Part 18 (1/2)

57. But verily the reward of the Hereafter is the best, for those who But verily the reward of the Hereafter is the best, for those who believe, and are constant in righteousness.

58. Then came Joseph's brethren: they entered his presence, and he Then came Joseph's brethren: they entered his presence, and he knew them, but they knew him not.

59. And when he had furnished them forth with provisions (suitable) And when he had furnished them forth with provisions (suitable) for them, he said: ”Bring unto me a brother ye have, of the same father as yourselves, (but a different mother): see ye not that I pay out full measure, and that I do provide the best hospitality?

60. ”Now if ye bring him not to me, ye shall have no measure (of ”Now if ye bring him not to me, ye shall have no measure (of corn) from me, nor shall ye (even) come near me.”

61. They said: ”We shall certainly seek to get our wish about him They said: ”We shall certainly seek to get our wish about him from his father: Indeed we shall do it.”

62. And (Joseph) told his servants to put their stock-in-trade (with And (Joseph) told his servants to put their stock-in-trade (with which they had bartered) into their saddle-bags, so they should know it only when they returned to their people, in order that they might come back.

63. Now when they returned to their father, they said: ”O our father! Now when they returned to their father, they said: ”O our father!

No more measure of grain shall we get (unless we take our brother): So send our brother with us, that we may get our measure; and we will indeed take every care of him.”

64. He said: ”Shall I trust you with him with any result other than He said: ”Shall I trust you with him with any result other than when I trusted you with his brother aforetime? But Allah is the best to take care (of him), and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy!”

65. Then when they opened their baggage, they found their stock-intrade had been returned to them. They said: ”O our father! What (more) Then when they opened their baggage, they found their stock-intrade had been returned to them. They said: ”O our father! What (more) can we desire? this our stock-in-trade has been returned to us: so we shall get (more) food for our family; We shall take care of our brother; and add (at the same time) a full camel's load (of grain to our provisions).

This is but a small quant.i.ty.

66. (Jacob) said: ”Never will I send him with you until ye swear a (Jacob) said: ”Never will I send him with you until ye swear a solemn oath to me, in Allah's name, that ye will be sure to bring him back to me unless ye are yourselves hemmed in (and made powerless). And when they had sworn their solemn oath, he said: ”Over all that we say, be Allah the witness and guardian!”

67. Further he said: ”O my sons! enter not all by one gate: enter ye Further he said: ”O my sons! enter not all by one gate: enter ye by different gates. Not that I can profit you aught against Allah (with my advice): None can command except Allah. On Him do I put my trust: and let all that trust put their trust on Him.”

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68. And when they entered in the manner their father had enjoined, And when they entered in the manner their father had enjoined, it did not profit them in the least against (the plan of) Allah. It was but a necessity of Jacob's soul, which he discharged. For he was, by our instruction, full of knowledge (and experience): but most men know not.

69. Now when they came into Joseph's presence, he received his Now when they came into Joseph's presence, he received his (full) brother to stay with him. He said (to him): ”Behold! I am thy (own) brother; so grieve not at aught of their doings.”

70. At length when he had furnished them forth with provisions At length when he had furnished them forth with provisions (suitable) for them, he put the drinking cup into his brother's saddle-bag.

Then shouted out a crier: ”O ye (in) the caravan! behold! ye are thieves, without doubt!”

71. They said, turning towards them: ”What is it that ye miss?” They said, turning towards them: ”What is it that ye miss?”

72. They said: ”We miss the great beaker of the king; for him who 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.”

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

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

75. They said: ”The penalty should be that he in whose saddle-bag it 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!”

76. So he began (the search) with their baggage, before (he came to) 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.

77. They said: ”If he steals, there was a brother of his who did steal 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 a.s.sert!”

78. They said: ”O exalted one! Behold! he has a father, aged and 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.”

79. He said: ”(Allah) forbid that we take other than him with whom 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.

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80. Now when they saw no hope of his (yielding), they held a 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.

81. ”Turn ye back to your father, and say, 'O our father! behold! thy ”Turn ye back to your father, and say, 'O our father! behold! thy son committed theft! we bear witness only to what we know, and we could not well guard against the unseen!

