Said [pharaoh] unto the great ones around him: "Verily, this is indeed a sorcerer of great knowledge 34 Who wants to drive you out of your land by his sorcery. Now what do you advise?" 35 They said, "Postpone [the matter of] him and his brother and send among the cities gatherers 36 and summon every skillful magician from all the cities." 37 So the magicians were gathered at a set time on a day appointed. 38 And it was said unto the people: Are ye (also) gathering? 39 (They said): Aye, so that we may follow the wizards if they are the winners. 40 Then, when the sorcerers came, they said to Pharaoh, 'Shall we indeed have a wage, if we should be the victors?' 41 He said: "Yes, and you shall then verily be of those brought near (to myself)." 42 (Moses) asked the magicians, "Cast down what you want to". 43 Then they threw down their cords and their staves and said: By Pharaoh's might, lo! we verily are the winners. 44 Then Moses cast down his staff and suddenly it swallowed up what they had falsely invented. 45 And the magicians were thrown down prostrate; 46 saying: 'We believe in the Lord of the Worlds, 47 the Lord of Moses and Aaron." 48 Said Firaun, “You accepted faith in him before I permitted you! He is indeed your leader who taught you magic; so now you will come to know; I swear, I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet from alternate sides, and crucify all of you.” 49 They said, "There is no harm. To our Lord we shall return. 50 Surely we hope that our Lord will forgive us our wrongs because we are the first of the believers. 51