And the king said: bring him unto me. Then, when the messenger came to him, he said: return to thy lord, and ask him, what about the women who cut their hands? verily my Lord is the Knower of their guile. 50 The king asked the women: "What was the affair of seducing Joseph?" "God preserve us," they said; "we know no evil against him." The wife of the minister said: "The truth has now come out. It was I who desired to seduce him, but he is indeed a man of virtue." -- 51 This (I have done) so that he will know I did not secretly betray him, and that Allah does not guide the guile of the treacherous. 52 ۞ But I do not wish to absolve myself, for the soul is prone to evil, unless my Lord have mercy. Indeed my Lord is forgiving and kind." -- 53 The king said, 'Bring him to me! I would attach him to my person.' Then, when he had spoken with him, he said, 'Today thou art established firmly in our favour and in our trust.' 54 [Joseph] said, "Appoint me over the storehouses of the land. Indeed, I will be a knowing guardian." 55 Thus We caused Joseph to be established in a position of authority in the land. He could dwell therein wherever he pleased. We bestow Our mercy on whomever We please, and We do not allow the reward of the righteous to go to waste. 56 And verily, the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believe and used to fear Allah and keep their duty to Him (by abstaining from all kinds of sins and evil deeds and by performing all kinds of righteous good deeds). 57