Said the Council of the people of Pharaoh, 'Surely this man is a cunning sorcerer 109 who seeks to drive you out from your land. What would you have us do?' 110 They said: "Put him and his brother off (awhile) and send out heralds to the cities 111 to bring together at the Pharaohs court all the skillful magicians. 112 And the magicians came to Pharaoh and asked, "Shall we have a reward, if we should prevail?" 113 "Yes," said he, "you will be among the honoured." 114 They said: O Musa! either thou cast down, or we shall be the ones to cast down. 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 inspired Moses (saying): Throw thy staff! And lo! it swallowed up their lying show. 117 ۞ Thus the Truth prevailed and their false art was banished. 118 They were therefore defeated here and they turned back humiliated. 119 And down fell the sorcerers, prostrating themselves 120 saying, "We declare our belief in the Lord of the Universe, 121 "The Lord of Musa (Moses) and Harun (Aaron)." 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 most certainly shall I cut off your hands and your feet in great numbers, because of [your] perverseness, and then I shall most certainly crucify you, in great numbers, all together!" 124 They said, 'Surely unto our Lord we are turning. 125 Will you punish us just because we believed in the signs of our Lord when they came to us? Our Lord! Shower us with perseverance and cause us to die as those who have submitted [to You].' 126