12. Jusuf · verses 72–80

قَالُواْ نَفۡقِدُ صُوَاعَ ٱلۡمَلِكِ وَلِمَن جَآءَ بِهِۦ حِمۡلُ بَعِيرٖ وَأَنَا۠ بِهِۦ زَعِيمٞ

Qaloo nafqidu suwaAAa almaliki waliman jaa bihi himlu baAAeerin waana bihi zaAAeemun

They said: "We miss the great beaker of the king; for him who produces it, is (the reward of) a camel load; I will be bound by it."

قَالُواْ تَٱللَّهِ لَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتُم مَّا جِئۡنَا لِنُفۡسِدَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا كُنَّا سَٰرِقِينَ

Qaloo taAllahi laqad AAalimtum ma jina linufsida fee alardi wama kunna sariqeena

(The brothers) said: "By Allah! well ye know that we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves!"

قَالُواْ فَمَا جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥٓ إِن كُنتُمۡ كَٰذِبِينَ

Qaloo fama jazaohu in kuntum kathibeena

(The Egyptians) said: "What then shall be the penalty of this, if ye are (proved) to have lied?"

قَالُواْ جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥ مَن وُجِدَ فِي رَحۡلِهِۦ فَهُوَ جَزَٰٓؤُهُۥۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

Qaloo jazaohu man wujida fee rahlihi fahuwa jazaohu kathalika najzee alththalimeena

They said: "The penalty should be that he in whose saddle-bag it is found, should be held (as bondman) to atone for the (crime). Thus it is we punish the wrong-doers!"

فَبَدَأَ بِأَوۡعِيَتِهِمۡ قَبۡلَ وِعَآءِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ ٱسۡتَخۡرَجَهَا مِن وِعَآءِ أَخِيهِۚ كَذَٰلِكَ كِدۡنَا لِيُوسُفَۖ مَا كَانَ لِيَأۡخُذَ أَخَاهُ فِي دِينِ ٱلۡمَلِكِ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ نَرۡفَعُ دَرَجَٰتٖ مَّن نَّشَآءُۗ وَفَوۡقَ كُلِّ ذِي عِلۡمٍ عَلِيمٞ

Fabadaa biawAAiyatihim qabla wiAAai akheehi thumma istakhrajaha min wiAAai akheehi kathalika kidna liyoosufa ma kana liyakhutha akhahu fee deeni almaliki illa an yashaa Allahu narfaAAu darajatin man nashao wafawqa kulli thee AAilmin AAaleemun

So he began (the search) with their baggage, before (he came to) the baggage of his brother: at length he brought it out of his brother´s baggage. Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not take his brother by the law of the king except that Allah willed it (so). We raise to degrees (of wisdom) whom We please: but over all endued with knowledge is one, the All-Knowing.

۞ قَالُوٓاْ إِن يَسۡرِقۡ فَقَدۡ سَرَقَ أَخٞ لَّهُۥ مِن قَبۡلُۚ فَأَسَرَّهَا يُوسُفُ فِي نَفۡسِهِۦ وَلَمۡ يُبۡدِهَا لَهُمۡۚ قَالَ أَنتُمۡ شَرّٞ مَّكَانٗاۖ وَٱللَّهُ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَا تَصِفُونَ

Qaloo in yasriq faqad saraqa akhun lahu min qablu faasarraha yoosufu fee nafsihi walam yubdiha lahum qala antum sharrun makanan waAllahu aAAlamu bima tasifoona

They said: "If he steals, there was a brother of his who did steal before (him)." But these things did Joseph keep locked in his heart, revealing not the secrets to them. He (simply) said (to himself): "Ye are the worse situated; and Allah knoweth best the truth of what ye assert!"

قَالُواْ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡعَزِيزُ إِنَّ لَهُۥٓ أَبٗا شَيۡخٗا كَبِيرٗا فَخُذۡ أَحَدَنَا مَكَانَهُۥٓۖ إِنَّا نَرَىٰكَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِينَ

Qaloo ya ayyuha alAAazeezu inna lahu aban shaykhan kabeeran fakhuth ahadana makanahu inna naraka mina almuhsineena

They said: "O exalted one! Behold! he has a father, aged and venerable, (who will grieve for him); so take one of us in his place; for we see that thou art (gracious) in doing good."

قَالَ مَعَاذَ ٱللَّهِ أَن نَّأۡخُذَ إِلَّا مَن وَجَدۡنَا مَتَٰعَنَا عِندَهُۥٓ إِنَّآ إِذٗا لَّظَٰلِمُونَ

Qala maAAatha Allahi an nakhutha illa man wajadna mataAAana AAindahu inna ithan lathalimoona

He said: "Allah forbid that we take other than him with whom we found our property: indeed (if we did so), we should be acting wrongfully.

فَلَمَّا ٱسۡتَيۡـَٔسُواْ مِنۡهُ خَلَصُواْ نَجِيّٗاۖ قَالَ كَبِيرُهُمۡ أَلَمۡ تَعۡلَمُوٓاْ أَنَّ أَبَاكُمۡ قَدۡ أَخَذَ عَلَيۡكُم مَّوۡثِقٗا مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمِن قَبۡلُ مَا فَرَّطتُمۡ فِي يُوسُفَۖ فَلَنۡ أَبۡرَحَ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ حَتَّىٰ يَأۡذَنَ لِيٓ أَبِيٓ أَوۡ يَحۡكُمَ ٱللَّهُ لِيۖ وَهُوَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡحَٰكِمِينَ

Falamma istayasoo minhu khalasoo najiyyan qala kabeeruhum alam taAAlamoo anna abakum qad akhatha AAalaykum mawthiqan mina Allahi wamin qablu ma farrattum fee yoosufa falan abraha alarda hatta yathana lee abee aw yahkuma Allahu lee wahuwa khayru alhakimeena

Now when they saw no hope of his (yielding), they held a conference in private. The leader among them said: "Know ye not that your father did take an oath from you in Allah´s name, and how, before this, ye did fail in your duty with Joseph? Therefore will I not leave this land until my father permits me, or Allah commands me; and He is the best to command.