Some of the Pharaoh's nobles considered him to be no more than a skillful magician 109 "He wishes to drive you away from the land. So what do you advise?" 110 They said: put him and his brother off, and send unto the cities callers. 111 To bring each knowing wizard unto thee. 112 And the sorcerers came to Pharaoh, saying, 'We shall surely have a wage, if we should be the victors?' 113 Answered [Pharaoh]: "Yes; and verily, you shall be among those who are near unto me." 114 They said: "O Moses! Either thou shalt throw [thy staff first,] or we shall [be the first to] throw." 115 He replied, "Throw yours first." Their great magic bewitched people's eyes and terrified them. 116 We inspired Moses to throw his staff, and suddenly it began to swallow-up all that the magicians had (falsely) invented. 117 ۞ Thus was the truth established, and their doings proved in vain. 118 And thus were they vanquished there and then, and became utterly humiliated. 119 And the magicians were obliged to fall prostrate. 120 They said, "We have believed in the Lord of the worlds, 121 the Sustainer of Moses and Aaron!" 122 Said Pharaoh, "You believed in him before I gave you permission. Indeed, this is a conspiracy which you conspired in the city to expel therefrom its people. But you are going to know. 123 I will cut off on opposite sides a hand and a foot, and then crucify you all' 124 They said, 'Surely unto our Lord we are turning. 125 "But thou dost wreak thy vengeance on us simply because we believed in the Signs of our Lord when they reached us! Our Lord! pour out on us patience and constancy, and take our souls unto thee as Muslims (who bow to thy will)! 126