The Koran
CHAPTER XII.
ENTITLED, JOSEPH; REVEALED AT MECCA.
IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL GOD.
A. L. R. These are the signs of the perspicuous book; which we have sent
down in the Arabic tongue, that peradventure ye might understand. We relate
unto thee a most excellent history, by revealing unto thee this Koran,
whereas thou wast before one of the negligent. When Joseph said unto his
father, O my father, verily I saw in my dream eleven stars, and the sun
and the moon; I saw them make obeisance unto me. Jacob said, O my child,
tell not thy vision to thy brethren, lest they devise some plot against
three; for the devil is a professed enemy unto man: and thus, according
to thy dream, shall thy Lord choose thee, and teach thee the interpretation
of dark sayings, and he shall accomplish his favor upon thee and upon the
family of Jacob, as he hath formerly accomplished it upon thy fathers Abraham
and Isaac; for thy Lord is knowing and wise. Surely in the history of Joseph
and his brethren there are signs of God’s providence to the inquisitive;
when they said to one another, Joseph and his brother are dearer to our
father than we, who are the greater number; our father certainly maketh
a wrong judgment. Wherefore slay Joseph, or drive him into some distant
or desert part of the earth, and the face of your father shall be cleared
towards you; and ye shall afterwards be people of integrity. One of them
spoke and said, Slay not Joseph, but throw him to the bottom of the well;
and some travellers will take him up, if ye do thus. They said unto Jacob,
O father, why dost thou not entrust Joseph with us, since we are sincere
well-wishers unto him? Send him with us to-morrow, into the field, that
he may divert himself, and sport, and we will be his guardians. Jacob answered,
It grieveth me that ye take him away; and I fear lest the wolf devour him,
while ye are negligent of him. They said, Surely if the wolf devour him
when there are so many of us, we shall be weak indeed. And when they had
carried him with them, and agreed to set him at the bottom of the well,
they executed their design: and we sent a revelation unto him, saying,
Thou shalt hereafter declare this their action unto them; and they shall
not perceive thee to be Joseph. And they came to their father at even,
weeping, and said, Father, we went and ran races with one another, and
we left Joseph with our baggage, and the wolf hath devoured him; but thou
wilt not believe us, although we speak the truth. And they produced his
inner garment stained with false blood. Jacob answered, Nay, but ye yourselves
have contrived the thing for your own sakes; however, patience is most
becoming, and God’s assistance is to be implored to enable me to support
the misfortune which ye relate. And certain travellers came, and sent one
to draw water for them: and he let down his bucket, and said, Good news!
this is a youth. And they concealed him, that they might sell him as a
piece of merchandise: but God knew that which they did. And they sold him
for a mean price, for a few pence, and valued him lightly. And the Egyptian
who bought him said to his wife, Use him honorably; peradventure he may
be serviceable to us, or we may adopt him for our son. Thus did we prepare
an establishment for Joseph in the earth, and we taught him the interpretation
of dark sayings: for God is well able to effect his purpose; but the greater
part of men do not understand. And when he had attained his age of strength,
we bestowed on him wisdom and knowledge; for thus do we recompense the
righteous. And she, in whose house he was, desired him to lie with her;
and she shut the doors and said, Come hither. He answered, God forbid!
verily my lord hath made my dwelling with him easy; and the ungrateful
shall not prosper. But she resolved within herself to enjoy him, and he
would have resolved to enjoy her, had he not seen the evident demonstration
of his Lord. So we turned away evil and filthiness from him, because he
was one of our sincere servants. And they ran to get one before the other
to the door; and she rent his inner garment behind. And they met her lord
at the door. She said, What shall be the reward of him who seeketh to commit
evil in thy family, but imprisonment, and a painful punishment? And Joseph
said, She asked me to lie with her. And a witness of her family bore witness,
saying, If his garment be rent before, she speaketh truth, and he is a
liar; but if his garment be rent behind, she lieth, and he is a speaker
of truth. And when her husband saw that his garment was torn behind, he
said, This is a cunning contrivance of your sex; for surely your cunning
is great. O Joseph, take no farther notice of this affair: and thou, O
woman, ask pardon for thy crime, for thou art a guilty person. And certain
women said publicly in the city, The nobleman’s wife asked her servant
to lie with her: he hath inflamed her breast with his love; and we perceive
her to be in a manifest error. And when she heard of their subtle behavior,
she sent unto them, and prepared a banquet for them, and she gave to each
of them a knife; and she said unto Joseph, Come forth unto them. And when
they saw him they praised him greatly; and they cut their own hands, and
said, O God! this is not a mortal; he is no other than an angel, deserving
the highest respect. And his mistress said, This is he for whose sake ye
blamed me: I asked him to lie with me, but he hath constantly refused.
