۞ We have created you from the earth to which We will return you and will bring you back to life again. 55 And We verily did show him all Our tokens, but he denied them and refused. 56 He said: 'Moses, have you come to drive us from our land with your sorcery? 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 is the Day of the Festival, and let the people be assembled when the sun is well up." 59 So Pharaoh went away, put together his plan, and then came [to Moses]. 60 Moses said to them, "Woe to you! Do not invent lies against God, lest He destroy you by some calamity: whoever invents lies is bound to fail." 61 Then they debated one with another what they must do, and they kept their counsel secret. 62 They said: Lo! these are two wizards who would drive you out from your country by their magic, and destroy your best traditions; 63 Hence, [O sorcerers of Egypt,] decide upon the scheme which you will pursue, and then come forward in one single body: for, indeed, he who prevails today shall prosper indeed!" 64 They said:"O Musa (Moses)! Either you throw first or we be the first to throw?" 65 He said, “Rather, you may throw”; thereupon their cords and their staves, by the strength of their magic, appeared to him as if they were (serpents) moving fast. 66 So Moses' heart was filled with fear. 67 We said: fear not! verily thou! thou shalt be the superior. 68 Throw that which is in your right hand. It will swallow up that which they have made, for that which they made is but the guile of a sorcerer. Wherever he goes the sorcerer does not prosper' 69 And the magicians were cast down making obeisance; they said: We believe in the Lord of Haroun and Musa. 70 Said [Pharaoh]: "Have you come to believe in him ere I have given you permission? Verily, he must be your master who has taught you magic! But I shall most certainly cut off your hands and feet in great numbers, because of [your] perverseness, and I shall most certainly crucify you in great numbers on trunks of palm-trees: and [I shall do this] so that you might come to know for certain as to which of us [two] can inflict a more severe chastisement, and [which] is the more abiding!" 71 They said: we shall by no means prefer thee to that which hath come to us of the evidences, and Him Who hath created us; so decree thou whatsoever thou shalt decree; thou canst only decree in respect of the life of this world. 72 We believe in our Lord so that He forgives us our sins and the sorcery you have forced us to practice. Allah is Better, and Everlasting' 73 Verily whosoever cometh unto his lord as a culprit, for him is Hell wherein he will neither die nor live. 74 And the one who presents himself as a believer before Him, having done good deeds – so for them are the high ranks. 75 Gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of one who purifies himself. 76