Then when they despaired of him, they retired, conferring privately together. The eldest of them said: Do you not know that your father took from you a covenant in Allah's name, and how you fell short of your duty with respect to Yusuf before? Therefore I will by no means depart from this land until my father permits me or Allah decides for me, and He is the best of the judges: 80 Return unto your father and say: O our father! Lo! thy son hath stolen. We testify only to that which we know; we are not guardians of the Unseen. 81 And ask the city in which we were and the caravan in which we came - and indeed, we are truthful," 82 He said: nay! yourselves have embellished for you an affair; so seemly patience! Belike Allah may bring them all unto me; verily He! only He is the Knowing, the Wise. 83 And he turned away from them and said, "Oh, my sorrow over Joseph," and his eyes became white from grief, for he was [of that] a suppressor. 84 They said, "By Allah, you will not cease remembering Joseph until you become fatally ill or become of those who perish." 85 He said: "I will address my sorrow and grief only to Allah, and I know from Allah what you do not know. 86 [Hence,] O my sons, go forth and try to obtain some tidings of Joseph and his brother; and do not lose hope of God's life-giving mercy: verily, none but people who deny the truth can ever lose hope of God's life-giving mercy. 87 So when they came in to him, they said: O chief! distress has afflicted us and our family and we have brought scanty money, so give us full measure and be charitable to us; surely Allah rewards the charitable. 88 He said, "Are you aware of what you did to Joseph and his brother in ignorance?" 89 They said: Is it indeed thou who art Joseph? He said: I am Joseph and this is my brother. Allah hath shown us favour. Lo! he who wardeth off (evil) and endureth (findeth favour); for lo! Allah loseth not the wages of the kindly. 90 'By God,' they said, 'God has indeed preferred thee above us, and certainly we have been sinful.' 91 He replied: 'Let no reproach be on you this day. Allah will forgive you He is the Most Merciful of the merciful. 92 Go with this shirt of mine and cast it upon my father's face. He will recover his sight; thereupon come [back] to me with all your family." 93