But if he do not perform that which I command him, he shall surely be cast
into prison, and he shall be made one of the contemptible. Joseph said,
O Lord, a prison is more eligible unto me than the crime to which they
invite me; but unless thou turn aside their snares from me, I shall youthfully
incline unto them, and I shall become one of the foolish. Wherefore his
Lord heard him, and turned aside their snare from him; for he both heareth
and knoweth. And it seemed good unto them, even after they had seen the
signs of his innocency, to imprison him for a time. And there entered into
the prison with him two of the king’s servants. One of them said, It seemed
to me in my dream that I pressed wine out of grapes. And the other said,
It seemed unto me in my dream that I carried bread on my head, whereof
the birds did eat. Declare unto us the interpretation of our dreams, for
we perceive that thou art a beneficent person. Joseph answered, No food,
wherewith ye may be nourished, shall come unto you, but I will declare
unto you the interpretation thereof before it come unto you. This knowledge
is a part of that which my Lord hath taught me: for I have left the religion
of people who believe not in God, and who deny the life to come; and I
follow the religion of my fathers, Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob. It is
not lawful for us to associate anything with God. This knowledge of the
divine unity hath been given us of the bounty of God towards us, and towards
mankind; but the greater part of men are not thankful. O my fellow-prisoners,
are sundry lords better, or the only true and mighty God? Ye worship not,
besides him, other than the names which ye have named, ye and your fathers,
concerning which God hath sent down no authoritative proof: yet judgment
belongeth unto God alone; who hath commanded that ye worship none besides
him. This is the right religion; but the greater part of men know it not.
O my fellow-prisoners, verily the one of you shall serve wine unto his
lord, as formerly; but the other shall be crucified, and the birds shall
eat from off his head. The matter is decreed concerning which ye seek to
be informed. And Joseph said unto him whom he judged to be the person who
should escape of the two, Remember me in the presence of thy lord. But
the devil caused him to forget to make mention of Joseph unto his lord;
wherefore he remained in the prison some years. And the king of Egypt said,
Verily I saw in my dream seven fat kine, which seven lean kine devoured,
and seven green ears of corn, and other seven withered ears. O nobles,
expound my vision unto me, if ye be able to interpret a vision. They answered,
They are confused dreams; neither are we skilled in the interpretation
of such kind of dreams. And Joseph’s fellow-prisoner, who had been delivered,
said (for he remembered Joseph after a certain space of time), I will declare
unto you the interpretation thereof; wherefore let me go unto the person
who will interpret it unto me. And he went to the prison, and said, O Joseph,
thou man of veracity, teach us the interpretation of seven fat kine, which
seven lean kine devoured, and of seven green ears of corn; and other seven
withered ears, which the king saw in his dream; that I may return unto
the men who have sent me, that peradventure they may understand the same.
Joseph answered, Ye shall sow seven years as usual: and the corn which
ye shall reap, do ye leave in its ear, except a little whereof ye may eat.
Then shall there come, after this, seven grievous years of famine, which
shall consume what ye shall have laid up as a provision for the same, except
a little which ye shall have kept. Then shall there come after this, a
year wherein men shall have plenty of rain, and wherein they shall press
wine and oil. And when the chief butler had reported this, the king said,
Bring him unto me. And when the messenger came unto Joseph, he said, Return
unto thy lord, and ask of him, what was the intent of the women, who cut
their hands; for my Lord well knoweth the snare which they laid for me.
And when the women were assembled before the king, he said unto them, What
was your design when ye solicited Joseph to unlawful love? They answered,
God be praised! we know not any ill of him. The nobleman’s wife said, Now
is the truth become manifest: I solicited him to lie with me: and he is
one of those who speak truth. And when Joseph was acquainted therewith,
he said, This discovery hath been made, that my lord might know that I
was not unfaithful unto him in his absence, and that God directeth not
the plot of the deceivers. (XIII.) Neither do I absolutely justify myself:
since every soul is prone unto evil, except those on whom my Lord shall
show mercy; for my Lord is gracious and merciful. And the king said, Bring
him unto me: I will take him into my own peculiar service. And when Joseph
was brought unto the king, and he had discoursed with him, he said, Thou
art this day firmly established with us, and shalt be entrusted with our
affairs. Joseph answered, Set me over the store-houses of the land; for
I will be a skillful keeper thereof. Thus did we establish Joseph in the
land, that he might provide himself a dwelling therein, where he pleased.
