The Koran (Al-Qur'an) Part 24

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL G.o.d.

A.L.R. These are the signs of the perspicuous book; which we have sent down in the Arabic tongue, that, peradventure, ye might understand.

We relate unto thee a most excellent history, by revealing unto thee this Koran, whereas thou wast before one of the negligent.

When Joseph said unto his father, O my father, verily I saw in my dream eleven stars, and the sun and the moon; I saw them make obeisance unto me: Jacob said, O my child, tell not thy vision to thy brethren, lest they devise some plot against thee; for the devil is a professed enemy unto man; and thus, according to thy dream, shall thy LORD choose thee, and teach thee the interpretation of dark sayings, and he shall accomplish his favor upon thee and upon the family of Jacob, as he hath formerly accomplished it upon thy fathers Abraham and Isaac; for thy LORD is knowing and wise.

Surely in the history of Joseph and his brethren there are signs of G.o.d's providence to the inquisitive; when they said to one another, Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we, who are the greater number: our father certainly maketh a wrong judgment.

Wherefore slay Joseph, or drive him into some distant or desert part of the earth, and the face of your father shall be cleared towards you; and ye shall afterwards be people of integrity.

10 One of them spoke and said; Slay not Joseph, but throw him to the bottom of the well; and some travellers will take him up, if ye do this.

They said unto Jacob, O father, why dost thou not intrust Joseph with us, since we are sincere well-wishers unto him?

Send him with us to-morrow, into the field, that he may divert himself, and sport, and we will be his guardians.

Jacob answered, It grieveth me that ye take him away; and I fear lest the wolf devour him, while ye are negligent of him.

They said, Surely if the wolf devour him, when there are so many of us, we shall be weak indeed.

And when they had carried him with them, and agreed to set him at the bottom of the well, they executed their design: and we sent a revelation unto him, saying, Thou shalt hereafter declare this their action unto them; and they shall not perceive thee to be Joseph.

And they came to their father at even, weeping, and said, Father, we went and ran races with one another, and we left Joseph with our baggage, and the wolf hath devoured him; but thou wilt not believe us, although we speak the truth.

And they produced his inner garment stained with false blood. Jacob answered, Nay, but ye yourselves have contrived the thing for your own sakes: however patience is most becoming, and G.o.d'S a.s.sistance is to be implored to enable me to support the misfortune which ye relate.

And certain travellers came, and sent one to draw water for them; and he let down his bucket, and said, Good news! this is a youth. And they concealed him, that they might sell him as a piece of merchandise: but G.o.d knew that which they did.

20 And they sold him for a mean price, for a few pence, and valued him lightly.

And the Egyptian who bought him said to his wife, Use him honourably; peradventure he may be serviceable to us, or we may adopt him for our son.

Thus did we prepare an establishment for Joseph in the earth, and we taught him the interpretation of dark sayings: for G.o.d is well able to effect his purpose; but the greater part of men do not understand.

And when he had attained his age of strength, we bestowed on him wisdom, and knowledge; for thus do we recompense the righteous.

And she, in whose house he was, desired him to lie with her; and she shut the doors and said, Come hither. He answered, G.o.d forbid! verily my lord hath made my dwelling with him easy; and the ungrateful shall not prosper.

But she resolved within herself to enjoy him, and he would have resolved to enjoy her, had he not seen the evident demonstration of his LORD. So we turned away evil and filthiness from him, because he was one of our sincere servants.

And they ran to get one before the other to the door; and she rent his inner garment behind. And they met her lord at the door. She said, What shall be the reward of him who seeketh to commit evil in thy family, but imprisonment, and a painful punishment?

And Joseph said, She asked me to lie with her. And a witness of her family bore witness, saying, If his garment be rent before, she speaketh truth, and he is a liar: but if his garment be rent behind, she lieth, and he is a speaker of truth.

And when her husband saw that his garment was torn behind, he said, This is a cunning contrivance of your s.e.x; for surely your cunning is great.

O Joseph, take no farther notice of this affair: and thou, O woman, ask pardon for thy crime; for thou art a guilty person.

30 And certain women said publicly in the city, The n.o.bleman's wife asked her servant to lie with her; he hath inflamed her breast with his love; and we perceive her to be in manifest error.

