۞ (In Joseph and his brethren were signs for those who ask questions.) 7 They said [to each other], "Surely Joseph and his brother [Benjamin] are dearer to our father than ourselves, although we are a band. Truly, our father is clearly mistaken. 8 Let us kill Joseph or cast him in some distant land so that we may get our father's exclusive affection; then play innocent." 9 Thereupon one of them said: "Do not kill Joseph, but if you are bent upon doing something, cast him down to the bottom of some dark pit, perhaps some caravan passing by will take him out of it." 10 They said, 'Father, what ails thee, that thou trustest us not with Joseph? Surely we are his sincere well-wishers. 11 Let him go out with us tomorrow that he may enjoy and play. We shall take care of him." 12 He said: "I am afraid of sending him with you lest a wolf should devour him when you are unmindful." 13 They said: Surely if the wolf should devour him notwithstanding that we are a (strong) company, we should then certainly be losers. 14 And so, when they went away with him, they decided to cast him into the dark depths of a well. Then We revealed to him Our will, "You shall [one day] tell them of this deed of theirs, when they do not realize who you are." 15 And they came to their father in the evening, and they were weeping. 16 Saying, “O our father! We went far ahead while racing, and left Yusuf near our resources – therefore the wolf devoured him; and you will not believe us although we may be truthful.” 17 And they brought his shirt with false blood. He said: nay! yourselves have embellished for you an affair; so seemly patience! and Allah is to be implored for help in that which ye ascribe 18 And there came a caravan of travellers and they sent their water-drawer to draw water from the well. He let down his bucket into the well and he exclaimed, "Oh, what a lucky find, here is a boy!" They hid him like a piece of merchandise, but God knew well what they did. 19 Then, they sold him for a trifling price, a number of dirhams, because they considered him to be of little value. 20