stratagem and returned. 60 Moses said unto them: Woe unto you! Invent not a lie against Allah, lest He extirpate you by some punishment. He who lieth faileth miserably. 61 So they disputed, one with another, over their affair, but 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 Gather your guile and then lineup a rank those who gain the upper hand today shall indeed prosper' 64 They said: O Musa! will you cast, or shall we be the first who cast down? 65 Moses replied: 'No, you throw first' And by their sorcery it seemed to him that their ropes and staffs were sliding. 66 and Moses conceived a fear within him. 67 We said, “Do not fear – it is you who is dominant.” 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 The magicians then prostrated themselves. They said, "We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses." 70 Pharaoh said, 'Have you believed him before I gave you leave? Why, he is the chief of you, the same that taught you sorcery; I shall assuredly cut off alternately your hands and feet, then I shall crucify you upon the trunks of palm-trees; you shall know of a certainty which of us is more terrible in chastisement, and more abiding.' 71 Their reply was: 'We will not prefer you over the clear signs that have come to us, nor over Him who has created us. So decide upon whatever you decide, you can only decide upon things in this present life. 72 We believe in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and also forgive us the practice of magic to which you had compelled us. Allah is the Best and He alone will abide." 73 Indeed, whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal - indeed, for him is Hell; he will neither die therein nor live. 74 whereas he who shall appear before Him as a believer who has done righteous deeds - it is such that shall have lofty stations [in the life to come]: 75 will be rewarded by high status in the gardens of Eden wherein streams flow. Such will be the reward of those who purify themselves. 76