12:1  Alif. Lam. Ra. These are the signs of the clear Book

12:2  Truly We sent it down as an Arabic Quran, that haply you may understand

12:3  We recount unto thee the most beautiful of stories by Our having revealed unto thee this Quran, though before it thou wert among the heedless

12:4  When Joseph said unto his father, “O my father, truly I have seen eleven stars, and the sun and the moon. I saw them prostrating before me.

12:5  He said, “O my son! Recount not thy vision to thy brothers, lest they devise some scheme against thee. Surely Satan is a manifest enemy unto man

12:6  Thus shall thy Lord choose thee, and teach thee the interpretation of events, and complete His Blessing upon thee, and upon the House of Jacob, just as He completed it upon thy forefathers, Abraham and Isaac. Truly thy Lord is Knowing, Wise.

12:7  Certainly in Joseph and his brothers there are signs for the inquiring

12:8  [Remember] when they said, “Truly Joseph and his brother are more beloved unto our father than are we, though we are a group. Surely our father is in manifest error

12:9  Slay Joseph, or cast him out to some land, that your father’s concern might be for you. And be, thereafter, a righteous people.

12:10  One among them said, “Slay not Joseph, but cast him into the depths of the well, that some caravan might pick him up, if you would take some action.

12:11  They said, “O father! What ails thee that thou dost not trust us with Joseph? Truly we wish him well

12:12  Send him forth with us tomorrow, to frolic and play. We shall surely be his keepers.

12:13  He said, “Truly it grieves me that you should go with him. And I fear that the wolf may eat him, while you are heedless of him.

12:14  They said, “If the wolf should eat him, while we are a group, then we would surely be losers!

12:15  So when they went with him, and agreed to put him in the depths of the well, We revealed unto him, “Verily thou wilt inform them of this affair of theirs, when they are unaware.

12:16  And in the evening they came weeping unto their father

12:17  They said, “O father! We went racing with one another, and left Joseph with our things, and the wolf ate him. But thou wouldst not believe us, even if we were truthful.

12:18  And they brought forth his shirt with false blood. He said, “Nay, your souls have seduced you in this matter. Beautiful patience! And God is the One Whose help is sought against that which you describe.

12:19  And then a caravan came along and sent their water carrier, and he let down his bucket. He said, “Good news! Here is a boy!” So they hid him as merchandise. And God knew well what they were doing

12:20  And they sold him for a low price, a number of dirhams, for they valued him not

12:21  The man from Egypt who bought him said unto his wife, “Give him honorable accommodation. It may be that he will bring us some benefit, or that we may take him as a son.” And thus did We establish Joseph in the land, that We might teach him the interpretation of events. And God prevails over His affair, but most of mankind know not

12:22  When he reached his maturity, We gave him wisdom and knowledge. Thus do We recompense the virtuous

12:23  But she in whose house he was staying sought to lure him from himself. She locked the doors and said, “Come, thou!” He said, “God be my refuge! Truly He is my lord, and has made beautiful my accommodation. Verily the wrongdoers will not prosper!

12:24  She indeed inclined toward him, and he would have inclined toward her, had he not seen the proof of his Lord. Thus it was, that We might turn him away from evil and indecency. Truly he was among Our sincere servants

12:25  And they raced to the door, while she tore his shirt from behind. And they encountered her master at the door. She said, “What is the recompense for one who desires ill toward thy wife, save that he be imprisoned, or a painful punishment?

12:26  He said, “It was she who sought to lure me from myself.” And a witness from her own people testified, “If his shirt is torn from the front, then she has spoken the truth and he is among the liars

12:27  But if his shirt is torn from behind, then she has lied and he is among the truthful.

12:28  So when he saw that his shirt was torn from behind, he said, “Verily this is among the schemes of you women—your scheming is great indeed

12:29  Joseph, turn away from this. And you, seek forgiveness for your sin. Truly you were among those at fault.

12:30  Some women of the city said, “The viceroy’s wife sought to lure her slave boy from himself! He has filled her with ardent love. Truly we consider her to be in manifest error.

