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full of knowledge and wisdom."
012.007 Verily in Joseph and his brethren are signs (or symbols) for seekers (after Truth).
012.008 They said: "Truly Joseph and his brother are loved more by our father than we: But we are a goodly body!
really our father is obviously wandering (in his mind)!
012.009 "Slay ye Joseph or cast him out to some (unknown) land, that so the favour of your father may be given to you
alone: (there will be time enough) for you to be righteous after that!"
012.010 Said one of them: "Slay not Joseph, but if ye must do something, throw him down to the bottom of the well:
he will be picked up by some caravan of travellers."
012.011 They said: "O our father! why dost thou not trust us with Joseph,- seeing we are indeed his sincere
well-wishers?
012.012 "Send him with us tomorrow to enjoy himself and play, and we shall take every care of him."
012.013 (Jacob) said: "Really it saddens me that ye should take him away: I fear lest the wolf should devour him while
ye attend not to him."
012.014 They said: "If the wolf were to devour him while we are (so large) a party, then should we indeed (first) have
perished ourselves!"
012.015 So they did take him away, and they all agreed to throw him down to the bottom of the well: and We put into
his heart (this Message): 'Of a surety thou shalt (one day) tell them the truth of this their affair while they know (thee)
not'
012.016 Then they came to their father in the early part of the night, weeping.
012.017 They said: "O our father! We went racing with one another, and left Joseph with our things; and the wolf
devoured him.... But thou wilt never believe us even though we tell the truth."
012.018 They stained his shirt with false blood. He said: "Nay, but your minds have made up a tale (that may pass) with
you, (for me) patience is most fitting: Against that which ye assert, it is God (alone) Whose help can be sought"..
012.019 Then there came a caravan of travellers: they sent their water-carrier (for water), and he let down his bucket
(into the well)...He said: "Ah there! Good news! Here is a (fine) young man!" So they concealed him as a treasure! But
God knoweth well all that they do!
012.020 The (Brethren) sold him for a miserable price, for a few dirhams counted out: in such low estimation did they
hold him!
012.021 The man in Egypt who bought him, said to his wife: "Make his stay (among us) honourable: may be he will
bring us much good, or we shall adopt him as a son." Thus did We establish Joseph in the land, that We might teach him
the interpretation of stories (and events). And God hath full power and control over His affairs; but most among
mankind know it not.
012.022 When Joseph attained His full manhood, We gave him power and knowledge: thus do We reward those who
do right.
012.023 But she in whose house he was, sought to seduce him from his (true) self: she fastened the doors, and said:
"Now come, thou (dear one)!" He said: "God forbid! truly (thy husband) is my lord! he made my sojourn agreeable! truly
to no good come those who do wrong!"
012.024 And (with passion) did she desire him, and he would have desired her, but that he saw the evidence of his Lord:
thus (did We order) that We might turn away from him (all) evil and shameful deeds: for he was one of Our servants,
sincere and purified.
012.025 So they both raced each other to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back: they both found her lord near
the door. She said: "What is the (fitting) punishment for one who formed an evil design against thy wife, but prison or
a grievous chastisement?"
012.026 He said: "It was she that sought to seduce me - from my (true) self." And one of her household saw (this) and
bore witness, (thus):- "If it be that his shirt is rent from the front, then is her tale true, and he is a liar!
012.027 "But if it be that his shirt is torn from the back, then is she the liar, and he is telling the truth!"
012.028 So when he saw his shirt,- that it was torn at the back,- (her husband) said: "Behold! It is a snare of you women!
truly, mighty is your snare!
012.029 "O Joseph, pass this over! (O wife), ask forgiveness for thy sin, for truly thou hast been at fault!"