When they presented themselves before Joseph, he took his brother aside to himself and said: "Verily I am your own brother Joseph; so do not grieve over the manner they have treated you." 69 Then, while Joseph was having their provisions loaded, he put his drinking-cup in his brother's saddlebag. And then a herald cried: "Travellers, you are thieves." 70 They said, turning to them, 'What is it that you are missing?' 71 They said, 'We are missing the king's goblet. Whoever brings it shall receive a camel's load; that I guarantee.' 72 They said, "By Allah, you have certainly known that we did not come to cause corruption in the land, and we have not been thieves." 73 They said: But what shall be the requital of this, if you are liars? 74 They replied: 'Its recompense in whosoever's saddle bag it is found, he shall be its recompense. As such we punish the harmdoers' 75 So he began [the search] with their bags before the bag of his brother; then he extracted it from the bag of his brother. Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother within the religion of the king except that Allah willed. We raise in degrees whom We will, but over every possessor of knowledge is one [more] knowing. 76 ۞ They said: 'If he is a thief know then that a brother of his has committed theft before him' But Joseph kept it secret and did not reveal it to them. He said: 'You are in a worse position. And Allah knows well what you describe' 77 They said: "O Minister, he has an aged father, so keep one of us in his place. We see you are a virtuous man." 78 He said, "[I seek] the refuge of Allah [to prevent] that we take except him with whom we found our possession. Indeed, we would then be unjust." 79