And he of Egypt who purchased him said unto his wife: Receive him honourably. Perchance he may prove useful to us or we may adopt him as a son. Thus we established Joseph in the land that We might teach him the interpretation of events. And Allah was predominant in His career, but most of mankind know not. 21 And when he reached his maturity We vouchsafed unto him judgement and knowledge; and Thus We recompense the well-doers. 22 And she, in whose house he was, asked of him an evil act. She bolted the doors and said: Come! He said: I seek refuge in Allah! Lo! he is my lord, who hath treated me honourably. Lo! wrong-doers never prosper. 23 And assuredly she besought him, and he would have besought her were it not that he had seen the argument of his Lord. Thus We did, in order that We might avert from him all evil and indecency; verily he was of our bondmen single-hearted. 24 So they raced with one another to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back. They both found her lord (i.e. her husband) at the door. She said: "What is the recompense (punishment) for him who intended an evil design against your wife, except that he be put in prison or a painful torment?" 25 Joseph said, "It was she who tried to seduce me." Someone from the household in confirmation of Joseph's statement said, "If his shirt it torn from the front, she has spoken the truth and he is lying, 26 And if his shirt be rent from behind, then she lieth, and he is of the truth-tellers. 27 So when he saw his shirt rent from behind, he said: Surely it is a guile of you women; surely your guile is great: 28 Joseph, overlook this: but you [wife], ask forgiveness for your sin, for you have done wrong." 29