وَلَمّا دَخَلوا مِن حَيثُ أَمَرَهُم أَبوهُم ما كانَ يُغني عَنهُم مِنَ اللَّهِ مِن شَيءٍ إِلّا حاجَةً في نَفسِ يَعقوبَ قَضاها ۚ وَإِنَّهُ لَذو عِلمٍ لِما عَلَّمناهُ وَلـٰكِنَّ أَكثَرَ النّاسِ لا يَعلَمونَ

Despite entering as their father had instructed them, it didn’t alter God’s plan. But it was a need in Jacob’s soul. He was endowed with knowledge from what We had taught him, but most people don’t know.

وَلَمّا دَخَلوا عَلىٰ يوسُفَ آوىٰ إِلَيهِ أَخاهُ ۖ قالَ إِنّي أَنا أَخوكَ فَلا تَبتَئِس بِما كانوا يَعمَلونَ

When they presented themselves to Joseph, he drew his brother close to him, and he whispered, “I am your brother, so don’t be disheartened by their behavior.”

فَلَمّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهازِهِم جَعَلَ السِّقايَةَ في رَحلِ أَخيهِ ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ أَيَّتُهَا العيرُ إِنَّكُم لَسارِقونَ

As he prepared their provisions, he discreetly placed the goblet in his brother’s saddlebag. Then a herald shouted, “O people of the caravan! You are surely thieves!”

قالوا وَأَقبَلوا عَلَيهِم ماذا تَفقِدونَ

Upon being summoned, they were asked, “What have you lost?”

قالوا نَفقِدُ صُواعَ المَلِكِ وَلِمَن جاءَ بِهِ حِملُ بَعيرٍ وَأَنا بِهِ زَعيمٌ

“We lost the king’s goblet,” they replied. “Whoever brings it will receive a camel-load, and I guarantee it.”

قالوا فَما جَزاؤُهُ إِن كُنتُم كاذِبينَ

They were further asked, “What should be his penalty if you are proven to be lying?”

قالوا جَزاؤُهُ مَن وُجِدَ في رَحلِهِ فَهُوَ جَزاؤُهُ ۚ كَذٰلِكَ نَجزِي الظّالِمينَ

They replied, “His penalty—if it’s found in his bag—will be that he will become yours. This is how we penalize the wrongdoers.”

فَبَدَأَ بِأَوعِيَتِهِم قَبلَ وِعاءِ أَخيهِ ثُمَّ استَخرَجَها مِن وِعاءِ أَخيهِ ۚ كَذٰلِكَ كِدنا لِيوسُفَ ۖ ما كانَ لِيَأخُذَ أَخاهُ في دينِ المَلِكِ إِلّا أَن يَشاءَ اللَّهُ ۚ نَرفَعُ دَرَجاتٍ مَن نَشاءُ ۗ وَفَوقَ كُلِّ ذي عِلمٍ عَليمٌ

He began with their bags before his brother’s, and eventually, he retrieved it from his brother’s bag. Thus did We devise a plan for Joseph. He couldn’t have detained his brother under the king’s law, unless God had so willed. We raise in ranks whom We will, and above every possessor of knowledge, there is One more knowledgeable.

قالوا إِن يَسرِق فَقَد سَرَقَ أَخٌ لَهُ مِن قَبلُ ۚ فَأَسَرَّها يوسُفُ في نَفسِهِ وَلَم يُبدِها لَهُم ۚ قالَ أَنتُم شَرٌّ مَكانًا ۖ وَاللَّهُ أَعلَمُ بِما تَصِفونَ

They exclaimed, “If he has stolen, a brother of his committed theft before.” But Joseph kept this to himself and didn’t disclose it to them. He said, “You’re in a worse position, and God knows best what you describe.”

قالوا يا أَيُّهَا العَزيزُ إِنَّ لَهُ أَبًا شَيخًا كَبيرًا فَخُذ أَحَدَنا مَكانَهُ ۖ إِنّا نَراكَ مِنَ المُحسِنينَ

They pleaded, “O Noble one, he has an elderly father, so take one of us in his place. We see you as a good-doer.”