Said the Council of the people of Pharaoh, 'Surely this man is a cunning sorcerer 109 “He wishes to expel you all from your kingdom; so what do you advise?” 110 They said: Put him off and his brother, and send collectors into the cities: 111 "That they bring up to you all well-versed sorcerers." 112 The sorcerers came to Pharaoh. They said: 'Shall we be rewarded if we are the winners' 113 The Pharaoh replied, "In addition to your rewards, you will become my close friends thereafter." 114 They said: O Musa! will you cast, or shall we be the first to cast? 115 He said, "You throw [first]!" When they made their cast, they bewitched the eyes of the people and struck them with awe, for they showed a great [feat of] magic. 116 And We revealed to Moses: 'Cast thy staff!' And lo, it forthwith swallowed up their lying invention. 117 ۞ Thus the truth prevailed and what they had produced came to nothing: 118 Pharaoh and his men were defeated and utterly humiliated. 119 The sorcerers fell to the ground in homage, 120 Crying: We believe in the Lord of the Worlds, 121 The Lord of Musa and Haroun. 122 But Pharaoh said: "You have come to accept belief in Him without my permission! This surely is a plot you have hatched to expel the people from the land. You will soon come to know. 123 I will cut off your hands and feet on alternate sides and then crucify you all!" 124 They said: Lo! We are about to return unto our Lord! 125 "The only reason you have to hate us is that we believed in the signs of our Lord as they came to us. O our Lord, give us sufficient endurance that we may die submitting (to You)." 126