Surah Yūsuf (Joseph) in English

1. وما أبرئ نفسي إن النفس لأمارة بالسوء إلا ما رحم ربي إن ربي غفور رحيم

   53

   ‘Yet I do not absolve my [own carnal] soul, for the [carnal] soul indeed prompts [men] to evil, except inasmuch as my Lord has mercy. Indeed my Lord is all-forgiving, all-merciful.’

   wa-mā ʾubarriʾu nafsī ʾinna n-nafsa la-ʾammāratun bi-s-sūʾi ʾillā mā raḥima rabbī ʾinna rabbī ghafūrun raḥīmun

2. وقال الملك ائتوني به أستخلصه لنفسي فلما كلمه قال إنك اليوم لدينا مكين أمين

   54

   The king said, ‘Bring him to me, I will make him my favourite.’ Then, when he had spoken with him, he said, ‘Indeed today [onwards] you will be honoured and trustworthy with us.’

   wa-qāla l-maliku ʾtūnī bihī ʾastakhliṣhu li-nafsī fa-lammā kallamahū qāla ʾinnaka l-yawma ladaynā makīnun ʾamīnun

3. قال اجعلني على خزائن الأرض إني حفيظ عليم

   55

   He said, ‘Put me in charge of the country’s granaries. I am indeed fastidious [and]well-informed.’

   qāla jʿalnī ʿalā khazāʾini l-ʾarḍi ʾinnī ḥafīẓun ʿalīmun

4. وكذلك مكنا ليوسف في الأرض يتبوأ منها حيث يشاء نصيب برحمتنا من نشاء ولا نضيع أجر المحسنين

   56

   That is how We established Joseph in the land that he may settle in it wherever he wished. We confer Our mercy on whomever We wish, and We do not waste the reward of the virtuous.

   wa-ka-dhālika makkannā li-yūsufa fī l-ʾarḍi yatabawwaʾu minhā ḥaythu yashāʾu nuṣību bi-raḥmatinā man nashāʾu wa-lā nuḍīʿu ʾajra l-muḥsinīna

5. ولأجر الآخرة خير للذين آمنوا وكانوا يتقون

   57

   And the reward of the Hereafter is surely better for those who have faith and are Godwary.

   wa-la-ʾajru l-ʾākhirati khayrun li-lladhīna ʾāmanū wa-kānū yattaqūna

6. وجاء إخوة يوسف فدخلوا عليه فعرفهم وهم له منكرون

   58

   [After some years] the brothers of Joseph came and entered his presence. He recognized them, but they did not recognize him.

   wa-jāʾa ʾikhwatu yūsufa fa-dakhalū ʿalayhi fa-ʿarafahum wa-hum lahū munkirūna

7. ولما جهزهم بجهازهم قال ائتوني بأخ لكم من أبيكم ألا ترون أني أوفي الكيل وأنا خير المنزلين

   59

   When he had furnished them with their provision, he said, ‘Bring me a brother that you have through your father. Do you not see that I give the full measure and that I am the best of hosts?

   wa-lammā jahhazahum bi-jahāzihim qāla ʾtūnī bi-ʾakhin lakum min ʾabīkum ʾa-lā tarawna ʾannī ʾūfī l-kayla wa-ʾana khayru l-munzilīna

8. فإن لم تأتوني به فلا كيل لكم عندي ولا تقربون

   60

   But if you do not bring him to me, then there will be no rations for you with me, and don’t [ever] come near me.’

   fa-ʾin lam taʾtūnī bihī fa-lā kayla lakum ʿindī wa-lā taqrabūni

9. قالوا سنراود عنه أباه وإنا لفاعلون

   61

   They said, ‘We will solicit him from his father. [That] we will surely do.’

   qālū sa-nurāwidu ʿanhu ʾabāhu wa-ʾinnā la-fāʿilūna

10. وقال لفتيانه اجعلوا بضاعتهم في رحالهم لعلهم يعرفونها إذا انقلبوا إلى أهلهم لعلهم يرجعون

    62

    He said to his servants, ‘Put their money [back] into their saddlebags. Maybe they will recognize it when they return to their folks, and maybe they will come back [again].’

    wa-qāla li-fityānihi jʿalū biḍāʿatahum fī riḥālihim laʿallahum yaʿrifūnahā ʾidhā nqalabū ʾilā ʾahlihim laʿallahum yarjiʿūna

11. فلما رجعوا إلى أبيهم قالوا يا أبانا منع منا الكيل فأرسل معنا أخانا نكتل وإنا له لحافظون

    63

    So when they returned to their father, they said, ‘Father, the measure has been withheld from us, so let our brother go with us so that we may obtain the measure, and we will indeed take [good] care of him.’

    fa-lammā rajaʿū ʾilā ʾabīhim qālū yā-ʾabānā muniʿa minnā l-kaylu fa-ʾarsil maʿanā ʾakhānā naktal wa-ʾinnā lahū la-ḥāfiẓūna