۞ Certainly in Yusuf and his brothers there are signs for the inquirers. 7 Recall what time they said: surely Yusuf and his brother are dearer to our father than we, whereas we are company; verily our father is in error manifest. 8 “Kill Yusuf or throw him somewhere in the land, so that your father’s attention may be directed only towards you, and then after it you may again become righteous!” 9 Said one of them: "Slay not Joseph, but if ye must do something, throw him down to the bottom of the well: he will be picked up by some caravan of travellers." 10 They said: "O our father! Why do you not trust us with Yusuf (Joseph), - when we are indeed his well-wishers?" 11 “Send him with us tomorrow so that he may eat some fruits and play, and indeed we are his protectors.” 12 He said, 'It grieves me that you should go with him, and I fear the wolf may eat him, while you are heedless of him.' 13 They said, “If the wolf devours him, whereas we are a group, then surely we are useless!” 14 When they took Joseph with them, they agreed to throw him into the well. We revealed to Joseph that (sometime) in the future at a time when they would not recognize him, he would remind them of all this. 15 And they came to their father at nightfall, weeping. 16 [and] said: "O our father! Behold, we went off racing with one another, and left Joseph behind with our things; and thereupon the wolf devoured him! But [we know that] thou wouldst not believe us even though we speak the truth" 17 And they showed him their brother's shirt, stained with false blood. "No!" he cried. "Your souls have tempted you to do something evil! But it is best to be patient: God alone can help me bear the loss you speak of." 18 And there came a caravan of travellers; they sent their water-drawer, and he let down his bucket (into the well). He said: "What good news! Here is a boy." So they hid him as merchandise (a slave). And Allah was the All-Knower of what they did. 19 In selling him they asked for a very small price and even then no one wanted to buy him. 20