۞ Certainly were there in Joseph and his brothers signs for those who ask, 7 They said: 'Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than ourselves, even though we are many. Truly, our father is obviously wrong. 8 "Kill Yusuf (Joseph) or cast him out to some (other) land, so that the favour of your father may be given to you alone, and after that you will be righteous folk (by intending repentance before committing the sin)." 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 (Then going to their father) they said: "O father, why don't you trust us with Joseph? We are in fact his well-wishers. 11 "Send him with us tomorrow to enjoy himself and play, and verily, we will take care of him." 12 He said: 'It grieves me to let him go with you, for I fear lest the wolf should devour him when you are not paying attention to him' 13 They said, "Surely, if the wolf devoured him while we were a strong party, we should indeed be great losers." 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 Then they came to their father in the early part of the night, weeping. 16 They said, 'Father, we went running races, and left Joseph behind with our things; so the wolf ate him. But thou wouldst never believe us, though we spoke truly.' 17 And they came with false blood on his shirt. He said: Nay, but your minds have beguiled you into something. (My course is) comely patience. And Allah it is Whose help is to be sought in that (predicament) which ye describe. 18 Then came travellers, and they sent one of them, a water-drawer, who let down his bucket. 'Good news!' he said. 'Here is a young man.' So they hid him as merchandise; but God knew what they were doing. 19 In selling him they asked for a very small price and even then no one wanted to buy him. 20