(At the time of the encounter) Moses said to them: "Woe to you! Do not invent falsehoods against Allah lest He destroy you with a scourge. Surely those who invent lies shall come to grief."

Thereupon they wrangled among themselves about the matter and conferred in secret.

Some of them said: "These two are magicians, who want to drive you out of your land with their magic and to destroy your excellent way of life.

So muster all your stratagem and come forth in a row. Whoever prevails today shall triumph."

The magicians said: "Moses, will you throw down or shall we be the first to throw?"

Moses replied: "No, let it be you to throw first." Then suddenly it appeared to Moses, owing to their magic, as if their ropes and staffs were running.

So Moses' heart was filled with fear.

We said to him: "Have no fear; for it is you who will prevail.

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."

Eventually the magicians were impelled to fall down prostrate and said: "We believe in the Lord of Moses and Aaron."

Pharaoh said: "What! Did you believe in Him even before I permitted you to do so? Surely, he must be your chief who taught you magic. Now I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and will crucify you on the trunks of palm-trees, and then you will come to know which of us can inflict sterner and more lasting torment."

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.

We believe in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and also forgive us the practice of magic to which you had compelled us. Allah is the Best and He alone will abide."

The truth is that Hell awaits him who comes to his Lord laden with sin; he shall neither die in it nor live.

But he who comes to Him with faith and righteous works shall be exalted to high ranks,

and shall live for ever in everlasting Gardens beneath which rivers flow. Such will be the reward of those who purify themselves.

Most certainly We revealed to Moses: "Proceed with My servants in the night and strike for them a dry path in the sea. Have no fear of being overtaken, nor be afraid of treading through the sea."

Pharaoh pursued them with his hosts, but they were fully overwhelmed by the sea.

Pharaoh led his people astray; he did not guide them aright.

Children of Israel! We saved you from your enemy and made a covenant with you on the right side of the Mount and sent down on you manna and quails,

saying: "Partake of the good things that We have provided for you, but do not transgress lest My wrath fall upon you; for he upon whom My wrath falls is ruined.

But I am indeed Most Forgiving to him who repents and believes and does righteous works and keeps to the Right Way."

"But, O Moses, what has made you come in haste from your people?"

He said: "They are close behind me, and I hastened to You, Lord, that You may be pleased with me."

Said He: "Verily We tested your people in your absence and the Samiri led them astray."

Moses returned to his people full of wrath and grief, and said: "My people! Has your Lord not made good an excellent promise He made to you? And has a long time passed since those promises were fulfilled? Or was it to incur the wrath of your Lord that you broke your promise with me?"

They answered: "We did not break our promise with you out of our own volition; but we were laden with the load of people's ornaments, and we simply threw them down(into the fire), and the Samiri also threw down something,

and brought out of there (from the molten gold) the effigy of a calf that lowed." The people cried out: "This is your deity and the deity of Moses, whom Moses has forgotten."

Did they not see that it did not return a word to them, and had no power either to hurt them or to cause them any benefit?

Certainly Aaron had said to them even before (the return of Moses): "My people, you were fallen into error because of the calf. Surely your Lord is Most Compassionate; so follow me and obey my command."