۞ Thereof We created you, and thereunto We return you, and therefrom We shall bring you forth once again. 55 And truly We showed him Our signs, all of them, but he rejected and refused. 56 He [Fir'aun (Pharaoh)] said: "Have you come to drive us out of our land with your magic, O Musa (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 Said Moosa, “Your meeting is the day of the festival, and that the people be assembled at late morning.” 59 Thereupon Pharaoh withdrew [with his counsellors] and decided upon the scheme which he would pursue; and then he came [to the tryst]. 60 Moosa said to them, “Ruin is to you – do not fabricate a lie against Allah, that He may destroy you by a punishment; and indeed one who fabricates lies has failed.” 61 They started arguing and whispering to each other 62 They said: Lo! these are two wizards who would drive you out from your country by their magic, and destroy your best traditions; 63 So gather your guile; then come in battle-line. Whoever today gains the upper hand shall surely prosper. 64 They said, 'Moses, either thou wilt cast, or we shall be the first to cast.' 65 Moses replied: 'No, you throw first' And by their sorcery it seemed to him that their ropes and staffs were sliding. 66 and in his heart Moses became apprehensive, 67 We (Allah) said: "Fear not! Surely, you will have the upper hand. 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 Thereafter the sorcerers threw themselves down, prostrating, saying: 'We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses' 70 Pharaoh said, 'Have you believed him before I gave you leave? Why, he is the chief of you, the same that taught you sorcery; I shall assuredly cut off alternately your hands and feet, then I shall crucify you upon the trunks of palm-trees; you shall know of a certainty which of us is more terrible in chastisement, and more abiding.' 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 As for us, behold, we have come to believe in our Sustainer, [hoping] that He may forgive us our faults and all that magic unto which thou hast forced us: for God is the best [to look forward to,] and the One who is truly abiding." 73 Surely for him who comes before his Lord a sinner shall be Hell, where he will neither die nor live. 74 And whoso comes unto Him a believer having done deeds of righteousness, those -- for them await the most sublime degrees; 75 gardens of perpetual bliss, through which running waters flow, therein to abide: for that shall be the recompense of all who attain to purity. 76