۞ From the earth We created you, and into it We will return you, and from it We will extract you another time. 55 AND, INDEED, We made Pharaoh aware of all Our messages - but he gave them the lie and refused [to heed them]. 56 He said: art thou come unto us that thou mayest drive us out of our land by thy magic, O Musa! 57 In that case, we shall most certainly produce before thee the like thereof! Appoint, then, a tryst between us and thee - which we shall not fail to keep, nor [mayest] thou - at a suitable place!" 58 Answered [Moses]: "Your tryst shall be the day of the Festival; and let the people assemble when the sun is risen high." 59 So Firaun went away and gathered his schemes,* then came. (* 72000 magicians and their materials.) 60 Moses said to them: "Woe betide you. Do not fabricate a lie against God, or He will destroy you with some affliction. For he who fabricates lies is doomed to failure." 61 Thereupon they wrangled among themselves about the matter and conferred in secret. 62 They said: "Verily! These are two magicians. Their object is to drive you out from your land with magic, and overcome your chiefs and nobles. 63 Therefore, decide upon your plan and then come forward in ranks. Whoever gains the upper hand today shall surely triumph." 64 The magicians said: "Moses, will you throw down or shall we be the first to throw?" 65 He said: Nay, do ye throw! Then lo! their cords and their staves, by their magic, appeared to him as though they ran. 66 and Moses conceived a fear within him. 67 We said to him: "Have no fear; for it is you who will prevail. 68 “And cast down which is in your right hand – it will devour all that they have fabricated; what they have made is only a magician’s deceit; and a magician is never successful, wherever he comes.” 69 So the magicians were thrown down to prostration: they said, "We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses". 70 (Pharaoh) said: "Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? Surely this must be your leader, who has taught you magic! be sure I will cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will have you crucified on trunks of palm-trees: so shall ye know for certain, which of us can give the more severe and the more lasting punishment!" 71 The magicians answered: "By Him Who has created us, we shall never prefer you to the Truth after manifest Signs have come to us. So decree whatever you will. Your decree will pertain, at the most, to the present life of the world. 72 Verily we! we have believed in our Lord, that he may forgive us our faults, and that to which thou hast constrained us in the way of magic; and Allah is Best and Most Lasting. 73 Verily! Whoever comes to his Lord as a Mujrim (criminal, polytheist, disbeliever in the Oneness of Allah and His Messengers, sinner, etc.), then surely, for him is Hell, therein he will neither die nor live. 74 But for whosoever comes before Him as a believer and having done good works there awaits the most highest degree; 75 Gardens of Eden, underneath which rivers flow, therein dwelling forever; that is the recompense of the self-purified. 76