Chapter 12

12.1

surah 12 - verse 1

translator's name	verse
Arberry	Alif Lam Ra. Those are the signs of the Manifest Book.
Maududi	Alif. Lam. Ra'. These are the verses of a Book that clearly expounds the truth.
Pickthall	Alif. Lam. Ra. These are verse of the Scripture that maketh plain.
Sahih	Alif, Lam, Ra. These are the verses of the clear Book.
Yusuf Ali	A. L. R. These are the symbols (or Verses) of the perspicuous Book.

12.2

surah 12 - verse 2

translator's name	verse
Arberry	We have sent it down as an Arabic Koran; haply you will understand.
Maududi	We have revealed it as a Recitation in Arabic that you may fully understand.
Pickthall	Lo! We have revealed it, a Lecture in Arabic, that ye may understand.
Sahih	Indeed, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an that you might understand.
Yusuf Ali	We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur'an, in order that ye may learn wisdom.

12.3

surah 12 - verse 3

translator's name	verse
Arberry	We will relate to thee the fairest of stories in that We have revealed to thee this Koran, though before it thou wast one of the heedless.
Maududi	(O Muhammad), by revealing the Qur'an to you We narrate to you in the best manner the stories of the past although before this narration you were utterly unaware of them.
Pickthall	We narrate unto thee (Muhammad) the best of narratives in that We have inspired in thee this Qur'an, though aforetime thou wast of the heedless.
Sahih	We relate to you, [O Muhammad], the best of stories in what We have revealed to you of this Qur'an although you were, before it, among the unaware.
Yusuf Ali	We do relate unto thee the most beautiful of stories, in that We reveal to thee this (portion of the) Qur'an: before this, thou too was among those who knew it not.

12.4

surah 12 - verse 4

translator's name	verse
Arberry	When Joseph said to his father, 'Father, I saw eleven stars, and the sun and the moon; I saw them bowing down before me.'
Maududi	Call to mind when Joseph said to his father: "My father! I saw (in a dream) eleven stars and the sun and the moon: I saw them prostrating themselves before me."
Pickthall	When Joseph said unto his father: O my father! Lo! I saw in a dream eleven planets and the sun and the moon, I saw them prostrating themselves unto me.
Sahih	[Of these stories mention] when Joseph said to his father, "O my father, indeed I have seen [in a dream] eleven stars and the sun and the moon; I saw them prostrating to me."
Yusuf Ali	Behold! Joseph said to his father: "O my father! I did see eleven stars and the sun and the moon: I saw them prostrate themselves to me!"

12.5

surah 12 - verse 5

translator's name	verse
Arberry	He said, 'O my son, relate not thy vision to thy brothers, lest they devise against thee some guile. Surely Satan is to man a manifest enemy.
Maududi	His father said: "My son! Do not relate your dream to your brothers lest they hatch a plot to harm you. Indeed Satan is man's open enemy.
Pickthall	He said: O my dear son! Tell not thy brethren of thy vision, lest they plot a plot against thee. Lo! Satan is for man an open foe.
Sahih	He said, "O my son, do not relate your vision to your brothers or they will contrive against you a plan. Indeed Satan, to man, is a manifest enemy.
Yusuf Ali	Said (the father): "My (dear) little son! relate not thy vision to thy brothers, lest they concoct a plot against thee: for Satan is to man an avowed enemy!

12.6

surah 12 - verse 6

translator's name	verse
Arberry	So will thy Lord choose thee, and teach thee the interpretation of tales, and perfect His blessing upon thee and upon the House of Jacob, as He perfected it formerly on thy fathers Abraham and Isaac; surely thy Lord is All-knowing, All-wise.'
Maududi	(As you have seen in the dream), so will your Lord choose you (for His task) and will impart to you the comprehension of the deeper meaning of things and will bestow the full measure of His favour upon you and upon the house of Jacob even as He earlier bestowed it in full measure upon your forefathers, Abraham and Isaac. Surely your Lord is All- Knowing, All-Wise."
Pickthall	Thus thy Lord will prefer thee and will teach thee the interpretation of events, and will perfect His grace upon thee and upon the family of Jacob as He perfected it upon thy forefathers, Abraham and Isaac. Lo! thy Lord is Knower, Wise.
Sahih	And thus will your Lord choose you and teach you the interpretation of narratives and complete His favor upon you and upon the family of Jacob, as He completed it upon your fathers before, Abraham and Isaac. Indeed, your Lord is Knowing and Wise."
Yusuf Ali	"Thus will thy Lord choose thee and teach thee the interpretation of stories (and events) and perfect His favour to thee and to the posterity of Jacob - even as He perfected it to thy fathers Abraham and Isaac aforetime! for Allah is full of knowledge and wisdom."

