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020.044 "But speak to him mildly; perchance he may take warning or fear (God)."
020.045 They (Moses and Aaron) said: "Our Lord! We fear lest he hasten with insolence against us, or lest he
transgress all bounds."
020.046 He said: "Fear not: for I am with you: I hear and see (everything).
020.047 "So go ye both to him, and say, 'Verily we are apostles sent by thy Lord: Send forth, therefore, the Children
of Israel with us, and afflict them not: with a Sign, indeed, have we come from thy Lord! and peace to all who follow
guidance!
020.048 "'Verily it has been revealed to us that the Penalty (awaits) those who reject and turn away.'"
020.049 (When this message was delivered), (Pharaoh) said: "Who, then, O Moses, is the Lord of you two?"
020.050 He said: "Our Lord is He Who gave to each (created) thing its form and nature, and further, gave (it) guidance."
020.051 (Pharaoh) said: "What then is the condition of previous generations?"
020.052 He replied: "The knowledge of that is with my Lord, duly recorded: my Lord never errs, nor forgets,-
020.053 "He Who has, made for you the earth like a carpet spread out; has enabled you to go about therein by roads
(and channels); and has sent down water from the sky." With it have We produced diverse pairs of plants each separate
from the others.
020.054 Eat (for yourselves) and pasture your cattle: verily, in this are Signs for men endued with understanding.
020.055 From the (earth) did We create you, and into it shall We return you, and from it shall We bring you out once
again.
020.056 And We showed Pharaoh all Our Signs, but he did reject and refuse.
020.057 He said: "Hast thou come to drive us out of our land with thy magic, O Moses?
020.058 "But we can surely produce magic to match thine! So make a tryst between us and thee, which we shall not
fail to keep - neither we nor thou - in a place where both shall have even chances."
020.059 Moses said: "Your tryst is the Day of the Festival, and let the people be assembled when the sun is well up."
020.060 So Pharaoh withdrew: He concerted his plan, and then came (back).
020.061 Moses said to him: Woe to you! Forge not ye a lie against God, lest He destroy you (at once) utterly by
chastisement: the forger must suffer frustration!"
020.062 So they disputed, one with another, over their affair, but they kept their talk secret.
020.063 They said: "These two are certainly (expert) magicians: their object is to drive you out from your land with
their magic, and to do away with your most cherished institutions.
020.064 "Therefore concert your plan, and then assemble in (serried) ranks: He wins (all along) today who gains the
upper hand."
020.065 They said: "O Moses! whether wilt thou that thou throw (first) or that we be the first to throw?"
020.066 He said, "Nay, throw ye first!" Then behold their ropes and their rods-so it seemed to him on account of their
magic - began to be in lively motion!
020.067 So Moses conceived in his mind a (sort of) fear.
020.068 We said: "Fear not! for thou hast indeed the upper hand:
020.069 "Throw that which is in thy right hand: Quickly will it swallow up that which they have faked what they have
faked is but a magician's trick: and the magician thrives not, (no matter) where he goes."
020.070 So the magicians were thrown down to prostration: they said, "We believe in the Lord of Aaron and Moses".
020.071 (Pharaoh) said: "Believe ye in Him before I give you permission? Surely this must be your leader, who has
taught you magic! be sure I will cut off your hands and feet on opposite sides, and I will have you crucified on trunks
of palm-trees: so shall ye know for certain, which of us can give the more severe and the more lasting punishment!"
020.072 They said: "Never shall we regard thee as more than the Clear Sings that have come to us, or than Him Who
created us! so decree whatever thou desirest to decree: for thou canst only decree (touching) the life of this world.
020.073 "For us, we have believed in our Lord: may He forgive us our faults, and the magic to which thou didst compel
us: for God is Best and Most Abiding."
020.074 Verily he who comes to his Lord as a sinner (at Judgment),- for him is Hell: therein shall he neither die nor
live.
020.075 But such as come to Him as Believers who have worked righteous deeds,- for them are ranks exalted,-