۞ Some of the women in the town started to gossip saying, "The King's wife has tried to seduce her servant and has fallen madly in love with him. We think that she is in manifest error". 30 When she heard of their malicious talk, she sent for them and prepared a banquet for them: she gave each of them a knife: and she said (to Joseph), "Come out before them." When they saw him, they did extol him, and (in their amazement) cut their hands: they said, "Allah preserve us! no mortal is this! this is none other than 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 said, "Lord, prison is dearer to me than that which women want me to do. Unless You protect me from their guile, I shall be attracted to them in my ignorance". 33 Thereupon his Lord accepted his prayer and turned away their guile from him; surely He is the Hearing, the Knowing. 34 Then after having seeing all the signs, they all decided that he should be imprisoned for some time. 35