Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 9.djvu/54

38 Who made for you the earth a bed; and has traced for you paths therein; and has sent down from the sky water, — and we have brought forth thereby divers sorts of different vegetables. Eat and pasture your cattle therefrom; verily, in that are signs to those endued with intelligence. From it have we created you and into it will we send you back, and from it will we bring you forth another time.’

We did show him our signs, all of them, but he called them lies and did refuse.

Said he, ‘ Hast thou come to us, to turn us out of our land with thy magic, O Moses ? Then we will bring you magic like it ; and we will make between us and thee an appointment; we will not break it, nor do thou either; — a fair place.’

Said he, ‘ Let your appointment be for the day of adornment, and let the people assemble in the forenoon .’

But Pharaoh turned his back, and collected his tricks, and then he came.

Said Moses to them, ‘ Woe to you ! do not forge against God a lie ; lest He destroy you by torment ; for disappointed has ever been he who has forged.’

And they argued their matter among themselves ; and secretly talked it over.

Said they, ‘ These twain are certainly two magicians, who wish to turn you out of your land by their magic, and to remove your most exemplary doctrine. Collect therefore your tricks, and then