۞ Indeed, in Joseph and his brothers there were signs for those who inquire. 7 NOW [Joseph's brothers] spoke [thus to one another:] "Truly, Joseph and his brother [Benjamin] are dearer to our father than we, even though we are so many. Behold, our father is surely suffering from an aberration!" 8 Kill you Joseph, or cast him forth into some land, that your father's face may be free for you, and thereafter you may be a righteous people.' 9 Thereupon one of them said: "Do not kill Joseph, but if you are bent upon doing something, cast him down to the bottom of some dark pit, perhaps some caravan passing by will take him out of it." 10 They said: O our father! Why wilt thou not trust us with Joseph, when lo! we are good friends to him? 11 Send him with us tomorrow to play with us and enjoy himself. We shall carefully protect him". 12 He said: Lo! in truth it saddens me that ye should take him with you, and I fear less the wolf devour him while ye are heedless of him. 13 They said, “If the wolf devours him, whereas we are a group, then surely we are useless!” 14 So when they took him away, and resolved to place him in the bottom of the well, We revealed unto him: surely thou wilt declare unto them this their affair, while they shall perceive not. 15 At nightfall, they returned weeping to their father. 16 And said: "We went racing with one another and left Joseph to guard our things when a wolf devoured him. But you will not believe us even though we tell the truth." 17 They showed him the shirt with false blood on it. (Their father) said: "It is not so; you have made up the story. Yet endurance is best. I seek the help of God alone for what you impute." 18 And there came a caravan – so they sent their water-drawer, he therefore lowered his pail; he said, “What good luck, this is a boy!”; and they hid him as a treasure; and Allah knows what they do. 19 And they sold him for a reduced price - a few dirhams - and they were, concerning him, of those content with little. 20