And the man from Egypt who bought him said to his wife: "Make his stay [with us] honourable; he may well be of use to us, or we may adopt him as a son. And thus We gave unto Joseph a firm place on earth; and [We did this] so that We might impart unto him some understanding of the inner meaning of happenings. For, God always prevails in whatever be His purpose: but most people know it not. 21 And when he reached his maturity We vouchsafed unto him judgement and knowledge; and Thus We recompense the well-doers. 22 But she in whose house he resided wished to seduce him and, closing the doors, said: "Come into me. "God forbid!" he said; "he is my master who has approved my stay. Surely those who act wrongly do not prosper." 23 And indeed, she desired him, and he desired her; [and he would have succumbed] had he not seen [in this temptation] an evidence of his Sustainer's truth: thus [We willed it to be] in order that We might avert from him all evil and all deeds of abomination - for, behold, he was truly one of Our servants. 24 So they raced with one another to the door, and she tore his shirt from the back. They both found her lord (i.e. her husband) at the door. She said: "What is the recompense (punishment) for him who intended an evil design against your wife, except that he be put in prison or a painful torment?" 25 He said: She sought to make me yield (to her); and a witness of her own family bore witness: If his shirt is rent from front, she speaks the truth and he is one of the liars: 26 but if it be that his shirt has been torn from behind, then she has lied, and he is one of the truthful.' 27 When the master saw that Joseph's shirt was torn from behind, he told his wife, "This is some of your womanly guile in which you are certainly skillful. 28 "O Joseph, pass this over! (O wife), ask forgiveness for thy sin, for truly thou hast been at fault!" 29