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XX, 67-76.
THE CHAPTER OF T. H.
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form a row; for he is prosperous to-day who has the upper hand.'
Said they, 'O Moses ! either thou must throw, or we must be the first to throw.'
He said, 'Nay, throw ye!' and lo! their ropes and their staves appeared to move along. [70] And Moses felt a secret fear within his soul.
Said we, 'Fear not! thou shalt have the upper hand. Throw down what is in thy right hand; and it shall devour what they have made. Verily, what they have made is but a magician's trick; and no magician shall prosper wherever he comes.'
And the magicians were cast down in adoration; said they, We believe in the Lord of Aaron and of Moses !
Said he 1, 'Do ye believe in Him before I give you leave ? Verily, he is your master who taught you magic! Therefore will I surely cut off your hands and feet on alternate sides, and I will surely crucify you on the trunks of palm trees; and ye shall surely know which of us is keenest at torment and more lasting.'
[75] Said they, We will never prefer thee to what has come to us of manifest signs, and to Him who originated us. Decide then what thou canst decide; thou canst only decide in the life of this world! Verily, we believe in our Lord, that He may pardon us our sins, and the magic thou hast forced us to use; and God is better and more lasting !'
Verily, he who comes to his Lord a sinner,verily, for him is hell; he shall not die therein, and shall not live.
1 Pharaoh.
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