۞ Assuredly in Yusuf and his brethren there have been signs for the inquirers. 7 When they said, 'Surely Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we, though we are a band. Surely our father is in manifest error. 8 "Slay ye Joseph or cast him out to some (unknown) land, that so the favour of your father may be given to you alone: (there will be time enough) for you to be righteous after that!" 9 Another of them said: "Do not slay Joseph, but - rather - if you must do something - cast him into the dark depths of this well, [whence] some caravan may pick him up." 10 [On this they agreed; and thereupon] they spoke [thus to their father]: "O our father! Wherefore wilt thou not trust us with Joseph, seeing that we are indeed his well-wishers? 11 Send him with us tomorrow, that he may refresh himself and play, and verily we are to be his guards. 12 He said: Lo! in truth it saddens me that ye should take him with you, and I fear less the wolf devour him while ye are heedless of him. 13 Said they: "Surely, if the wolf were to devour him notwithstanding that we are so many - then, behold, we ought ourselves to perish!" 14 So when they went with him, and agreed to put him in the bottom of the well, and We revealed to him, 'Thou shalt tell them of this their doing when they are unaware.' 15 And they came to their father at nightfall, 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 (stained) with blood, a lie. He said: 'No, your souls have tempted you to do something. But come sweet patience! The help of Allah is always there to seek against that which you describe' 18 Then there came a caravan of travellers: they sent their water-carrier (for water), and he let down his bucket (into the well)... He said: "Ah there! Good news! Here is a (fine) young man!" So they concealed him as a treasure! But Allah knoweth well all that they do! 19 Then, they sold him for a trifling price, a number of dirhams, because they considered him to be of little value. 20