۞ Certainly were there in Joseph and his brothers signs for those who ask, 7 NOW [Joseph's brothers] spoke [thus to one another:] "Truly, Joseph and his brother [Benjamin] are dearer to our father than we, even though we are so many. Behold, our father is surely suffering from an aberration!" 8 So either kill Joseph or cast him into some distant land so that your father's attention may become exclusively yours. And after so doing become righteous." 9 A speaker among them said, “Do not kill Yusuf – and drop him into a dark well so that some traveller may come and take him away, if you have to.” 10 They said, 'Father, what ails thee, that thou trustest us not with Joseph? Surely we are his sincere well-wishers. 11 Let him go out with us tomorrow, that he may enjoy himself and play: and verily, we shall guard him well!" 12 He said, 'It grieves me that you should go with him, and I fear the wolf may eat him, while you are heedless of him.' 13 They said: "If a wolf devours him, while we are 'Usbah (a strong group) (to guard him), then surely, we are the losers." 14 So, when they took him out they planned to throw him into an unused well. We revealed to Joseph: "You will tell them (one day) of this deed when they will not apprehend it." 15 At nightfall, they returned weeping to their father. 16 And said: "We went racing with one another and left Joseph to guard our things when a wolf devoured him. But you will not believe us even though we tell the truth." 17 They showed him the shirt with false blood on it. (Their father) said: "It is not so; you have made up the story. Yet endurance is best. I seek the help of God alone for what you impute." 18 AND THERE CAME a caravan; and they sent forth their drawer of water, and he let down his bucket into the well - [and when he saw Joseph] he exclaimed: "Oh, what a lucky find, this boy!" And they hid him with a view to selling him: but God had full knowledge of all that they were doing. 19 Then they sold him for a paltry price, a handful of counted dirhams; for they set small store by him. 20