۞ Certain women in the city said: 'The Governor's wife has sought to seduce her servant. He has made her heart stricken with love for him. Clearly, we perceive her to be in error' 30 Hearing of their sly talk the chief's wife sent for those ladies, and arranged for them a banquet, and got ready couches, and gave each guest a knife. Then, while they were cutting and eating the fruit, she signalled Joseph: "Come out to them." When the ladies saw him they were so struck with admiration that they cut their hands, exclaiming: "Allah preserve us. This is no mortal human. This is nothing but a noble angel!" 31 She said: "So now you see! This is the one regarding whom you reproached me. Indeed I tried to tempt him to myself but he held back, although if he were not to follow my order, he would certainly be imprisoned and humiliated." 32 (Joseph) prayed: "O Lord, dearer is prison than what they invite me to. Unless You turn their guiles away from me I shall succumb to their charms and thus become a pagan." 33 So his Lord responded to him and averted from him their plan. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Knowing. 34 Thereafter it occurred to them, even after they had seen the signs, to imprison him for a season. 35