۞ From the earth We have created you, and to it We shall return you, and from it We shall raise you again. 55 And assuredly We shewed him Our signs, all of them, but he belied and refused. 56 He said: "Have you come to us to drive us out of our land by your sorcery? 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 (Musa) said: Your appointment is the day of the Festival and let the people be gathered together in the early forenoon. 59 After this the Pharaoh withdrew and settled his stratagem, then came back. 60 and Moses said to them, 'O beware! Forge not a lie against God, lest He destroy you with a chastisement. Whoso forges has ever failed.' 61 So they differed with one another in their task, and secretly conferred. 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 "So devise your plot, and then assemble in line. And whoever overcomes this day will be indeed successful." 64 They said, “O Moosa, either you throw first – or shall we throw first?” 65 He said, "Nay, throw ye first!" Then behold their ropes and their rods-so it seemed to him on account of their magic - began to be in lively motion! 66 Then a kind of fear in his soul Musa felt. 67 We said unto him, 'Fear not; surely thou art the uppermost. 68 Throw down that [staff] which is in your right hand -- it shall swallow up what they have wrought, for what they have wrought is only a magician's trick. A magician shall never thrive, come whence he may. 69 And the sorcerers cast themselves down prostrating. 'We believe,' they said, 'in the Lord of Aaron and Moses.' 70 Fir'awn said; believed ye in him ere I gave you leave! verily he is your chief who hath taught you magic. So I will surely cut off your hands and feet on the opposite sides, and will surely crucify you on the trunks of palm-trees, and ye shall surely know whichever of us is severer in torment and more lasting. 71 They said, 'We will not prefer thee over the clear signs that have come to us, nor over Him who originated us. Decide then what thou wilt decide; thou canst only decide touching this present life. 72 We have certainly come to believe in our Lord that He may forgive our trespasses and the magic you have forced us to perform, for God is nobler and abiding." 73 Lo! whoso cometh guilty unto his Lord, verily for him is hell. There he will 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 bliss, through which running waters flow, therein to abide: for that shall be the recompense of all who attain to purity. 76