When they came to Joseph he made his brother his guest, and said: "I am your brother. So do not grieve for what they had done." 69 Then, while Joseph was having their provisions loaded, he put his drinking-cup in his brother's saddlebag. And then a herald cried: "Travellers, you are thieves." 70 They said while they were facing them: What is it that you miss? 71 They were told, "The King's drinking cup is missing and whoever brings it will receive a camel's load of grain. I promise you that". 72 They said: by Allah! assuredly ye know that we came not to work corruption in the land, nor we have been thieves. 73 They said: But what shall be the requital of this, if you are liars? 74 They replied, "The penalty should be that he in whose saddlebag it is found, should be held [as bondman] to atone for the crime. That is how we punish the wrongdoers." 75 So he [Yusuf (Joseph)] began (the search) in their bags before the bag of his brother. Then he brought it out of his brother's bag. Thus did We plan for Yusuf (Joseph). He could not take his brother by the law of the king (as a slave), except that Allah willed it. (So Allah made the brothers to bind themselves with their way of "punishment, i.e. enslaving of a thief.") We raise to degrees whom We please, but over all those endowed with knowledge is the All-Knowing (Allah). 76 ۞ They said: if he stealeth, then surely a brother of him hath stolen afore. But Yusuf concealed it in himself, and discovered it not unto them. He said: ye are in evil plight, and Allah is the Best Knower of that which ye ascribe. 77 They said: O ruler of the land! Lo! he hath a very aged father, so take one of us instead of him. Lo! we behold thee of those who do kindness. 78 He said: Allah forbid that we should seize save him with whom we found our property; then truly we should be wrong-doers. 79