When they despaired of (persuading) him, they went aside to confer. The oldest of them said: "You know that your father has pledged you in the name of God, and you have been guilty of iniquity in the case of Joseph before. I will not leave this place unless my father permits or God decides for me, for He is the best of all judges. 80 Return you all to your father, and say, "Father, thy son stole; we do not testify except that we know; we were no guardians of the Unseen. 81 You can ask the people of the town where we were and the caravan we met there. We are certainly telling the truth." 82 'No' he (Jacob) said, 'your souls have tempted you to do something. But come sweet patience. Allah may bring them all to me. He alone is the Knowing, the Wise' 83 And he turned away from them, and said, 'Ah, woe is me for Joseph!' And his eyes turned white because of the sorrow that he choked within him. 84 They said: "By Allah! You will never cease remembering Yusuf (Joseph) until you become weak with old age, or until you be of the dead." 85 He said, 'I make complaint of my anguish and my sorrow unto God; I know from God that you know not. 86 [Hence,] O my sons, go forth and try to obtain some tidings of Joseph and his brother; and do not lose hope of God's life-giving mercy: verily, none but people who deny the truth can ever lose hope of God's life-giving mercy. 87 So, when they entered unto him, they said, 'O mighty prince, affliction has visited us and our people. We come with merchandise of scant worth. Fill up to us the measure, and be charitable to us; surely God recompenses the charitable.' 88 Replied he: "Do you remember what you did to Joseph and his brother when you were still unaware [of right and wrong]?" 89 They said, "Are you indeed Joseph?" He said "I am Joseph, and this is my brother. Allah has certainly favored us. Indeed, he who fears Allah and is patient, then indeed, Allah does not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good." 90 'By God,' they said, 'God has indeed preferred thee above us, and certainly we have been sinful.' 91 Said he: "No reproach shall be uttered today against you. May God forgive you your sins: for He is the most merciful of the merciful! 92 Go, take this shirt, and do you cast it on my father's face, and he shall recover his sight; then bring me your family all together.' 93