۞ Thereof (the earth) We created you, and into it We shall return you, and from it We shall bring you out once again. 55 And truly We showed him Our signs, all of them, but he rejected and refused. 56 He said: art thou come unto us that thou mayest drive us out of our land by thy magic, O Musa! 57 by thy sorcery? We shall assuredly bring thee sorcery the like of it; therefore appoint a tryst between us and thee, a place mutually agreeable, and we shall not fail it, neither thou.' 58 Said (Moses): "Let your meeting be on the day of the Feast, and let people assemble in broad daylight." 59 The Pharaoh returned to organize his plans and then attended the appointment. 60 (At the time of the encounter) Moses said to them: "Woe to you! Do not invent falsehoods against Allah lest He destroy you with a scourge. Surely those who invent lies shall come to grief." 61 So they disputed, one with another, over their affair, but they kept their talk secret. 62 saying [to one another]: "These two are surely sorcerers intent on driving you from your land by their sorcery, and on doing away with your time-honoured way of life. 63 Wherefore devise your stratagem, and then come in a row; and prospered today is he who overcometh. 64 They said to Moses: 'Will you throw down or shall we be the first? 65 He said: Nay! cast down. then lo! their cords and their rods-- it was imaged to him on account of their magic as if they were running. 66 So Moses conceived in his mind a (sort of) fear. 67 We said unto him, 'Fear not; surely thou art the uppermost. 68 And throw down what is in your right hand; it will swallow up all that they have wrought. They have wrought only a magician's stratagem. A magician cannot come to any good, come whence he may." 69 So the magicians fell down in prostration. They said, "We have believed in the Lord of Aaron and Moses." 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: "We prefer you not over the clear signs that have come to us, and to Him (Allah) Who created us. So decree whatever you desire to decree, for you can only decree (regarding) this life of the world. 72 "For us, we have believed in our Lord: may He forgive us our faults, and the magic to which thou didst compel us: for Allah is Best and Most Abiding." 73 Indeed, whoever comes to his Lord as a criminal - indeed, for him is Hell; he will neither die therein nor live. 74 But he who comes to Him as a believer, having done good deeds, shall be exalted to the highest ranks, 75 Gardens of Eternity, beneath which flow rivers: they will dwell therein for aye: such is the reward of those who purify themselves (from evil). 76