AND WHEN [the sons of Jacob] presented themselves before Joseph, he drew his brother [Benjamin] unto himself, saying [to him in secret]: "Behold, I am thy brother! So grieve thou not over their past doings!" 69 So when he had furnished them forth with their provisions, he put the (golden) bowl into his brother's bag, then a crier cried: "O you (in) the caravan! Surely, you are thieves!" 70 They turned to them and asked: "What is it you have lost?" 71 They were told, "The King's drinking cup is missing and whoever brings it will receive a camel's load of grain. I promise you that". 72 Joseph's brothers said, "We swear by God, as you know, that we have not come to spread evil in the land and that we have not committed any theft." 73 [The Egyptians] said: "But what shall be the requital of this [deed] if you are [proved to be] liars?" 74 They replied, "The penalty should be that he in whose saddlebag it is found, should be held [as bondman] to atone for the crime. That is how we punish the wrongdoers." 75 So he [Yusuf (Joseph)] began (the search) in their bags before the bag of his brother. Then he brought it out of his brother's bag. Thus did We plan for Yusuf (Joseph). He could not take his brother by the law of the king (as a slave), except that Allah willed it. (So Allah made the brothers to bind themselves with their way of "punishment, i.e. enslaving of a thief.") We raise to degrees whom We please, but over all those endowed with knowledge is the All-Knowing (Allah). 76 ۞ They said: if he stealeth, then surely a brother of him hath stolen afore. But Yusuf concealed it in himself, and discovered it not unto them. He said: ye are in evil plight, and Allah is the Best Knower of that which ye ascribe. 77 They said, 'Mighty prince, he has a father, aged and great with years; so take one of us in his place; we see that thou art one of the good-doers.' 78 "May God forgive us," he said, "if we hold any one but him with whom we found our property, or else we would be unjust." 79