When they presented themselves before Joseph, he took his brother [Benjamin] aside. He said, "I am your brother, so do not feel distressed about whatever they have been doing." 69 At length when he had furnished them forth with provisions (suitable) for them, he put the drinking cup into his brother's saddle-bag. Then shouted out a crier: "O ye (in) the caravan! behold! ye are thieves, without doubt!" 70 They said, turning to them, 'What is it that you are missing?' 71 They said: "We miss the great beaker of the king; for him who produces it, is (the reward of) a camel load; I will be bound by it." 72 They said: "By Allah! Indeed you know that we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no 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 began (the search) with their baggage, before (he came to) the baggage of his brother: at length he brought it out of his brother's baggage. Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not take his brother by the law of the king except that Allah willed it (so). We raise to degrees (of wisdom) whom We please: but over all endued with knowledge is one, the All-Knowing. 76 ۞ They said: "If he steals, there was a brother of his who did steal before (him)." But these things did Joseph keep locked in his heart, revealing not the secrets to them. He (simply) said (to himself): "Ye are the worse situated; and Allah knoweth best the truth of what ye assert!" 77 They said: "O powerful chief (al-aziz)! His father is an age-stricken man, (and in order that he may not suffer) seize one of us in his stead. We indeed consider you an excellent person." 78 He said: Allah protect us that we should seize other than him with whom we found our property, for then most surely we would be unjust. 79