12.7

surah 12 - verse 7

translator's name	verse
Arberry	(In Joseph and his brethren were signs for those who ask questions.)
Maududi	Verily in the story of Joseph and his brothers there are many signs for those who inquire (about the truth).
Pickthall	Verily in Joseph and his brethren are signs (of Allah's Sovereignty) for the inquiring.
Sahih	Certainly were there in Joseph and his brothers signs for those who ask,
Yusuf Ali	Verily in Joseph and his brethren are signs (or symbols) for seekers (after Truth).

12.8

surah 12 - verse 8

translator's name	verse
Arberry	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.
Maududi	And call to mind when the brothers of Joseph conferred together and said: "Surely Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we are, although we are a group of so many. Our father is clearly mistaken.
Pickthall	When they said: Verily Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we are, many though we be. Lo! our father is in plain aberration.
Sahih	When they said, "Joseph and his brother are more beloved to our father than we, while we are a clan. Indeed, our father is in clear error.
Yusuf Ali	They said: "Truly Joseph and his brother are loved more by our father than we: But we are a goodly body! really our father is obviously wandering (in his mind)!

12.9

surah 12 - verse 9

translator's name	verse
Arberry	Kill you Joseph, or cast him forth into some land, that your father's face may be free for you, and thereafter you may be a righteous people.'
Maududi	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."
Pickthall	(One said): Kill Joseph or cast him to some (other) land, so that your father's favour may be all for you, and (that) ye may afterward be righteous folk.
Sahih	Kill Joseph or cast him out to [another] land; the countenance of your father will [then] be only for you, and you will be after that a righteous people."
Yusuf Ali	"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!"

12.10

surah 12 - verse 10

translator's name	verse
Arberry	One of them said, 'No, kill not Joseph, but cast him into the bottom of the pit and some traveller will pick him out, if you do aught.'
Maududi	Thereupon one of them said: "Do not kill Joseph, but if you are bent upon doing something, cast him down to the bottom of some dark pit, perhaps some caravan passing by will take him out of it."
Pickthall	One among them said: Kill not Joseph but, if ye must be doing, fling him into the depth of the pit; some caravan will find him.
Sahih	Said a speaker among them, "Do not kill Joseph but throw him into the bottom of the well; some travelers will pick him up - if you would do [something]."
Yusuf Ali	Said one of them: "Slay not Joseph, but if ye must do something, throw him down to the bottom of the well: he will be picked up by some caravan of travellers."

12.11

surah 12 - verse 11

translator's name	verse
Arberry	They said, 'Father, what ails thee, that thou trustest us not with Joseph? Surely we are his sincere well-wishers.
Maududi	After so deciding they said to their father: "Why is it that you do not trust us regarding Joseph although we are his true well-wishers?"
Pickthall	They said: O our father! Why wilt thou not trust us with Joseph, when lo! we are good friends to him?
Sahih	They said, "O our father, why do you not entrust us with Joseph while indeed, we are to him sincere counselors?
Yusuf Ali	They said: "O our father! why dost thou not trust us with Joseph,- seeing we are indeed his sincere well-wishers?

12.12

surah 12 - verse 12

translator's name	verse
Arberry	Send him forth with us tomorrow, to frolic and play; surely we shall be watching over him.'
Maududi	Send him out with us tomorrow that he may enjoy himself and play while we will be there, standing guard over him."
Pickthall	Send him with us to-morrow that he may enjoy himself and play. And lo! we shall take good care of him.
Sahih	Send him with us tomorrow that he may eat well and play. And indeed, we will be his guardians.
Yusuf Ali	"Send him with us tomorrow to enjoy himself and play, and we shall take every care of him."

12.13

surah 12 - verse 13

translator's name	verse
Arberry	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.'
Maududi	Their father answered: "It grieves me indeed that you should take him with you for I fear that some wolf might eat him up while you are negligent of him."
Pickthall	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.
Sahih	[Jacob] said, "Indeed, it saddens me that you should take him, and I fear that a wolf would eat him while you are of him unaware."
Yusuf Ali	(Jacob) said: "Really it saddens me that ye should take him away: I fear lest the wolf should devour him while ye attend not to him."

12.14

surah 12 - verse 14

translator's name	verse
Arberry	They said, 'If the wolf eats him, and we a band, then are we losers!'
Maududi	They said: "Should a wolf eat him, despite the presence of our strong group, we would indeed be a worthless lot!"
Pickthall	They said: If the wolf should devour him when we are (so strong) a band, then surely we should have already perished.
Sahih	They said, "If a wolf should eat him while we are a [strong] clan, indeed, we would then be losers."
Yusuf Ali	They said: "If the wolf were to devour him while we are (so large) a party, then should we indeed (first) have perished ourselves!"

