⁵⁰ And the King said: “Bring him to me!” But when the messenger¹ came to him, he said: “Return thou to thy lord, and ask him what is the state of the women² who cut their hands; my Lord knows of their plan.”

⁵¹ Said he:¹ “What was the case of you women² when you sought to lure Joseph away from his soul?” They said: “God forbid! We know no evil³ against him.” Said the wife of the Governor: “Now the truth⁴ is manifest: I sought to lure him away from his soul, and he speaks the truth.⁵

⁵² “That is so he¹ might know that I betrayed him not unseen, and that God guides not the plan of the treacherous.

⁵³ “And I absolve not myself; the soul commands to evil,¹ save that my Lord has mercy; my Lord is forgiving and merciful.”²

⁵⁴ And the King said: “Bring him to me! I will attach him to my person.”¹ Then when he had spoken with him, he said: “Thou art this day with us established² and trusted.”

⁵⁵ Said he: “Appoint thou me over the storehouses¹ of the land; I am a knowledgeable custodian.”

⁵⁶ And thus We established Joseph in the land, to settle therein wheresoever he willed. We visit with Our mercy whom We will, and We cause not to be lost the reward of the doers of good.

⁵⁷ And the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who heed warning¹ and are in prudent fear.²

⁵⁸ And the brothers of Joseph came, and entered upon him; and he knew¹ them, but he was to them unknown.

⁵⁹ And when he had furnished them with their provisions, he said: “Bring me a brother of yours from your father; see you not that I give full measure, and that I am the best of hosts?

⁶⁰ “But if you bring him not to me, then no measure will there be for you with me, nor will you approach me.”

⁶¹ They said: “We will seek to lure him away from his father¹ — and that will we do.”

⁶² And he said to his servants:¹ “Put their merchandise in their saddlebags, that they might recognise it when they return to their people, that they might return.”

⁶³ And when they returned to their father, they said: “O our father: forbidden us was the measure, so send thou with us our brother; we will obtain the measure; and we will keep him safe.”¹

⁶⁴ He said: “Am I to trust him to you save as I trusted his brother to you before? And God is the best custodian, and He is the most merciful of those who show mercy.”

⁶⁵ And when they opened their possessions, they found their merchandise returned to them. They said: “O our father: what more can we ask!¹ This is our merchandise returned to us. And we will get provision for our people and guard our brother, and will have increase of a camel’s measure² — that is an easy measure.”

⁶⁶ He said: “I will not send him with you until you give me a solemn oath before¹ God that you will bring him to me save that you be surrounded.” And when they had brought him their solemn oath, he said: “God is guardian over what we say.”

⁶⁷ And he said: “O my sons: enter not by one gate, but enter by different gates.¹ But I cannot avail you anything against God. Judgment is but for God; in Him have I placed my trust. And in Him let trust those who would place their trust aright.”²

⁶⁸ And when they entered in what manner¹ their father had commanded them, it availed them nothing against God; it was but a need in the soul of Jacob which he satisfied. And he was a man of knowledge due to what We had taught him; but most men² know not.

⁶⁹ And when they entered upon Joseph, he took his brother to himself; he said: “I am thy brother, so despair thou not at what they did.”¹

⁷⁰ And when he had furnished them with their provisions, he put the drinking-cup into the saddlebag of his brother.¹ Then a crier cried: “O you of the caravan: you are thieves!”

⁷¹ Said they, approaching them: “What is it you are missing?”

⁷² They said: “We do miss the King’s goblet; and for him who brings it is a camel-load; and I guarantee it.”

⁷³ Said they: “By God, you know we came not to work corruption in the land! And we are not thieves.”

⁷⁴ They said: “And what is the recompense¹ for it, if you are liars?”

⁷⁵ Said they: “The recompense¹ for it is that he in whose saddlebag it is found, he is the recompense² for it. Thus³ requite we the wrongdoers.”⁴

⁷⁶ So he began with their bags before the bag of his brother; then he brought it forth from the bag of his brother. (Thus did We plan for Joseph; he could not have taken his brother within the doctrine¹ of the King save that God had so willed. We raise in degree² whom We will; and over every possessor of knowledge is One knowing.)

⁷⁷ Said they: “If he steals, then there stole a brother¹ of his before.” (But Joseph concealed it² within his soul, and did not reveal it to them, saying: “You are in worse position; and God best knows what you describe.”)

⁷⁸ Said they: “O Governor: he has a father, old and great,¹ so take thou one of us in his place;² we see thou art among the doers of good.”

⁷⁹ He said: “God forbid¹ that we take save him with whom we found our goods! Then should we be the wrongdoers.”²

⁸⁰ And when they had despaired of him, they separated themselves for private conference. The eldest of them said: “Know you not that your father took a solemn oath from you before¹ God — and you failed concerning Joseph before? And I will not leave the land until my father gives me leave, or God judges in my favour; and He is the best of judges.

⁸¹ “Return to your father, and say: ‘O our father: thy son stole; and we bear not witness save to what we know; and we are not custodians of the Unseen.

⁸² “‘And ask thou of the city in which we were, and the caravan in which we approached; and we are truthful.’”

⁸³ He said:¹ “Nay,² your souls have enticed you into a matter. Then: comely patience — it may be that God will bring them³ to me all together; He is the Knowing, the Wise.”

⁸⁴ And he turned away from them and said: “O my grief for Joseph!” And his eyes became white from the sorrow he was suppressing.

⁸⁵ They said: “By God, thou wilt never cease remembering Joseph until thou art decrepit, or art of those who perish!”

⁸⁶ He said: “I but complain of my distress and grief to God; but I know from God what you know not.¹

⁸⁷ “O my sons: go and ask about Joseph and his brother, and despair not of the comfort¹ of God; none despairs of the comfort of God save the unbelieving² people.”

⁸⁸ And when they entered upon him, they said: “O Governor: affliction has touched us and our people, and we have come with paltry¹ merchandise. Fulfil thou for us the measure, and be thou charitable to us; God rewards the charitable.”

⁸⁹ He said: “Know you what you did to Joseph and his brother, when you were ignorant?”

⁹⁰ They said: “Is it indeed thou, Joseph?” He said: “I am Joseph, and this is my brother. God has favoured us. Whoso is in prudent fear¹ and is patient — God causes not to be lost the reward of the doers of good.”

⁹¹ They said: “By God, indeed God has preferred thee over us and we were of the offenders!”

⁹² He said: “No blame is upon you this day. God will forgive you; and He is the most merciful of those who show mercy.

⁹³ “Go with this my shirt, and cast it upon the face of my father — he will come to see — and come to me with your household all together.”

⁹⁴ And when the caravan departed, their father said: “I perceive¹ the scent² of Joseph––³ had you not thought me weak in mind.”

⁹⁵ They said: “By God, thou art in thine old error!”

⁹⁶ Then when the bearer of glad tidings came he cast it¹ upon his face, and he could see again.² He said: “Said I not to you that I know from God what you know not?”²

⁹⁷ They said: “O our father: ask thou forgiveness for us for our transgressions;¹ we were of the offenders.”²

⁹⁸ He said: “I will ask forgiveness for you of my Lord; He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

⁹⁹ And when they entered upon Joseph, he took his parents to himself, and said: “Enter Egypt,¹ if God wills, in safety.”