۞ Assuredly in Yusuf and his brethren there have been signs for the inquirers. 7 When they said: "Truly, Yusuf (Joseph) and his brother (Benjamin) are loved more by our father than we, but we are 'Usbah (a strong group). Really, our father is in a plain error. 8 (Let us) kill Joseph, or cast him away in some (far off) land, so that your father's face will be left for you, and afterwards you will be a righteous nation' 9 Said one of them: "Slay not Joseph, but if ye must do something, throw him down to the bottom of the well: he will be picked up by some caravan of travellers." 10 They said: "O our father! why dost thou not trust us with Joseph,- seeing we are indeed his sincere well-wishers? 11 Send him with us tomorrow to play with us and enjoy himself. We shall carefully protect him". 12 He said, “I will indeed be saddened by your taking him away, and I fear that the wolf may devour him, whilst you are unaware of him.” (* Prophet Yaqub knew of what was about to happen.) 13 They replied: "If a wolf should devour him when we are there, a well-knit band, we shall certainly be treacherous." 14 So when they had gone off with him and agreed that they should put him down at the bottom of the pit, and We revealed to him: You will most certainly inform them of this their affair while they do not perceive. 15 Then they came to their father in the early part of the night, weeping. 16 They said, "O our father, indeed we went racing each other and left Joseph with our possessions, and a wolf ate him. But you would not believe us, even if we were truthful." 17 And they brought his shirt with false blood on it. He said, 'No; but your spirits tempted you to do somewhat. But come, sweet patience! And God's succour is ever there to seek against that you describe.' 18 And a caravan came, and they sent their water-drawer, and he let down his bucket. He said: glad tidings! here is a youth. And they hid him as merchandise. And Allah was the Knower of that which they worked. 19 In selling him they asked for a very small price and even then no one wanted to buy him. 20