۞ Thereof We created you, and thereunto We return you, and thence We bring you forth a second time. 55 And We verily did show him all Our tokens, but he denied them 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 shall be the day of the feast, and let the people assemble when the sun hath risen high. 59 So Pharaoh withdrew and gathered his guile, then returned, 60 Moses said to the magicians summoned by Pharaoh, "Woe to you! Do not invent a lie against Allah or He will exterminate you with a punishment; and he has failed who invents [such falsehood]." 61 So they disputed with one another about their affair and kept the discourse secret. 62 They said: These are most surely two magicians who wish to turn you out from your land by their magic and to take away your best traditions. 63 Bring together your devices and come forward in ranks; the winner will, certainly, have great happiness". 64 They said, "Moses, will you throw down first, or shall we be the first to throw down?" 65 'No,' said Moses. 'Do you cast!' And lo, it seemed to him, by their sorcery, their ropes and their staffs were sliding; 66 and in his heart Moses became apprehensive, 67 We said unto him, 'Fear not; surely thou art the uppermost. 68 Throw down that [staff] which is in your right hand -- it shall swallow up what they have wrought, for what they have wrought is only a magician's trick. A magician shall never thrive, come whence he may. 69 The magicians bowed down in prostration saying, "We believe in the Lord of Moses and Aaron". 70 (The Pharaoh) said: "You have come to believe without my dispensation. Surely he is your chief who taught you magic. I will have your hands and feet cut off on alternate sides and crucify you on the trunks of date-palm trees. You will come to know whose punishment is harder and protracted." 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 As for us, behold, we have come to believe in our Sustainer, [hoping] that He may forgive us our faults and all that magic unto which thou hast forced us: for God is the best [to look forward to,] and the One who is truly 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 Everlasting Gardens of Eden beneath which rivers flow, abiding in them for ever; and this is the reward of one who became pure. 76