۞ Indeed, in Joseph and his brothers there were signs for those who inquire. 7 When they said, 'Surely Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we, though we are a band. Surely our father is in manifest error. 8 (Let us) kill Joseph, or cast him away in some (far off) land, so that your father's face will be left for you, and afterwards you will be a righteous nation' 9 One among them said: Kill not Joseph but, if ye must be doing, fling him into the depth of the pit; some caravan will find him. 10 [On this they agreed; and thereupon] they spoke [thus to their father]: "O our father! Wherefore wilt thou not trust us with Joseph, seeing that we are indeed his well-wishers? 11 "Send him with us tomorrow to enjoy himself and play, and verily, we will take care of him." 12 (Jacob) said: "Really it saddens me that ye should take him away: I fear lest the wolf should devour him while ye attend not to him." 13 They said, 'If the wolf eats him, and we a band, then are we losers!' 14 So they did take him away, and they all agreed to throw him down to the bottom of the well: and We put into his heart (this Message): 'Of a surety thou shalt (one day) tell them the truth of this their affair while they know (thee) not' 15 And at nightfall they came to their father, weeping. 16 and said: "Father! We went racing with one another and left Joseph behind with our things, and then a wolf came and ate him up. We know that you will not believe us howsoever truthful we might be." 17 And they brought his shirt with false blood upon it. He said: Nay, your souls have made the matter light for you, but patience is good and Allah is He Whose help is sought for against what you describe. 18 And there came a caravan of travellers and they sent their water-drawer to draw water from the well. He let down his bucket into the well and he exclaimed, "Oh, what a lucky find, here is a boy!" They hid him like a piece of merchandise, but God knew well what they did. 19 Then, they sold him for a trifling price, a number of dirhams, because they considered him to be of little value. 20