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.”

قالَ مَعاذَ اللَّهِ أَن نَأخُذَ إِلّا مَن وَجَدنا مَتاعَنا عِندَهُ إِنّا إِذًا لَظالِمونَ

He replied, “God forbid that we should take anyone but him with whom we found our property. Otherwise, we would be unjust.”

فَلَمَّا استَيأَسوا مِنهُ خَلَصوا نَجِيًّا ۖ قالَ كَبيرُهُم أَلَم تَعلَموا أَنَّ أَباكُم قَد أَخَذَ عَلَيكُم مَوثِقًا مِنَ اللَّهِ وَمِن قَبلُ ما فَرَّطتُم في يوسُفَ ۖ فَلَن أَبرَحَ الأَرضَ حَتّىٰ يَأذَنَ لي أَبي أَو يَحكُمَ اللَّهُ لي ۖ وَهُوَ خَيرُ الحاكِمينَ

When they despaired of him, they withdrew to confer privately. Their eldest said, “Don’t you remember that your father received a solemn pledge from you before God, and how you were previously lax towards Joseph? I won’t leave this land until my father permits me, or God decides for me. He is the best of judges.”

ارجِعوا إِلىٰ أَبيكُم فَقولوا يا أَبانا إِنَّ ابنَكَ سَرَقَ وَما شَهِدنا إِلّا بِما عَلِمنا وَما كُنّا لِلغَيبِ حافِظينَ

“Go back to your father, and say, ‘O our father, your son committed theft, and we testify only to what we know, and we couldn’t guard against the unforeseen.’”

وَاسأَلِ القَريَةَ الَّتي كُنّا فيها وَالعيرَ الَّتي أَقبَلنا فيها ۖ وَإِنّا لَصادِقونَ

“Also, ask about the town where we’ve been, the caravan in which we returned; we are being truthful.”

وَتَوَلّىٰ عَنهُم وَقالَ يا أَسَفىٰ عَلىٰ يوسُفَ وَابيَضَّت عَيناهُ مِنَ الحُزنِ فَهُوَ كَظيمٌ

Then he turned away from them, lamenting, “Oh, my grief for Joseph!” His eyes turned white from grief, and he became depressed.

قالوا تَاللَّهِ تَفتَأُ تَذكُرُ يوسُفَ حَتّىٰ تَكونَ حَرَضًا أَو تَكونَ مِنَ الهالِكينَ

They exclaimed, “By God, you won’t stop remembering Joseph until you ruin your health, or until you pass away.”

قالَ إِنَّما أَشكو بَثّي وَحُزني إِلَى اللَّهِ وَأَعلَمُ مِنَ اللَّهِ ما لا تَعلَمونَ

He replied, “I only express my distress and anguish to God, and I know from God what you don’t know.”

يا بَنِيَّ اذهَبوا فَتَحَسَّسوا مِن يوسُفَ وَأَخيهِ وَلا تَيأَسوا مِن رَوحِ اللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُ لا يَيأَسُ مِن رَوحِ اللَّهِ إِلَّا القَومُ الكافِرونَ

“O my sons, go and search for Joseph and his brother, and never despair of God’s mercy. None despairs of God’s mercy except the disbelieving people.”

فَلَمّا دَخَلوا عَلَيهِ قالوا يا أَيُّهَا العَزيزُ مَسَّنا وَأَهلَنَا الضُّرُّ وَجِئنا بِبِضاعَةٍ مُزجاةٍ فَأَوفِ لَنَا الكَيلَ وَتَصَدَّق عَلَينا ۖ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَجزِي المُتَصَدِّقينَ

Upon entering his presence, they pleaded, “Your Excellency, adversity has touched us and our family, and we brought only a paltry sum. Please, give us full measure and be charitable to us. Truly, God rewards the charitable.”