And the king said: "Bring him to me." But when the messenger came to him, [Yusuf (Joseph)] said: "Return to your lord and ask him, 'What happened to the women who cut their hands? Surely, my Lord (Allah) is Well-Aware of their plot. 50 The King asked the women about their attempt to seduce Joseph. They replied, "God forbid! We do not know of any bad in Joseph." The wife of the King said, "Now the truth has come to light. It was I who tried to seduce Joseph. He is, certainly, a truthful man." 51 (At this Joseph remarked:) "From this (the Minister) should know that I did not betray him in his absence, and that God does not surely let the wiles of those who betray ever succeed. 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 When the king heard this he said: "Bring him to me. I shall take him in my special service." When he had talked to him, he said: "Today you are established in a rank of trust with us." 54 [Joseph] said, "Appoint me over the storehouses of the land. Indeed, I will be a knowing guardian." 55 And thus did We give to Yusuf power in the land-- he had mastery in it wherever he liked; We send down Our mercy on whom We please, and We do not waste the reward of those who do good. 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