Three Translations of The Koran (Al-Qur'an) side by side Part 104

012.071 Y: They said, turning towards them: "What is it that ye miss?"

P: They cried, coming toward them: What is it ye have lost?

S: They said while they were facing them: What is it that you miss?

012.072 Y: They said: "We miss the great beaker of the king; for him who produces it, is (the reward of) a camel load; I will be bound by it."

P: They said: We have lost the king's cup, and he who bringeth it shall have a camel-load, and I (said Joseph) am answerable for it.

S: They said: We miss the king's drinking cup, and he who shall bring it shall have a camel-load and I am responsible for it.

012.073 Y: (The brothers) said: "By Allah! well ye know that we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves!"

P: They said: By Allah, well ye know we came not to do evil in the land, and are no thieves.

S: They said: By Allah! you know for certain that we have not come to make mischief in the land, and we are not thieves.

012.074 Y: (The Egyptians) said: "What then shall be the penalty of this, if ye are (proved) to have lied?"

P: They said: And what shall be the penalty for it, if ye prove liars?

S: They said: But what shall be the requital of this, if you are liars?

012.075 Y: They said: "The penalty should be that he in whose saddle-bag it is found, should be held (as bondman) to atone for the (crime). Thus it is we punish the wrong-doers!"

P: They said: The penalty for it! He in whose bag (the cup) is found, he is the penalty for it. Thus we requite wrong-doers.

S: They said: The requital of this is that the person in whose bag it is found shall himself be (held for) the satisfaction thereof; thus do we punish the wrongdoers.

012.076 Y: So he began (the search) with their baggage, before (he came to) the baggage of his brother: at length he brought it out of his brother's baggage. Thus did We plan for Joseph. He could not take his brother by the law of the king except that Allah willed it (so). We raise to degrees (of wisdom) whom We please: but over all endued with knowledge is one, the All-Knowing.

P: Then he (Joseph) began the search with their bags before his brother's bag, then he produced it from his brother's bag. Thus did We contrive for Joseph. He could not have taken his brother according to the king's law unless Allah willed. We raise by grades (of mercy) whom We will, and over every lord of knowledge there is one more knowing.

S: So he began with their sacks before the sack of his brother, then he brought it out from his brother's sack. Thus did We plan for the sake of Yusuf; it was not (lawful) that he should take his brother under the king's law unless Allah pleased; We raise the degrees of whomsoever We please, and above every one possessed of knowledge is the All-knowing one.

012.077 Y: They said: "If he steals, there was a brother of his who did steal before (him)." But these things did Joseph keep locked in his heart, revealing not the secrets to them. He (simply) said (to himself): "Ye are the worse situated; and Allah knoweth best the truth of what ye a.s.sert!"

P: They said: If he stealeth, a brother of his stole before. But Joseph kept it secret in his soul and revealed it not unto them. He said (within himself): Ye are in worse case, and Allah knoweth best (the truth of) that which ye allege.

S: They said: If he steal, a brother of his did indeed steal before; but Yusuf kept it secret in his heart and did not disclose it to them. He said: You are in an evil condition and Allah knows best what you state.

012.078 Y: They said: "O exalted one! Behold! he has a father, aged and venerable, (who will grieve for him); so take one of us in his place; for we see that thou art (gracious) in doing good."

P: They said: O ruler of the land! Lo! he hath a very aged father, so take one of us instead of him. Lo! we behold thee of those who do kindness.

S: They said: O chief! he has a father, a very old man, therefore retain one of us in his stead; surely we see you to be of the doers of good.

012.079 Y: He said: "Allah forbid that we take other than him with whom we found our property: indeed (if we did so), we should be acting wrongfully."

P: He said: Allah forbid that we should seize save him with whom we found our property; then truly we should be wrong-doers.

S: He said: Allah protect us that we should seize other than him with whom we found our property, for then most surely we would be unjust.

012.080 Y: Now when they saw no hope of his (yielding), they held a conference in private. The leader among them said: "Know ye not that your father did take an oath from you in Allah's name, and how, before this, ye did fail in your duty with Joseph? Therefore will I not leave this land until my father permits me, or Allah commands me; and He is the best to command."

P: So, When they despaired of (moving) him, they conferred together apart. The eldest of them said: Know ye not how your father took an undertaking from you in Allah's name and how ye failed in the case of Joseph aforetime? Therefore I shall not go forth from the land until my father giveth leave or Allah judgeth for me. He is the Best of Judges.

S: Then when they despaired of him, they retired, conferring privately together. The eldest of them said: Do you not know that your father took from you a covenant in Allah's name, and how you fell short of your duty with respect to Yusuf before? Therefore I will by no means depart from this land until my father permits me or Allah decides for me, and He is the best of the judges:

012.081 Y: "Turn ye back to your father, and say, 'O our father! behold! thy son committed theft! we bear witness only to what we know, and we could not well guard against the unseen!"

P: Return unto your father and say: O our father! Lo! thy son hath stolen. We testify only to that which we know; we are not guardians of the Unseen.

S: Go back to your father and say: O our father! surely your son committed theft, and we do not bear witness except to what we have known, and we could not keep watch over the unseen:

012.082 Y: "'Ask at the town where we have been and the caravan in which we returned, and (you will find) we are indeed telling the truth.'"

P: Ask the towns.h.i.+p where we were, and the caravan with which we travelled hither. Lo! we speak the truth.

S: And inquire in the town in which we were and the caravan with which we proceeded, and most surely we are truthful.

012.083 Y: Jacob said: "Nay, but ye have yourselves contrived a story (good enough) for you. So patience is most fitting (for me). Maybe Allah will bring them (back) all to me (in the end). For He is indeed full of knowledge and wisdom."

P: (And when they came unto their father and had spoken thus to him) he said: Nay, but your minds have beguiled you into something. (My course is) comely patience! It may be that Allah will bring them all unto me.

Lo! He, only He, is the Knower, the Wise.

S: He (Yaqoub) said: Nay, your souls have made a matter light for you, so patience is good; maybe Allah will bring them all together to me; surely He is the Knowing, the Wise.

012.084 Y: And he turned away from them, and said: "How great is my grief for Joseph!" And his eyes became white with sorrow, and he fell into silent melancholy.

P: And he turned away from them and said: Alas, my grief for Joseph! And his eyes were whitened with the sorrow that he was suppressing.

S: And he turned away from them, and said: O my sorrow for Yusuf! and his eyes became white on account of the grief, and he was a repressor (of grief).

012.085 Y: They said: "By Allah! (never) wilt thou cease to remember Joseph until thou reach the last extremity of illness, or until thou die!"

P: They said: By Allah, thou wilt never cease remembering Joseph till thy health is ruined or thou art of those who peris.h.!.+

S: They said: By Allah! you will not cease to remember Yusuf until you are a prey to constant disease or (until) you are of those who perish.

012.086 Y: He said: "I only complain of my distraction and anguish to Allah, and I know from Allah that which ye know not..."

P: He said: I expose my distress and anguish only unto Allah, and I know from Allah that which ye know not.

S: He said: I only complain of my grief and sorrow to Allah, and I know from Allah what you do not know.

012.087 Y: "O my sons! go ye and enquire about Joseph and his brother, and never give up hope of Allah's Soothing Mercy: truly no one despairs of Allah's Soothing Mercy, except those who have no faith."