۞ From the earth We have created you, and to it We shall return you, and from it We shall raise you again. 55 We showed the Pharaoh all of Our miracles, but he called them lies and turned away from them. 56 He said: art thou come unto us that thou mayest drive us out of our land by thy magic, O Musa! 57 “So we will also produce before you a similar magic, therefore set up an agreed time between us and you, from which neither we nor you shall turn away, at a level place.” 58 [Moses] said, "Your appointment is on the day of the festival when the people assemble at mid-morning." 59 So Pharaoh withdrew, devised his stratagem and returned. 60 Musa (Moses) said to them: "Woe unto you! Invent not a lie against Allah, lest He should destroy you completely by a torment. And surely, he who invents a lie (against Allah) will fail miserably." 61 So they discussed their strategy among themselves and conferred privately, 62 They said, "Certainly they are both magicians who want to drive you out of your land by their magic, and destroy your best traditions. 63 Gather your guile and then lineup a rank those who gain the upper hand today shall indeed prosper' 64 They said to Moses: 'Will you throw down or shall we be the first? 65 He said: Nay! cast down. then lo! their cords and their rods-- it was imaged to him on account of their magic as if they were running. 66 And Moses felt afraid within himself. 67 We said: fear not! verily thou! thou shalt be the superior. 68 And cast thou down that which is in thy right hand: it shall swallow up that which they have wrought; They have wrought only a magician's stratagem; and the magician prospereth not wheresoever he cometh. 69 The magicians, (seeing the miracle), fell down in prostration, saying: "We believe in the Lord of Moses and Aaron." 70 Said [Pharaoh]: "Have you come to believe in him ere I have given you permission? Verily, he must be your master who has taught you magic! But I shall most certainly cut off your hands and feet in great numbers, because of [your] perverseness, and I shall most certainly crucify you in great numbers on trunks of palm-trees: and [I shall do this] so that you might come to know for certain as to which of us [two] can inflict a more severe chastisement, and [which] is the more abiding!" 71 They said: we shall by no means prefer thee to that which hath come to us of the evidences, and Him Who hath created us; so decree thou whatsoever thou shalt decree; thou canst only decree in respect of the life of this world. 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 The dwelling place of one who comes into the presence of his Lord as a criminal will be hell wherein he will never die nor enjoy his life. 74 whereas he who shall appear before Him as a believer who has done righteous deeds - it is such that shall have lofty stations [in the life to come]: 75 Gardens of Eden underneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide for ever. That is the reward of him who groweth. 76