When they despaired of him, they went in private to confer together. The eldest said: 'Do you not know that your father took a pledge from you in the Name of Allah, and that you failed before regarding Joseph? I shall never stir from this land until my father gives me leave or Allah makes known to me His judgement: He is the Best of judges. 80 [And as for you others,] return to your father and say: 'O our father! Behold, thy son has stolen - but we [can] bear witness to no more than what has become known to us; and [although we gave you our pledge,] we could not guard against something that [lay hidden in the future and hence,] was beyond the reach of our perception. 81 You can ask the people of the town where we were and the caravan we met there. We are certainly telling the truth." 82 'No' he (Jacob) said, 'your souls have tempted you to do something. But come sweet patience. Allah may bring them all to me. He alone is the Knowing, the Wise' 83 And he turned away from them, and said: O my grief for Yusuf! and his eyes whitened with grief, while he was filled with suppressed sorrow. 84 The sons said: "By Allah! You will continue to remember Joseph until you will either consume yourself with grief, or will die." 85 He said "I only complain of my anguish and my sorrow to God. God has made known to me things that you do not know. 86 O sons, go in search of Joseph and his brother, and do not despair of the mercy of God. Only they despair of God's mercy who do not believe." 87 So when they came in to him, they said: O chief! distress has afflicted us and our family and we have brought scanty money, so give us full measure and be charitable to us; surely Allah rewards the charitable. 88 'Do you know' he replied, 'what you did to Joseph and his brother in your ignorance' 89 They said: art thou Yusuf indeed! He said: I am Yusuf and this is my brother; Allah hath surely been gracious unto us; verily whosoever feareth and endureth, then verily Allah wasteth not the hire of the well-doers. 90 They said: "By Allah! Indeed Allah has preferred you above us, and we certainly have been sinners." 91 Said he: "No reproach shall be uttered today against you. May God forgive you your sins: for He is the most merciful of the merciful! 92 Go with this shirt of mine and lay it on my father's face, he will become (again) a seer; and come to me with all your folk. 93