Pharaoh said to the chiefs around him, "Surely this man is a skilful sorcerer. 34 who seeks to expel you from your land by his sorcery. What is your counsel' 35 They said: "Put him and his brother off awhile, and send summoners to the cities to gather 36 and summon every skillful magician from all the cities." 37 So the sorcerers were assembled for the appointed time of a fixed day. 38 And the people were told: "Are ye (now) assembled?- 39 "That we may follow the sorcerers [who were on Fir'aun's (Pharaoh) religion of disbelief] if they are the winners." 40 Then, when the sorcerers came to Pharaoh, they said: 'Shall we receive a wage if we win' 41 He said: Aye, and ye will then surely be of those brought near (to me). 42 Moses said to the magicians, "Throw down whatever you are going to throw." 43 Thereupon they threw down their ropes and their rods, and said: "By the glory of Pharaoh, we shall prevail." 44 Then Moses cast down his staff and suddenly it swallowed up what they had falsely invented. 45 Thereupon the magicians fell down in prostration, 46 [and] exclaimed: "We have come to believe in the Sustainer of all the worlds, 47 "The Lord of Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron)." 48 Fir'awn said: ye believed in him ere I gave you leave. Verily he is your chief who hath taught you magic, so ye shall surely come to know. Surely I shall cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides and surely I shall crucify you all. 49 They said: "We do not care, for we are bound to return to our Lord, 50 We are eager that Our Lord should forgive us our offenses, for we are the first of the believers' 51