Surah Yūsuf (Joseph) in English

1. فلما جهزهم بجهازهم جعل السقاية في رحل أخيه ثم أذن مؤذن أيتها العير إنكم لسارقون

   70

   When he had furnished them with their provision, he put the drinking-cup into his brother’s saddlebag. Then a herald shouted: ‘O [men of the] caravan! You are indeed thieves!’

   fa-lammā jahhazahum bi-jahāzihim jaʿala s-siqāyata fī raḥli ʾakhīhi thumma ʾadhdhana muʾadhdhinun ʾayyatuhā l-ʿīru ʾinnakum la-sāriqūna

2. قالوا وأقبلوا عليهم ماذا تفقدون

   71

   They said, as they turned towards them, ‘What are you missing?’

   qālū wa-ʾaqbalū ʿalayhim mādhā tafqidūna

3. قالوا نفقد صواع الملك ولمن جاء به حمل بعير وأنا به زعيم

   72

   They said, ‘We miss the king’s goblet.’ ‘Whoever brings it shall have a camel-load [of grain],’ [said the steward], ‘I will guarantee that.’

   qālū nafqidu ṣuwāʿa l-maliki wa-li-man jāʾa bihī ḥimlu baʿīrin wa-ʾana bihī zaʿīmun

4. قالوا تالله لقد علمتم ما جئنا لنفسد في الأرض وما كنا سارقين

   73

   They said, ‘By Allah! You certainly know that we did not come to make trouble in this country, and we are not thieves.’

   qālū ta-llāhi la-qad ʿalimtum mā jiʾnā li-nufsida fī l-ʾarḍi wa-mā kunnā sāriqīna

5. قالوا فما جزاؤه إن كنتم كاذبين

   74

   They said, ‘What shall be its requital if you [prove to] be lying?’

   qālū fa-mā jazāʾuhū ʾin kuntum kādhibīna

6. قالوا جزاؤه من وجد في رحله فهو جزاؤه كذلك نجزي الظالمين

   75

   They said, ‘The requital for it shall be that he in whose saddlebag it is found shall give himself over as its requital. Thus do we requite the wrongdoers.’

   qālū jazāʾuhū man wujida fī raḥlihī fa-huwa jazāʾuhū ka-dhālika najzī ẓ-ẓālimīna

7. فبدأ بأوعيتهم قبل وعاء أخيه ثم استخرجها من وعاء أخيه كذلك كدنا ليوسف ما كان ليأخذ أخاه في دين الملك إلا أن يشاء الله نرفع درجات من نشاء وفوق كل ذي علم عليم

   76

   Then he began with their sacks, before [opening] his brother’s sack. Then he took it out from his brother’s sack. Thus did We devise for Joseph’s sake. He could not have held his brother under the king’s law unless Allah willed [otherwise]. We raise in rank whomever We please, and above every man of knowledge is One who knows best.

   fa-badaʾa bi-ʾawʿiyatihim qabla wiʿāʾi ʾakhīhi thumma stakhrajahā min wiʿāʾi ʾakhīhi ka-dhālika kidnā li-yūsufa mā kāna li-yaʾkhudha ʾakhāhu fī dīni l-maliki ʾillā ʾan yashāʾa llāhu narfaʿu darajātin man nashāʾu wa-fawqa kulli dhī ʿilmin ʿalīmun

8. قالوا إن يسرق فقد سرق أخ له من قبل فأسرها يوسف في نفسه ولم يبدها لهم قال أنتم شر مكانا والله أعلم بما تصفون

   77

   They said, ‘If he has stolen [there is no wonder]; a brother of his had stolen before.’ Thereupon Joseph kept the matter to himself and he did not disclose it to them. He said, ‘You are in a worse state! And Allah knows best what you allege.’

   qālū ʾin yasriq fa-qad saraqa ʾakhun lahū min qablu fa-ʾasarrahā yūsufu fī nafsihī wa-lam yubdihā lahum qāla ʾantum sharrun makānan wa-llāhu ʾaʿlamu bi-mā taṣifūna

9. قالوا يا أيها العزيز إن له أبا شيخا كبيرا فخذ أحدنا مكانه إنا نراك من المحسنين

   78

   They said, ‘O emir! Indeed, he has a father, a very old man; so take one of us in his place. Indeed we see that you are a virtuous man.’

   qālū yā-ʾayyuhā l-ʿazīzu ʾinna lahū ʾaban shaykhan kabīran fa-khudh ʾaḥadanā makānahū ʾinnā narāka mina l-muḥsinīna