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 And when he had given them their provisions, he placed a drinking-cup in his brother's pack. Then a crier called out after them, "Men of the caravan! You have committed theft!" 70 They said, turning towards them: "What is it that ye miss?" 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 Joseph's brothers said, "We swear by God, as you know, that we have not come to spread evil in the land and that we have not committed any theft." 73 The officials said: "If you are lying, what will be the penalty for him who has stolen?" 74 They said, 'This shall be its recompense -- in whoever's saddlebag the goblet is found, he shall be its recompense. So we recompense the evildoers.' 75 So he searched their saddle-bags before his brother's, then produced the cup from his brother's bag. That is how We planned an excuse for Joseph, for under the law of the king he could not detain his brother unless God so willed. We raise the status of whom We please. Over every man of knowledge there is one more knowing. 76 ۞ They said, "If he is a thief, a brother of his had [also] committed theft before him." But Joseph kept his secret and revealed nothing to them. He said [to himself], "Your deed was worse. God best knows the things you speak of." 77 They said: "O thou great one! Behold, he has a father, a very old man: detain, therefore, one of us in his stead. Verily, we see that thou art a doer of good!" 78 He answered: "May God preserve us from [the sin of] detaining any other than him with whom we have found our property - for then, behold, we would indeed be evildoers!" 79