Surah Yusuf

Ayat [1-5] IN the name of the merciful and compassionate God.

Ayat [6-10] He said, 'O my boy! tell not thy vision to thy brethren, for they will plot a plot against thee; verily, the devil is to man an open foe.'

Ayat [11-15] A speaker from amongst them spake, 'Slay

Ayat [16-20] And when they had gone off with him and agreed to put him in the depths of the pit, and we inspired him, 'Thou shalt surely inform them of this affair of theirs and they shall not perceive 1.'

Ayat [21-25] And they sold him for a mean price,--drachmæ counted out,--and they parted with him cheaply.

Ayat [26-30] And they raced to the door and she rent his shirt from behind; and they met her master at the door. Said she, 'What is the recompense of him who wishes evil for thy family, but that imprisonment or a grievous torment?'

Ayat [31-35] And women in the city said, 'The wife of the prince desires her young man for his person; he has infatuated her with love: verily, we see her in obvious error.' And when she heard of their craftiness, she sent to them and prepared for them a banquet, and gave each of them a knife; and she said, 'Come forth to them!' And when they saw him they said, 'Great God!' and cut their hands 1 and said, 'God forbid! This is no mortal, this is nothing but an honourable angel.' Said she, 'This is he concerning whom ye blamed me. I did desire him for his person, but he was too continent. But if he do not what I bid him he shall surely be imprisoned and shall surely be among the small!' Said he, 'My Lord! Prison is dearer to me than what they call on me to do; and unless Thou turn from me their craftiness I shall feel a passion for them and shall be among the ignorant!' And his Lord answered him and turned from him their craftiness; verily, He both hears and knows!

Ayat [36-40] Then it appeared good to them, even after they had seen the signs 2, to imprison him until a time.

Ayat [41-45] What ye worship beside Him are naught but names which ye have named, ye and your fathers, for which God has sent down no authority. Judgment is only God's; He bids you worship only Him. That is the standard of religion,--but most men do not know. O ye twain fellow-prisoners! as for one of you, he shall pour out wine for his lord: and as for the other, he shall be crucified, and the birds shall eat of his head. The matter is decreed whereon ye asked me for a decision!'

Ayat [46-50] Then he who had escaped of those twain said,--remembering after a while,--'Verily, I will inform you of the interpretation thereof, so send me.'

Ayat [51-55] Then said the king, 'Bring him to me.'

Ayat [56-60] He said, 'Place me over the treasures of the land; verily, I will be a knowing keeper.'

Ayat [61-65] But if ye bring him not to me, no measure shall ye have with me, nor shall ye come nigh me.'

Ayat [66-70] And when they opened their goods they found their chattels restored to them. Said they, 'O our father! What more can we crave? Here are our chattels restored to us, and we shall guard our brother, and shall have an additional measure beside that--a small measure 2.'

Ayat [71-75] And when he had equipped them with their equipment he placed the drinking cup in his brother's pack; then a crier cried out, 'O ye caravan! verily, ye are thieves!'

Ayat [76-80] They said, 'The recompense thereof is he in whose pack it is found--he shall be the recompense thereof; thus do we recompense the unjust.'

Ayat [81-85] And when they despaired of him they retired to consult privately. Said the eldest of them, 'Do ye not know that your father has taken a compact from God against you? Aforetime ye exceeded in the matter of Joseph--I will surely not quit the land until my father give me leave, or God judge for me, for He is the best of judges.

Ayat [86-90] They said, 'By God! thou wilt not cease to remember Joseph till thou art at the point of death, or art of those who perish!'

Ayat [91-95] They said, 'Art thou then indeed Joseph?' He said, 'I am Joseph, and this is my brother; God has been gracious towards us. Verily, whoso fears God and is patient,--verily, God wastes not the hire of those who do good!'

Ayat [96-100] They said, 'By God! thou art in thy old error.' And when the herald of glad tidings came he threw it on his face, and he was restored to sight.

Ayat [101-105] And when they entered in unto Joseph, he took his father to stay with him, and said, 'Enter ye into Egypt, if it please God, safe.' And he raised his father upon the throne, and they fell down before him adoring.

Ayat [106-110] How many a sign in the heavens and the earth do they pass by and turn away therefrom!