And when they went in before Joseph, he took his brother unto him, saying: Lo! I, even I, am thy brother, therefore sorrow not for what they did. 69 And when he had given them their provisions, he hid a drinking cup in his brother's saddlebag. Then a herald called out after them: 'Cameleers, you are thieves!' 70 They turned to them and asked: "What is it you have lost?" 71 They said, "We are missing the measure of the king. And for he who produces it is [the reward of] a camel's load, and I am responsible for it." 72 Said [the brothers]: "By God! Well do you know that we have not come to commit deeds of corruption in this land, and that we have not been thieving!" 73 "What should be the punishment," they were asked, "in case you are liars?" 74 They replied, "The penalty should be that he in whose saddlebag it is found, should be held [as bondman] to atone for the crime. That is how we punish the wrongdoers." 75 So he searched their saddle-bags before his brother's, then produced the cup from his brother's bag. That is how We planned an excuse for Joseph, for under the law of the king he could not detain his brother unless God so willed. We raise the status of whom We please. Over every man of knowledge there is one more knowing. 76 ۞ Said the brothers: "If he has stolen (no wonder), his brother had stolen before." But Joseph kept this secret and did not disclose it to them, and said (to himself): "You are worse in the degree of evil, for God knows better of what you allege." 77 They said: O ruler of the land! Lo! he hath a very aged father, so take one of us instead of him. Lo! we behold thee of those who do kindness. 78 He said: Allah forbid that we should take anyone but him with whom we found our stuff; verily then we should be the wrong-doers. 79