'This', said he (Pharaoh) to his Council, 'is a cunning sorcerer 34 "He wants to drive you out of your land by his sorcery, then what is it your counsel, and what do you command?" 35 They said: put off him and his brother, and send unto the cities callers. 36 "To bring up to you every well-versed sorcerer." 37 So the magicians were assembled at a stated time and place on an appointed day. 38 and the people were told, "Will you also gather together, 39 in order that we shall follow the sorcerers if they are the victors' 40 Then, when the sorcerers came, they said to Pharaoh, 'Shall we indeed have a wage, if we should be the victors?' 41 He said: "Yes, and you shall then verily be of those brought near (to myself)." 42 Moses said to them: "Cast what you have to cast." 43 Then they cast their cords and their staves, and said: by the might of Fir'awn, verily we! we shall be the winners. 44 Then Moses cast down his staff and it swallowed up their lying invention, 45 so the sorcerers were cast down, prostrating themselves, 46 saying: 'We believe in the Lord of the Worlds, 47 The Lord of Musa and Haroun. 48 Said he: You believe in him before I give you permission; most surely he is the chief of you who taught you the magic, so you shall know: certainly I will cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and certainly I will crucify you all. 49 They said, "No harm. Indeed, to our Lord we will return. 50 and we surely expect that Our Lord will forgive us our sins for we are the first ones to believe." 51