Now when they saw no hope of his (yielding), they held a conference in private. The leader among them said: "Know ye not that your father did take an oath from you in Allah's name, and how, before this, ye did fail in your duty with Joseph? Therefore will I not leave this land until my father permits me, or Allah commands me; and He is the best to command. 80 Return unto your father, and say: our father! verily thy son hath stolen, and we testify not save according to that which we know; and of the unseen we could not be guards. 81 You can ask the people of the town where we were and the caravan we met there. We are certainly telling the truth." 82 (And when they came unto their father and had spoken thus to him) he said: Nay, but your minds have beguiled you into something. (My course is) comely patience! It may be that Allah will bring them all unto me. Lo! He, only He, is the Knower, the Wise. 83 (Jacob) turned away from them saying, "Alas, Joseph is lost!" He wept continuously in his grief until, in suppressing his anger, his eyes turned white. 84 Said [his sons]: "By God! Thou wilt never cease to remember Joseph, till thou art broken in body and spirit or art dead!" 85 He replied: "I cry my plaint and grief to God, and know from God 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 entered unto him, they said, 'O mighty prince, affliction has visited us and our people. We come with merchandise of scant worth. Fill up to us the measure, and be charitable to us; surely God recompenses the charitable.' 88 He said, "Do you know what you did with Joseph and his brother when you were ignorant?" 89 They said: 'Are you Joseph' 'I am Joseph' he answered, 'and this is my brother. Allah has been gracious to us. Those who keep from evil and are patient, indeed, Allah does not let the wage of the good doers go to waste' 90 They said, "By Allah, certainly has Allah preferred you over us, and indeed, we have been sinners." 91 He said, "No blame will there be upon you today. Allah will forgive you; and He is the most merciful of the merciful." 92 Go with this shirt of mine and lay it on my father's face, he will become (again) a seer; and come to me with all your folk. 93