82. ”'Ask at the town where we have been and the caravan in which ”'Ask at the town where we have been and the caravan in which we returned, and (you will find) we are indeed telling the truth.'”

83. Jacob said: ”Nay, but ye have yourselves contrived a story (good Jacob said: ”Nay, but ye have yourselves contrived a story (good enough) for you. So patience is most fitting (for me). Maybe Allah will bring them (back) all to me (in the end). For He is indeed full of knowledge and wisdom.”

84. And he turned away from them, and said: ”How great is my grief And he turned away from them, and said: ”How great is my grief for Joseph!” And his eyes became white with sorrow, and he fell into silent melancholy.

85. They said: ”By Allah. (never) wilt thou cease to remember Joseph They said: ”By Allah. (never) wilt thou cease to remember Joseph until thou reach the last extremity of illness, or until thou die!”

86. He said: ”I only complain of my distraction and anguish to Allah, He said: ”I only complain of my distraction and anguish to Allah, and I know from Allah that which ye know not...

87. ”O my sons! go ye and enquire about Joseph and his brother, and ”O my sons! go ye and enquire about Joseph and his brother, and never give up hope of Allah's Soothing Mercy: truly no one despairs of Allah's Soothing Mercy, except those who have no faith.”

88. Then, when they came (back) into (Joseph's) presence they said: Then, when they came (back) into (Joseph's) presence they said: ”O exalted one! distress has seized us and our family: we have (now) brought but scanty capital: so pay us full measure, (we pray thee), and treat it as charity to us: for Allah doth reward the charitable.”

89. He said: ”Know ye how ye dealt with Joseph and his brother, not He said: ”Know ye how ye dealt with Joseph and his brother, not knowing (what ye were doing)?”

90. They said: ”Art thou indeed Joseph?” He said, ”I am Joseph, and They said: ”Art thou indeed Joseph?” He said, ”I am Joseph, and this is my brother: Allah has indeed been gracious to us (all): behold, he that is righteous and patient,-never will Allah suffer the reward to be lost, of those who do right.”

91. They said: ”By Allah. indeed has Allah preferred thee above us, They said: ”By Allah. indeed has Allah preferred thee above us, and we certainly have been guilty of sin!”

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92. He said: ”This day let no reproach be (cast) on you: Allah will He said: ”This day let no reproach be (cast) on you: Allah will forgive you, and He is the Most Merciful of those who show mercy!

93. ”Go with this my s.h.i.+rt, and cast it over the face of my father: he ”Go with this my s.h.i.+rt, and cast it over the face of my father: he will come to see (clearly). Then come ye (here) to me together with all your family.”

94. When the caravan left (Egypt), their father said: ”I do indeed When the caravan left (Egypt), their father said: ”I do indeed scent the presence of Joseph: Nay, think me not a dotard.”

95. They said: ”By Allah. truly thou art in thine old wandering mind.” They said: ”By Allah. truly thou art in thine old wandering mind.”

96. Then when the bearer of the good news came, He cast (the s.h.i.+rt) Then when the bearer of the good news came, He cast (the s.h.i.+rt) over his face, and he forthwith regained clear sight. He said: ”Did I not say to you, 'I know from Allah that which ye know not?'”

97. They said: ”O our father! ask for us forgiveness for our sins, for They said: ”O our father! ask for us forgiveness for our sins, for we were truly at fault.”

98. He said: ”Soon will I ask my Lord for forgiveness for you: for he He said: ”Soon will I ask my Lord for forgiveness for you: for he is indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

99. Then when they entered the presence of Joseph, he provided a Then when they entered the presence of Joseph, he provided a home for his parents with himself, and said: ”Enter ye Egypt (all) in safety if it please Allah.”

100. And he raised his parents high on the throne (of dignity), and And he raised his parents high on the throne (of dignity), and they fell down in prostration, (all) before him. He said: ”O my father! this is the fulfilment of my vision of old! Allah hath made it come true! He was indeed good to me when He took me out of prison and brought you (all here) out of the desert, (even) after Satan had sown enmity between me and my brothers. Verily my Lord understandeth best the mysteries of all that He planneth to do, for verily He is full of knowledge and wisdom.