12:31  So when she heard of their plotting, she sent for them, and prepared a repast for them, and gave each of them a knife. And she said [to Joseph], “Come out before them!” Then when they saw him, they so admired him that they cut their hands and said, “God be praised! This is no human being. This is naught but a noble angel!

12:32  She said, “This is the one on whose account you blamed me. I indeed sought to lure him from himself, but he remained chaste. And if he does not do as I command, he shall surely be imprisoned; and he shall be among those humbled.

12:33  He said, “My Lord! Prison is dearer to me than that to which they call me. If Thou dost not turn their scheming away from me, I shall incline toward them and be among the ignorant.

12:34  So his Lord answered him, and turned their scheming away from him. Truly He is the Hearing, the Knowing

12:35  Then it occurred to them, after they had seen the signs, that they should imprison him for a time

12:36  Now two young men entered the prison with him. One of them said, “Truly I see myself [in a dream] pressing wine.” The other said, “Truly I see myself [in a dream] carrying bread atop my head, from which the birds eat.” “Inform us of its interpretation. Truly we see you as being among the virtuous.

12:37  He said, “No food with which you are provided will come unto you, save that I shall inform you of its interpretation before it comes. This is among the things my Lord has taught me. I forsake the creed of a people who believe not in God, and they who are disbelievers in the Hereafter

12:38  And I follow the creed of my fathers, Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob. It is not for us to ascribe any partners unto God. That is from the bounty God has bestowed upon us and upon mankind, but most of mankind do not give thanks

12:39  O my fellow prisoners! Are diverse lords better, or God, the One, the Paramount

12:40  You worship apart from Him naught but names that you have named—you and your fathers—for which God has sent down no authority. Judgment belongs to God alone. He commands that you worship none but Him. That is the upright religion, but most of mankind know not.

12:41  my fellow prisoners! As for one of you, he shall serve wine to his lord. But as for the other, he shall be crucified, and the birds will eat from his head. The matter about which you inquired has been decreed.

12:42  And he said to the one of them whom he knew would be saved, “Mention me to your lord.” But Satan caused him to forget to make mention to his lord. So he remained in prison for several years

12:43  And the king said, “Verily I see [in a dream] seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones; and seven green heads of grain, and others dry

12:44  notables! Give me your opinion on my vision, if you can interpret visions.

12:45  They said, “What confused dreams! And we are not experts in the interpretation of dreams!

12:46  Now the one who had been saved among the two said, remembering after a while, “I shall inform you of its interpretation, so send me forth.

12:47  “Joseph, O truthful one! Give us thine opinion concerning seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green heads of grain, and others dry, that haply I may return to the people, that they might know.

12:48  He said, “You will sow diligently for seven years. Then whatever you harvest, leave in its ear, save a little that you eat

12:49  Then after this will come seven hard [years] which will devour that which you have saved in advance for them, save a little of that which you have stored

12:50  Then after this will come a year wherein people will be granted succor, and wherein they will press [wine and oil].

12:51  The king said, “Bring him to me!” So when the messenger came to him he said, “Return to your lord and ask him, ‘What of the women who cut their hands? Surely my Lord knows well their scheming!’

12:52  He said, “What was your purpose when you sought to lure Joseph from himself?” They said, “God be praised! We know no evil against him.” The viceroy’s wife said, “Now the truth has come to light. It was I who sought to lure him from himself, and verily he is among the truthful.

12:53  “This is so, that he may know that I betrayed him not in his absence. Truly God guides not the scheming of the treacherous

12:54  But I absolve not my own soul. Surely the soul commands to evil, save whom my Lord may show mercy. Truly my Lord is Forgiving, Merciful.

12:55  And the king said, “Bring him to me, that I might reserve him exclusively for myself.” Then when he had spoken with him, he said, “Truly this day thou shalt be of high rank and trusted in our presence.

12:56  He said, “Set me over the storehouses of the land. Truly I am a skilled keeper.

