وَجاءَ السَّحَرَةُ فِرعَونَ قالوا إِنَّ لَنا لَأَجرًا إِن كُنّا نَحنُ الغالِبينَ

And the magicians came to Pharaoh. They said, "Indeed for us is a reward if we are the predominant."

قالَ نَعَم وَإِنَّكُم لَمِنَ المُقَرَّبينَ

He said, "Yes, and, [moreover], you will be among those made near [to me]."

قالوا يا موسىٰ إِمّا أَن تُلقِيَ وَإِمّا أَن نَكونَ نَحنُ المُلقينَ

They said, "O Moses, either you throw [your staff], or we will be the ones to throw [first]."

قالَ أَلقوا ۖ فَلَمّا أَلقَوا سَحَروا أَعيُنَ النّاسِ وَاستَرهَبوهُم وَجاءوا بِسِحرٍ عَظيمٍ

He said, "Throw," and when they threw, they bewitched the eyes of the people and struck terror into them, and they presented a great [feat of] magic.

وَأَوحَينا إِلىٰ موسىٰ أَن أَلقِ عَصاكَ ۖ فَإِذا هِيَ تَلقَفُ ما يَأفِكونَ

And We inspired to Moses, "Throw your staff," and at once it devoured what they were falsifying.

فَغُلِبوا هُنالِكَ وَانقَلَبوا صاغِرينَ

And Pharaoh and his people were overcome right there and became debased.

وَأُلقِيَ السَّحَرَةُ ساجِدينَ

And the magicians fell down in prostration [to Allah].

قالوا آمَنّا بِرَبِّ العالَمينَ

They said, "We have believed in the Lord of the worlds,

رَبِّ موسىٰ وَهارونَ

The Lord of Moses and Aaron."

قالَ فِرعَونُ آمَنتُم بِهِ قَبلَ أَن آذَنَ لَكُم ۖ إِنَّ هـٰذا لَمَكرٌ مَكَرتُموهُ فِي المَدينَةِ لِتُخرِجوا مِنها أَهلَها ۖ فَسَوفَ تَعلَمونَ

Said Pharaoh, "You believed in him before I gave you permission. Indeed, this is a conspiracy which you conspired in the city to expel therefrom its people. But you are going to know.