۞ We created you from it (the earth), and to it We shall restore you; and from it We will bring you forth yet a second time. 55 We showed the Pharaoh all of Our miracles, but he called them lies and turned away from them. 56 He said, "Have you come to us to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Moses? 57 But we surely can produce for thee magic the like thereof; so appoint a tryst between us and you, which neither we nor thou shall fail to keep, at a place convenient (to us both). 58 He (Moses) replied: 'Your meeting shall be on the day of the feast, and let the people be assembled by midmorning' 59 Thereupon Pharaoh withdrew [with his counsellors] and decided upon the scheme which he would pursue; and then he came [to the tryst]. 60 Moses said to him: Woe to you! Forge not ye a lie against Allah, lest He destroy you (at once) utterly by chastisement: the forger must suffer frustration!" 61 So they differed with one another in their task, and secretly conferred. 62 saying, 'These two men are sorcerers and their purpose is to expel you out of your land by their sorcery, and to extirpate your justest way. 63 Gather your guile and then lineup a rank those who gain the upper hand today shall indeed prosper' 64 They said, "O Moses, either you throw or we will be the first to throw." 65 Moses said: "No. You cast it first" Then it seemed to Moses that by their magic their cords and rods were flying; 66 and Moses conceived a fear within him. 67 We said to him: "Fear not. You will certainly be victorious. 68 Throw down what is in your right hand: It will swallow up what they have conjured. For what they have fashioned is only a trick of the sorcerer; and a sorcerer does not succeed wherever he may come." 69 Thereafter the sorcerers threw themselves down, prostrating, saying: 'We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses' 70 'Have you believed him before I have given you permission' he (Pharaoh) said. 'Indeed, he (must be) your chief, the one who taught you sorcery. I will cut off on opposite sides a hand and a foot then crucify you on the trunks of palmtrees. Indeed, you shall know whose punishment is more stern, and more lasting' 71 They (the magicians) said, "We would never prefer you to the miracles that we have seen or to our Creator. Do what you want. This life is only for a short time. 72 Lo! we believe in our Lord, that He may forgive us our sins and the magic unto which thou didst force us. Allah is better and more lasting. 73 Whosoever comes unto his Lord a sinner, for him awaits Gehenna wherein he shall neither die nor live. 74 And whoever comes to Him a believer (and) he has done good deeds indeed, these it is who shall have the high ranks, 75 Gardens of perpetual residence beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally. And that is the reward of one who purifies himself. 76