12:57  Thus did We establish Joseph in the land, that there he might settle wheresoever he will. We cause Our Mercy to fall upon whomsoever We will, and We neglect not the reward of the virtuous

12:58  And the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believe and are reverent

12:59  The brothers of Joseph came and entered upon him, and he recognized them, while they knew him not

12:60  And when he had arranged for their provisions, he said, “Bring me a brother of yours from your father. Do you not see that I give full measure, and that I am the best of hosts

12:61  But if you bring him not unto me, you shall have no measure from me, nor shall you come nigh unto me.” a They said, “We shall seek to lure him from his father; that we shall surely do.

12:62  He said to his servant boys, “Put their merchandise in their saddlebags. Perchance they will recognize it when they have gone back to their people; perchance they will return.

12:63  So when they returned to their father, they said, “O father! The measure has been withheld from us. So send our brother with us that we might obtain the measure. We shall surely be his keepers.

12:64  He said, “Should I entrust him to you as I entrusted his brother to you aforetime? But God is the best of keepers, and He is the most Merciful of the merciful.

12:65  And when they opened their belongings, they found their merchandise had been returned to them. They said, “O father! What [more] do we seek? This is our merchandise returned unto us! Now we can provide for our family, and keep watch over our brother, while getting another camel-load—these are meager rations!

12:66  He said, “I will not send him forth with you till you give me a solemn pledge before God that you will surely bring him back to me, unless you are surrounded.” So when they gave their solemn pledge, he said, “God is Guardian over what we say.

12:67  And he said, “O my sons! Enter not by one gate, but enter by separate gates. Yet, I cannot avail you aught against God. Judgment belongs to God alone. I trust in Him; and let those who trust, trust in Him.

12:68  And when they entered whence their father had commanded them, it did not avail them aught against God, but it fulfilled a need in Jacob’s soul. Truly he was possessed of knowledge because of that which We taught him, but most of mankind know not

12:69  And when they entered upon Joseph, he drew his brother close to himself and said, “Truly I am your brother; so be not distressed on account of that which they used to do.

12:70  And when he had made ready their provisions, he put the drinking cup into his brother’s saddlebag. Then a herald cried out, “O you men of the caravan! Truly you are thieves!

12:71  Turning toward them, they said, “What are you missing?

12:72  They said, “We are missing the goblet of the king.” “For whosoever brings it forth, there shall be a camel-load. I shall be its guarantor.

12:73  They said, “By God, you certainly know that we came not to work corruption in the land, and we are not thieves.

12:74  They said, “And what will be the recompense for it if you be liars?

12:75  They said, “Its recompense will be that he in whose saddlebag it is found—he himself shall be its recompense. Thus do we recompense the wrongdoers.

12:76  Then he began with their baggage, before the baggage of his brother. Then he removed it from his brother’s baggage. Thus did We devise a scheme for Joseph. Under the king’s law, he could not have taken his brother unless God willed. We raise in degrees whomsoever We will, and above every possessor of knowledge is a knower

12:77  They said, “If he has stolen, a brother of his had stolen aforetime.” But Joseph kept it secret in his soul and disclosed it not unto them. He said, “You are in a worse position! And God knows best concerning that which you describe.

12:78  They said, “O viceroy! He has a venerable, aged father; so take one of us in his place. Truly we see you as being among the virtuous.

12:79  He said, “God be my refuge that we should take any save the one with whom we found our property! For then we would surely be wrongdoers.

12:80  So when they despaired of [swaying] him, they conferred privately. The eldest of them said, “Do you not know that your father has taken a solemn pledge from you before God, and earlier you neglected Joseph? Thus I shall not depart from this land till my father grants me leave, or God renders judgment upon me, and He is the best of judges

12:81  Return unto your father and say, ‘O father! Verily your son has committed theft. And we bore witness to that which we knew, but we are not keepers of the unseen

12:82  So ask the town wherein we were, and the caravan with which we approached. Verily we are truthful.’

