۞ 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 Hearing of their sly talk the chief's wife sent for those ladies, and arranged for them a banquet, and got ready couches, and gave each guest a knife. Then, while they were cutting and eating the fruit, she signalled Joseph: "Come out to them." When the ladies saw him they were so struck with admiration that they cut their hands, exclaiming: "Allah preserve us. This is no mortal human. This is nothing but a noble angel!" 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 He said, “O my Lord! Prison is dearer to me than the deed they invite me to; and if You do not repel their deceit away from me, I may incline towards them and be unwise.” 33 His Lord heard his prayers and protected him from their guile; He is All-hearing and 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