12.15

surah 12 - verse 15

translator's name	verse
Arberry	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.'
Maududi	So when they went away with Joseph and decided to cast him in the bottom of the dark pit, We revealed to Joseph: "Surely a time will come when you will remind them of their deed. They know nothing about the consequence of what they are doing."
Pickthall	Then, when they led him off, and were of one mind that they should place him in the depth of the pit, We inspired in him: Thou wilt tell them of this deed of theirs when they know (thee) not.
Sahih	So when they took him [out] and agreed to put him into the bottom of the well... But We inspired to him, "You will surely inform them [someday] about this affair of theirs while they do not perceive [your identity]."
Yusuf Ali	So they did take him away, and they all agreed to throw him down to the bottom of the well: and We put into his heart (this Message): 'Of a surety thou shalt (one day) tell them the truth of this their affair while they know (thee) not'

12.16

surah 12 - verse 16

translator's name	verse
Arberry	And they came to their father in the evening, and they were weeping.
Maududi	At nightfall they came to their father weeping
Pickthall	And they came weeping to their father in the evening.
Sahih	And they came to their father at night, weeping.
Yusuf Ali	Then they came to their father in the early part of the night, weeping.

12.17

surah 12 - verse 17

translator's name	verse
Arberry	They said, 'Father, we went running races, and left Joseph behind with our things; so the wolf ate him. But thou wouldst never believe us, though we spoke truly.'
Maududi	and said: "Father! We went racing with one another and left Joseph behind with our things, and then a wolf came and ate him up. We know that you will not believe us howsoever truthful we might be."
Pickthall	Saying: O our father! We went racing one with another, and left Joseph by our things, and the wolf devoured him, and thou believest not our saying even when we speak the truth.
Sahih	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."
Yusuf Ali	They said: "O our father! We went racing with one another, and left Joseph with our things; and the wolf devoured him.... But thou wilt never believe us even though we tell the truth."

12.18

surah 12 - verse 18

translator's name	verse
Arberry	And they brought his shirt with false blood on it. He said, 'No; but your spirits tempted you to do somewhat. But come, sweet patience! And God's succour is ever there to seek against that you describe.'
Maududi	And they brought Joseph's shirt, stained with false blood. Seeing this their father exclaimed: "Nay (this is not true); rather your evil souls have made it easy for you to commit a heinous act. So I will bear this patiently, and in good grace. It is Allah's help alone that I seek against your fabrication."
Pickthall	And they came with false blood on his shirt. He said: Nay, but your minds have beguiled you into something. (My course is) comely patience. And Allah it is Whose help is to be sought in that (predicament) which ye describe.
Sahih	And they brought upon his shirt false blood. [Jacob] said, "Rather, your souls have enticed you to something, so patience is most fitting. And Allah is the one sought for help against that which you describe."
Yusuf Ali	They stained his shirt with false blood. He said: "Nay, but your minds have made up a tale (that may pass) with you, (for me) patience is most fitting: Against that which ye assert, it is Allah (alone) Whose help can be sought"..

12.19

surah 12 - verse 19

translator's name	verse
Arberry	Then came travellers, and they sent one of them, a water-drawer, who let down his bucket. 'Good news!' he said. 'Here is a young man.' So they hid him as merchandise; but God knew what they were doing.
Maududi	And a caravan came, and they sent their water drawer to draw water. As he let down his bucket in the well he (observed Joseph) and cried out: "This is good news. There is a boy." They concealed him, considering him as part of their merchandise, while Allah was well aware of what they did.
Pickthall	And there came a caravan, and they sent their waterdrawer. He let down his pail (into the pit). He said: Good luck! Here is a youth. And they hid him as a treasure, and Allah was Aware of what they did.
Sahih	And there came a company of travelers; then they sent their water drawer, and he let down his bucket. He said, "Good news! Here is a boy." And they concealed him, [taking him] as merchandise; and Allah was knowing of what they did.
Yusuf Ali	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!

12.20

surah 12 - verse 20

translator's name	verse
Arberry	Then they sold him for a paltry price, a handful of counted dirhams; for they set small store by him.
Maududi	Later they sold him for a paltry sum - just a few dirhams; they did not care to obtain a higher price.
Pickthall	And they sold him for a low price, a number of silver coins; and they attached no value to him.
Sahih	And they sold him for a reduced price - a few dirhams - and they were, concerning him, of those content with little.
Yusuf Ali	The (Brethren) sold him for a miserable price, for a few dirhams counted out: in such low estimation did they hold him!