And when she heard of their subtle behaviour, she sent unto them, and prepared a banquet for them, and she gave to each of them a knife; and she said unto Joseph, Come forth unto them. And when they saw him, they praised him greatly; and they cut their own hands, and said, O G.o.d! this is not a mortal; he is no other than an angel, deserving the highest respect.

And his mistress said, This is he, for whose sake ye blamed me: I asked him to lie with me, but he constantly refused. But if he do not perform that which I command him, he shall surely be cast into prison, and he shall be made one of the contemptible.

Joseph said, O LORD, a prison is more eligible unto me than the crime to which they invite me; but unless thou turn aside their snares from me, I shall youthfully incline unto them, and I shall become one of the foolish.

Wherefore his LORD heard him, and turned aside their snare from him; for he both heareth and knoweth.

And it seemed good unto them even after they had seen the signs of innocency, to imprison him for a time.

And there entered into the prison with him two of the king's servants.

One of them said, it seemed to me in my dream that I pressed wine out of grapes. And the other said, It seemed unto me in my dream that I carried bread on my head, whereof the birds did eat. Declare unto us the interpretation of our dreams, for we perceive that thou art a beneficent person.

Joseph answered, No food, wherewith ye may be nourished, shall come unto you, but I will declare unto you the interpretation thereof, before it come unto you. This knowledge is a part of that which my LORD hath taught me: for I have left the religion of people who believe not in G.o.d, and who deny the life to come; and I follow the religion of my fathers, Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.

It is not lawful for us to a.s.sociate anything with G.o.d. This knowledge of the divine unity hath been given us of the bounty of G.o.d towards us, and towards mankind; but the greater part of men are not thankful.

O my fellow-prisoners, are sundry lords better, or the only true and mighty G.o.d?

40 Ye wors.h.i.+p not, besides him other than the names which ye have named, ye and your fathers, concerning which G.o.d hath sent down no authoritative proof: yet judgment belongeth unto G.o.d alone; who hath commanded that ye wors.h.i.+p none besides him. This is the right religion; but the greater part of men know it not.

O my fellow-prisoners, verily the one of you shall serve wine unto his lord, as formerly; but the other shall be crucified, and the birds shall eat from off his head. The matter is decreed, concerning which ye seek to be informed.

And Joseph said unto him whom he judged to be the person who should escape of the two, Remember me in the presence of thy lord. But the devil caused him to forget to make mention of Joseph unto his lord; wherefore he remained in the prison some years.

And the king of Egypt said, Verily, I saw in my dream seven fat kine, which seven lean kine devoured, and seven green ears of corn, and other seven withered ears. O n.o.bles, expound my vision unto me, if ye be able to interpret a vision.

They answered, They are confused dreams, neither are we skilled in the interpretation of such kind of dreams.

And Joseph's fellow-prisoner who had been delivered, said, (for he remembered Joseph after a certain s.p.a.ce of time,) I will declare unto you the interpretation thereof; wherefore let me go unto the person who will interpret it unto me.

And he went to the prison, and said, O Joseph, thou man of veracity, teach us the interpretation of seven fat kine, which seven lean kine devoured; and of seven green ears of corn, and other seven withered ears, which the king saw in his dream; that I may return unto the men who have sent me, that peradventure they may understand the same.

Joseph answered, Ye shall sow seven years as usual: and the corn which ye shall reap, do ye leave in its ear, except a little whereof ye may eat.

Then shall there come, after this, seven grievous years of famine, which shall consume what ye shall have laid up as a provision for the same, except a little which ye shall have kept.

Then shall there come, after this, a year wherein men shall have plenty of rain, and wherein they shall press wine and oil.

50 And when the chief butler had reported this, the king said, Bring him unto me. And when the messenger came unto Joseph, he said, Return unto thy lord, and ask of him, what was the intent of the women who cut their hands; for my LORD well knoweth the snare which they laid for me.

And when the women were a.s.sembled before the king, he said unto them, What was your design, when ye solicited Joseph to unlawful love? They answered, G.o.d be praised! we know not any ill of him. The n.o.bleman's wife said, Now is the truth become manifest: I solicited him to lie with me; and he is one of those who speak truth.

And when Joseph was acquainted therewith, he said, This discovery hath been made, that my lord might know that I was not unfaithful unto him in his absence, and that G.o.d directeth not the plot of the deceivers.

