۞ Assuredly in Yusuf and his brethren there have been signs for the inquirers. 7 And call to mind when the brothers of Joseph conferred together and said: "Surely Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we are, although we are a group of so many. Our father is clearly mistaken. 8 (One said): Kill Joseph or cast him to some (other) land, so that your father's favour may be all for you, and (that) ye may afterward be righteous folk. 9 One among them said: Kill not Joseph but, if ye must be doing, fling him into the depth of the pit; some caravan will find him. 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 out with us tomorrow that he may enjoy himself and play while we will be there, standing guard over him." 12 He [Ya'qub (Jacob)] said: "Truly, it saddens me that you should take him away. I fear lest a wolf should devour him, while you are careless of him." 13 Said they: "Surely, if the wolf were to devour him notwithstanding that we are so many - then, behold, we ought ourselves to perish!" 14 So they did take him away, and they all agreed to throw him down to the bottom of the well: and We put into his heart (this Message): 'Of a surety thou shalt (one day) tell them the truth of this their affair while they know (thee) not' 15 And at nightfall they came to their father, weeping, 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 And they showed him their brother's shirt, stained with false blood. "No!" he cried. "Your souls have tempted you to do something evil! But it is best to be patient: God alone can help me bear the loss you speak of." 18 And there came travellers and they sent their water-drawer and he let down his bucket. He said: O good news! this is a youth; and they concealed him as an article of merchandise, and Allah knew what they did. 19 Later they sold him for a paltry sum, a few pieces of silver [dirhams]: So little did they value him. 20