۞ Indeed, in [the story of] Joseph and his brothers there are messages for all who search [after truth]. 7 When they said: Certainly Yusuf and his brother are dearer to our father than we, though we are a (stronger) company; most surely our father is in manifest error: 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 from among them said: "Kill not Yusuf (Joseph), but if you must do something, throw him down to the bottom of a well, he will be picked up by some caravan of travellers." 10 They said, "O our father, why do you not entrust us with Joseph while indeed, we are to him sincere counselors? 11 Send him with us tomorrow, that he may refresh himself and play, and verily we are to be his guards. 12 He said: verily it grieveth me that ye should take him away, and I fear lest a wolf may devour him while ye are negligent of him. 13 They said: 'We are many, if a wolf devours him, then we are losers' 14 When they went with him, they agreed to put him in the bottom of a well. We revealed to him: 'You shall tell them of what they did when they are not aware (it is you)' 15 At nightfall they came to their father weeping 16 They said: O our father! surely we went off racing and left Yusuf by our goods, so the wolf devoured him, and you will not believe us though we are truthful. 17 And they brought his shirt stained with false blood. He said: "Nay, but your ownselves have made up a tale. So (for me) patience is most fitting. And it is Allah (Alone) Whose help can be sought against that which you assert." 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 - just a few dirhams; they did not care to obtain a higher price. 20