Neither do I absolutely justify myself: since every soul is p.r.o.ne unto evil, except those on whom my LORD shall show mercy; for my LORD is gracious and merciful.

And the king said, Bring him unto me: I will take him into my own peculiar service. And when Joseph was brought unto the king, and he had discoursed with him, he said, Thou art this day firmly established with us, and shalt be intrusted with our affairs.

Joseph answered, Set me over the storehouses of the land; for I will be a skilful keeper thereof.

Thus did we establish Joseph in the land, that he might provide himself a dwelling therein, where he pleased. We bestow our mercy on whom we please, and we suffer not the reward of the righteous to perish: and certainly the reward of the next life is better, for those who believe, and fear G.o.d.

Moreover, Joseph's brethren came, and went in unto him; and he knew them, but they knew not him.

And when he had furnished them with their provisions, he said, Bring unto me your brother, the son of your father; do ye not see that I give full measure, and that I am the most hospitable receiver of guests?

60 But if ye bring him not unto me, there shall be no corn measured unto you from me, neither shall ye approach my presence.

They answered, We will endeavour to obtain him of his father, and we will certainly perform what thou requirest.

And Joseph said to his servants, Put their money, which they have paid for their corn; into their sacks, that they may perceive it, when they shall be returned to their family: peradventure they will come back unto us.

And when they were returned unto their father, they said, O father, it is forbidden to measure out corn unto us any more, unless we carry our brother Benjamin with us: wherefore send our brother with us, and we shall have corn measured unto us; and we will certainly guard him from any mischance.

Jacob answered, Shall I trust him with you with any better success than I trusted your brother Joseph with you heretofore? But G.o.d is the best guardian; and he is the most merciful of those that show mercy.

And when they opened their provision, they found their money had been returned unto them; and they said, O father, what do we desire farther? this our money hath been returned unto us; we will therefore return, and provide corn for our family: we will take care of our brother; and we shall receive a camel's burden more than we did the last time. This is a small quant.i.ty.

Jacob said, I will by no means send him with you, until ye give me a solemn promise, and swear by G.o.d that ye will certainly bring him back unto me, unless ye be encompa.s.sed by some inevitable impediment. And when they had given him their solemn promise, he said, G.o.d is witness of what we say.

And he said, My sons, enter not into the city by one and the same gate; but enter by different gates. But this precaution will be of no advantage unto you against the decree of G.o.d; for judgment belongeth unto G.o.d alone: in him do I put my trust, and in him let those confide who seek in whom to put their trust.

And when they entered the city, as their father had commanded them, it was of no advantage unto them against the decree of G.o.d; and the same served only to satisfy the desire of Jacob's soul, which he had charged them to perform: for he was endued with knowledge of that which we had taught him; but the greater part of men do not understand.

And when they entered into the presence of Joseph, he received his brother Benjamin as his guest, and said, Verily I am thy brother, be not therefore afflicted for that which they have committed against us.

70 And when he had furnished them with their provisions, he put his cup in his brother Benjamin's sack. Then a crier cried after them, saying, O company of travellers, ye are surely thieves.

They said, (and turned back unto them,) What is it that ye miss?

They answered, We miss the prince's cup: and unto him who shall produce it, shall be given a camel's load of corn, and I will be surety for the same.

Joseph's brethren replied, By G.o.d, ye do well know, that we come not to act corruptly in the land, neither are we thieves.

The Egyptians said, What shall be the reward of him, who shall appear to have stolen the cup, if ye be found liars?

Joseph's brethren answered, As to the reward of him, in whose sack it shall be found, let him become a bondman in satisfaction of the same: thus do we reward the unjust, who are guilty of theft.

Then he began by their sacks, before he searched the sack of his brother; and he drew out the cup from his brother's sack. Thus did we furnish Joseph with a stratagem. It was not lawful for him to take his brother for a bondman, by the law of the king of Egypt, had not G.o.d pleased to allow it, according to the offer of his brethren. We exalt to degrees of knowledge and honour whom we please: and there is one who is knowing above all those who are endued with knowledge.

His brethren said, If Benjamin be guilty of theft, his brother Joseph hath been also guilty of theft heretofore. But Joseph concealed these things in his mind, and did not discover them unto them: and he said within himself, Ye are in a worse condition than us two; and G.o.d best knoweth what ye discourse about.

