۞ Women in the town began to gossip, "The nobleman's wife is trying to seduce her slave! Love for him consumes her heart! Indeed! We see her in manifest error." 30 And when she heard of their secret talk, she sent for them and prepared cushioned mattresses for them and gave a knife to each one of them and said to Yusuf, “Come out before them!” When the women saw him they praised him and cut their hands, and said, “Purity is to Allah – this is no human being; this is not but an honourable angel!” 31 She said: This is he on whose account ye blamed me. I asked of him an evil act, but he proved continent, but if he do not my behest he verily shall be imprisoned, and verily shall be of those brought low. 32 Said he: "O my Sustainer! Prison is more desirable to me than [compliance with] what these women invite me to: for, unless Thou turn away their guile from me, I might yet yield to their allure and become one of those who are unaware [of right and wrong]." 33 His Lord heard his prayers and protected him from their guile; He is All-hearing and All-knowing. 34 Then it appeared to them after they had seen the signs that al-'Azeez should surely imprison him for a time. 35