۞ Ladies said in the City: "The wife of the (great) 'Aziz is seeking to seduce her slave from his (true) self: Truly hath he inspired her with violent love: we see she is evidently going astray." 30 So when she heard of their sly talk she sent for them and prepared for them a repast, and gave each of them a knife, and said (to Yusuf): Come forth to them. So when they saw him, they deemed him great, and cut their hands (in amazement), and said: Remote is Allah (from imperfection); this is not a mortal; this is but a noble angel. 31 She said: that then is he in regard to whom ye reproached me. Assuredly I solicited him against himself but he abstained; and if he doth not that which I command him, he shall surely be imprisoned and he shall surely be of the degraded. 32 He said: "O my Lord! the prison is more to my liking than that to which they invite me: Unless Thou turn away their snare from me, I should (in my youthful folly) feel inclined towards them and join the ranks of the ignorant." 33 His Lord heard his prayers and protected him from their guile; He is All-hearing and All-knowing. 34 For, presently it occurred to the nobleman and his household - [even] after they had seen all the signs [of Joseph's innocence] - that they might as well imprison him for a time. 35