They said unto Joseph, n.o.ble lord, verily this lad hath an aged father; wherefore take one of us in his stead; for we perceive that thou art a beneficent person.

Joseph answered, G.o.d forbid that we should take any other than him with whom we found our goods; for then should we certainly be unjust.

80 And when they despaired of obtaining Benjamin, they retired to confer privately together. And the elder of them said, Do ye not know that your father hath received a solemn promise from you, in the name of G.o.d, and how perfidiously ye behaved heretofore towards Joseph? Wherefore I will by no means depart the land of Egypt, until my father give me leave to return unto him, or G.o.d maketh known his will to me; for he is the best judge.

Return ye to your father, and say, O father, verily thy son hath committed theft; we bear witness of no more than what we know, and we could not guard against what we did not foresee: and do thou inquire in the city, where we have been, and of the company of merchants, with whom we are arrived, and thou wilt find that we speak the truth.

And when they were returned, and had spoken thus to their father, he said, Nay, but rather ye yourselves have contrived the thing for your own sakes, but patience is most proper for me; peradventure G.o.d will restore them all unto me; for he is knowing and wise.

And he turned from them and said, Oh how I am grieved for Joseph! And his eyes became white with mourning, he being oppressed with deep sorrow.

His sons said, By G.o.d, thou wilt not cease to remember Joseph until thou be brought to death's door, or thou be actually destroyed by excessive affliction.

He answered, I only represent my grief, which I am not able to contain, and my sorrow unto G.o.d, but I know by revelation from G.o.d that which ye know not.

O my sons, go and make inquiry after Joseph and his brother; and despair not of the mercy of G.o.d; for none despaireth of G.o.d's mercy, except the unbelieving people.

Wherefore Joseph's brethren returned into Egypt: and when they came into his presence, they said, n.o.ble lord, the famine is felt by us and our family, and we are come with a small sum of money: yet give unto us full measure, and bestow corn upon us as alms; for G.o.d rewardeth the almsgivers.

Joseph said unto them, Do ye know what ye did unto Joseph and his brother, when ye were ignorant of the consequences thereof?

90 They answered, Art thou really Joseph? He replied, I am Joseph; and this is my brother. Now hath G.o.d been gracious unto us. For whoso feareth G.o.d, and persevereth with patience, shall at length find relief; since G.o.d will not suffer the reward of the righteous to perish.

They said, By G.o.d, now hath G.o.d chosen thee above us; and we have surely been sinners.

Joseph answered, Let there be no reproach cast on you this day. G.o.d forgiveth you; for he is the most merciful of those who show mercy.

Depart ye with this my inner garment, and throw it on my father's face; and he shall recover his sight: and then come unto me with all your family.

And when the company of travellers was departed from Egypt on their journey towards Canaan, their father said, unto those who were about him, Verily I perceive the smell of Joseph; although ye think that I dote.

They answered, By G.o.d, thou art in thy old mistake.

But when the messenger of good tidings was come with Joseph's inner garment, he threw it over his face; and he recovered his eyesight.

And Jacob said, Did I not tell you that I knew from G.o.d, that which ye knew not?

They answered, O father, ask pardon of our sins for us, for we have surely been sinners.

He replied, I will surely ask pardon for you of my LORD; for he is gracious and merciful.

And when Jacob and his family arrived in Egypt, and were introduced unto Joseph, he received his parents unto him, and said, Enter ye into Egypt, by G.o.d'S favor, in full security.

100 And he raised his parents to the seat of state, and they, together with his brethren, fell down and did obeisance unto him. And he said, O my father, this is the interpretation of my vision, which I saw heretofore: now hath my LORD rendered it true. And he hath surely been gracious unto me, since he took me forth from the prison, and hath brought you hither from the desert; after that the devil had sown discord between me any my brethren: for my LORD is gracious unto whom he pleaseth; and he is the knowing, the wise G.o.d.

O LORD, thou hast given me a part of the kingdom, and hast taught me the interpretation of dark sayings. The Creator of heaven and earth! thou art my protector in this world, and in that which is to come: make me to die a Moslem, and join me with the righteous.

This is a secret history which we reveal unto thee, O Mohammed, although thou wast not present with the brethren of Joseph, when they concerted their design, and contrived a plot against him.

But the greater part of men, although they earnestly desire it, will not believe.