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

They said, "O 'Azeez, indeed he has a father [who is] an old man, so take one of us in place of him. Indeed, we see you as a doer of good."

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

He said, "[I seek] the refuge of Allah [to prevent] that we take except him with whom we found our possession. Indeed, we would then 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

So when they had despaired of him, they secluded themselves in private consultation. The eldest of them said, "Do you not know that your father has taken upon you an oath by Allah and [that] before you failed in [your duty to] Joseph? So I will never leave [this] land until my father permits me or Allah decides for me, and He is the best of judges.

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

Return to your father and say, "O our father, indeed your son has stolen, and we did not testify except to what we knew. And we were not witnesses of the unseen,

وَاسأَلِ القَريَةَ الَّتي كُنّا فيها وَالعيرَ الَّتي أَقبَلنا فيها ۖ وَإِنّا لَصادِقونَ

And ask the city in which we were and the caravan in which we came - and indeed, we are truthful,"

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

And he turned away from them and said, "Oh, my sorrow over Joseph," and his eyes became white from grief, for he was [of that] a suppressor.

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

They said, "By Allah, you will not cease remembering Joseph until you become fatally ill or become of those who perish."

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

He said, "I only complain of my suffering and my grief to Allah, and I know from Allah that which you do not 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 find out about Joseph and his brother and despair not of relief from Allah. Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah 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

So when they entered upon Joseph, they said, "O 'Azeez, adversity has touched us and our family, and we have come with goods poor in quality, but give us full measure and be charitable to us. Indeed, Allah rewards the charitable."