12:83  He said, “Nay, your souls have seduced you in this matter. Beautiful patience! It may be that God will bring them to me all together. Truly He is the Knowing, the Wise.

12:84  And he turned away from them and said, “Oh, how great is my grief for Joseph!” His eyes had turned white with grief, and he was choked with anguish

12:85  They said, “By God, wilt thou go on remembering Joseph till thou art ill to the point of death, or till thou hast perished?

12:86  He said, “I complain of my sorrow and grief to God alone. And I know from God that which you know not

12:87  O my sons! Go and inquire about Joseph and his brother and despair not of God’s Comfort; truly none despairs of God’s Comfort save the disbelieving people.

12:88  So when they entered upon him they said, “O viceroy! Affliction has befallen us and our people. We bring but meager merchandise; yet grant us full measure and be charitable unto us. Truly God shall recompense the charitable.

12:89  He said, “Do you know what you have done with Joseph and his brother, when you were ignorant?

12:90  They said, “Art thou indeed Joseph?” He said, “I am Joseph and this is my brother. God has been gracious unto us. Verily whosoever is reverent and patient—surely God neglects not the reward of the virtuous.

12:91  “By God!” they said, “God has preferred thee over us, and we were at fault.

12:92  He said, “There is no reproach against you this day. God will forgive you. And He is the most Merciful of the merciful

12:93  Take this shirt of mine and cast it upon my father’s face; he will come to see. And bring me your family, all together.

12:94  And as the caravan set off, their father said, “Truly I sense the scent of Joseph, if you think me not senile!

12:95  They said, “By God! Truly thou art astray as of old.

12:96  And when the bearer of glad tidings came, he cast it upon his face and he was restored to sight. He said, “Did I not say unto you that I know from God that which you know not?

12:97  They said, “O father! Seek forgiveness for us from our sins. Truly we were at fault.

12:98  He said, “I shall indeed seek forgiveness for you from my Lord. Truly He is Forgiving, Merciful.

12:99  So when they entered upon Joseph, he drew his parents close to himself and said, “Enter Egypt in security, if God wills!

12:100  And he raised his parents up to the throne, and they [all] fell prostrate toward him. He said, “O my father! This is the fulfillment of my vision; my Lord has made it come true. He was good to me when He brought me forth from prison, and brought thee from the desert, after Satan incited evil between my brothers and me. Indeed, my Lord is Subtle in that which He wills. Truly He is the Knower, the Wise

12:101  My Lord! Thou hast given me something of sovereignty, and taught me the interpretation of events. Originator of the heavens and the earth! Thou art my Protector in this world and in the Hereafter! Take me as a submitter unto Thyself, and admit me to the company of the righteous.

12:102  These are among the accounts of the unseen which We reveal unto thee. And thou wert not with them when they decided upon their affair and plotted

12:103  And most of mankind, however much thou mightest desire, are not believers

12:104  And thou askest of them no reward for it; it is naught but a reminder for the worlds

12:105  How many a sign is there in the heavens and on the earth by which they pass; yet they turn away from them

12:106  And most of them believe not in God, save that they ascribe partners unto Him

12:107  Do they feel secure from the coming of an overwhelming punishment from God upon them? Or from the coming of the Hour suddenly, while they are unaware

12:108  Say, “This is my way. I call unto God with clear sight—I, and those who follow me. Glory be to God! And I am not among those who ascribe partners unto God.

12:109  And We sent none before thee, save men unto whom We sent revelation among the people of the towns. Have they not journeyed upon the earth and observed how those before them fared in the end? And the Abode of the Hereafter is better for those who are reverent. Do you not understand

12:110  Till, when the messengers despaired and thought that they were deemed liars, Our Help came unto them, and whosoever We willed was saved. And Our Might shall not be turned back from the guilty people

12:111  Certainly in their stories is a lesson for those possessed of intellect. It is not a fabricated account; rather, it is a confirmation of that which came before it, and an elaboration of all things, and a guidance and a mercy for a people who believe