۞ And women in the city said, "The wife of al-'Azeez is seeking to seduce her slave boy; he has impassioned her with love. Indeed, we see her [to be] in clear error." 30 Then, when she heard of their cunning talk, she sent unto them a messenger, and got ready for them a cushioned couch, and gave a knife to each of them. And she said: come forth to them. Then when they saw him, they were astonished at him, and they made a cut in their hands, and said: how perfect is God! no man is he: he is naught but an angel noble. 31 She said: "There before you is the man about whom ye did blame me! I did seek to seduce him from his (true) self but he did firmly save himself guiltless!.... and now, if he doth not my bidding, he shall certainly be cast into prison, and (what is more) be of the company of the vilest!" 32 Said he: "O my Sustainer! Prison is more desirable to me than [compliance with] what these women invite me to: for, unless Thou turn away their guile from me, I might yet yield to their allure and become one of those who are unaware [of right and wrong]." 33 And his Sustainer responded to his prayer, and freed him from the threat of their guile: verily, He alone is all-hearing, all-knowing. 34 And it seemed good to them (the men-folk) after they had seen the signs (of his innocence) to imprison him for a time. 35