Musa said to them: Woe to you! do not forge a lie against Allah, lest He destroy you by a punishment, and he who forges (a lie) indeed fails to attain (his desire).

So they disputed with one another about their affair and kept the discourse secret.

They said: These are most surely two magicians who wish to turn you out from your land by their magic and to take away your best traditions.

Therefore settle your plan, then come standing in ranks and he will prosper indeed this day who overcomes.

They said: O Musa! will you cast, or shall we be the first who cast down?

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.

So Musa conceived in his mind a fear.

We said: Fear not, surely you shall be the uppermost,

And cast down what is in your right hand; it shall devour what they have wrought; they have wrought only the plan of a magician, and the magician shall not be successful wheresoever he may come from.

And the magicians were cast down making obeisance; they said: We believe in the Lord of Haroun and Musa.

(Firon) said: You believe in him before I give you leave; most surely he is the chief of you who taught you enchantment, therefore I will certainly cut off your hands and your feet on opposite sides, and I will certainly crucify you on the trunks of the palm trees, and certainly you will come to know which of us is the more severe and the more abiding in chastising.

They said: We do not prefer you to what has come to us of clear arguments and to He Who made us, therefore decide what you are going to decide; you can only decide about this world's life.

Surely we believe in our Lord that He may forgive us our sins and the magic to which you compelled us; and Allah is better and more abiding.

Whoever comes to his Lord (being) guilty, for him is surely hell; he shall not die therein, nor shall he live.

And whoever comes to Him a believer (and) he has done good deeds indeed, these it is who shall have the high ranks,

The gardens of perpetuity, beneath which rivers flow, to abide therein; and this is the reward of him who has purified himself.

And certainly We revealed to Musa, saying: Travel by night with My servants, then make for them a dry path in the sea, not fearing to be overtaken, nor being afraid.

And Firon followed them with his armies, so there came upon them of the sea that which came upon them.

And Firon led astray his people and he did not guide (them) aright.

O children of Israel! indeed We delivered you from your enemy, and We made a covenant with you on the blessed side of the mountain, and We sent to you the manna and the quails.

Eat of the good things We have given you for sustenance, and be not inordinate with respect to them, lest My wrath should be due to you, and to whomsoever My wrath is due be shall perish indeed.

And most surely I am most Forgiving to him who repents and believes and does good, then continues to follow the right direction.

And what caused you to hasten from your people, O Musa?

He said: They are here on my track and I hastened on to Thee, my Lord, that Thou mightest be pleased.

He said: So surely We have tried your people after you, and the Samiri has led them astray.

So Musa returned to his people wrathful, sorrowing. Said he: O my people! did not your Lord promise you a goodly promise: did then the time seem long to you, or did you wish that displeasure from your Lord should be due to you, so that you broke (your) promise to me?

They said: We did not break (our) promise to you of our own accord, but we were made to bear the burdens of the ornaments of the people, then we made a casting of them, and thus did the Samiri suggest.

So he brought forth for them a calf, a (mere) body, which had a mooing sound, so they said: This is your god and the god of Musa, but he forgot.

What! could they not see that it did not return to them a reply, and (that) it did not control any harm or benefit for them?

And certainly Haroun had said to them before: O my people! you are only tried by it, and surely your Lord is the Beneficent Allah, therefore follow me and obey my order.