Said the Council of the people of Pharaoh, 'Surely this man is a cunning sorcerer 109 who desires to expel you from your land; what do you command?' 110 They said, 'Put him and his brother off a while, and send among the cities musterers, 111 who shall bring before thee every sorcerer of great knowledge." 112 And the magicians came to Pharaoh and asked, "Shall we have a reward, if we should prevail?" 113 Answered [Pharaoh]: "Yes; and verily, you shall be among those who are near unto me." 114 They said: "O Moses! Either thou shalt throw [thy staff first,] or we shall [be the first to] throw." 115 He said: Throw! And when they threw they cast a spell upon the people's eyes, and overawed them, and produced a mighty spell. 116 And we revealed unto Musa: cast down thy rod. And lo! it was swallowing up that which they had feigned. 117 ۞ So the truth was proved and their works were disproved. 118 Pharaoh and his men were defeated and utterly humiliated. 119 And the magicians were obliged to fall prostrate. 120 And said: "We have come to believe in the Lord of all the worlds, 121 The Lord of Musa and Harun. 122 Pharaoh said: 'Do you believe in Him before I permit? This is a plot that you have contrived in the city in order to expel its people from it. Now you shall know! 123 I shall assuredly cut off alternately your hands and feet, then I shall crucify you all together.' 124 The magicians said, "We will certainly return to Our Lord. 125 You would punish us only because we believed in the signs of our Lord when they were shown to us. Our Lord, pour patience upon us, and cause us to die in a state of submission to You." 126