We bestow our mercy on whom we please, and we suffer not the reward of
the righteous to perish: and certainly the reward of the next life is better,
for those who believe and fear God. Moreover Joseph’s brethren came, and
went in unto him; and he knew them, but they knew not him. And when he
had furnished them with their provisions, he said, Bring unto me your brother,
the son of your father: do ye not see that I give full measure, and that
I am the most hospitable receiver of guests? But if ye bring him not unto
me, there shall be no corn measured unto you from me, neither shall ye
approach my presence. They answered, We will endeavor to obtain him of
his father, and we will certainly perform what thou requirest. And Joseph
said to his servants, Put their money which they have paid for their corn,
into their sacks, that they may perceive it; when they shall be returned
to their family: peradventure they will come back unto us. And when they
were returned unto their father, they said, O father, it is forbidden to
measure out corn unto us any more, unless we carry our brother Benjamin
with us: wherefore send our brother with us, and we shall have corn measured
unto us: and we will certainly guard him from any mischance. Jacob answered,
Shall I trust him with you with any better success than I trusted your
brother Joseph with you heretofore? But God is the best guardian; and he
is the most merciful of those who show mercy. And when they opened their
provisions, they found their money had been returned unto them; and they
said, O father, what do we desire farther? this our money hath been returned
unto us: we will therefore return, and provide corn for our family: we
will take care of our brother; and we shall receive a camel’s burden more
than we did the last time. This a small quantity. Jacob said, I will by
no means send him with you, until ye give me a solemn promise, and swear
by God that ye will certainly bring him back unto me, unless ye be encompassed
by some inevitable impediment. And when they had given him their solemn
promise, he said, God is witness of what we say. And he said, My sons,
enter not into the city by one and the same gate; but enter by different
gates. But this precaution will be of no advantage unto you against the
decree of God; for judgment belongeth unto God alone: in him do I put my
trust, and in him let those confide who seek in whom to put their trust.
And when they entered the city, as their father had commanded them, it
was of no advantage unto them against the decree of God; and the same served
only to satisfy the desire of Jacob’s soul, which he had charged them to
perform: for he was endued with knowledge of that which we had taught him;
but the greater part of men do not understand. And when they entered into
the presence of Joseph, he received his brother Benjamin as his guest,
and said, Verily I am thy brother: be not therefore afflicted for that
which they have committed against us. And when he had furnished them with
their provisions, he put his cup in his brother Benjamin’s sack. Then a
crier cried after them, saying, O company of travellers, ye are surely
thieves. They said (and turned back unto them), What is it that ye miss?
They answered, We miss the prince’s cup: and unto him who shall produce
it, shall be given a camel’s load of corn; and I will be surety for the
same. Joseph’s brethren replied, By God, ye do well know that we come not
to act corruptly in the land, neither are we thieves. The Egyptians said,
What shall be the reward of him who shall appear to have stolen the cup,
if ye be found liars? Joseph’s brethren answered, As to the reward of him
in whose sack it shall be found, let him become a bondman in satisfaction
for the same: thus do we reward the unjust, who are guilty of theft. Then
he began by their sacks, before he searched the sack of his brother; and
he drew out the cup from his brother’s sack. Thus did we furnish Joseph
with a stratagem. It was not lawful for him to take his brother for a bondman,
by the law of the king of Egypt, had not God pleased to allow it, according
to the offer of his brethren. We exalt to degrees of knowledge and honor
whom we please: and there is one who is knowing above all those who are
endued with knowledge. His brethren said, If Benjamin be guilty of theft,
his brother Joseph hath been also guilty of theft heretofore. But Joseph
concealed these things in his mind, and did not discover them unto them;
and he said within himself, Ye are in a worse condition than us two; and
God best knoweth what ye discourse about. They said unto Joseph, Noble
lord, Verily this lad hath an aged father; wherefore take one of us in
his stead; for we perceive that thou art a beneficent person. Joseph answered,
God forbid that we should take any other than him with whom we found our
goods; for then should we certainly be unjust. And when they despaired
of obtaining Benjamin, they retired to confer privately together. And the
elder of them said, Do ye not know that your father hath received a solemn
promise from you, in the name of God; and how perfidiously ye behaved heretofore
towards Joseph? Wherefore I will by no means depart the land of Egypt,
until my father give me leave to return unto him, or God maketh known his
will to me; for he is the best judge. Return ye to your father, and say,
O father, verily thy son hath committed theft; we bear witness of no more
than what we know, and we could not guard against what we did not foresee:
and do thou inquire in the city where we have been, and of the company
of merchants with whom we are arrived, and thou wilt find that we speak
the truth. And when they were returned and had thus spoken to their father,
he said, Nay, but rather ye yourselves have contrived the thing for your
own sakes: but patience is most proper for me; peradventure God will restore
them all unto me; for he is knowing and wise. And he turned from them and
said, Oh, how am I grieved for Joseph! And his eyes became white with mourning,
he being oppressed with deep sorrow. His sons said, By God, thou wilt not
cease to remember Joseph, until thou be brought to death’s door, or thou
be actually destroyed by excessive affliction. He answered, I only represent
my grief, which I am not able to contain, and my sorrow unto God; but I
know by revelation from God that which ye know not. O my sons, go and make
inquiry after Joseph and his brother; and despair not of the mercy of God;
for none despaireth of God’s mercy, except the unbelieving people. Wherefore
Joseph’s brethren returned into Egypt: and when they came into his presence
they said, Noble lord, the famine is felt by us and our family, and we
are come with a small sum of money; yet give unto us full measure, and
bestow corn upon us as alms; for God rewardeth the almsgivers. Joseph said
unto them, Do ye know what ye did unto Joseph and his brother, when ye
were ignorant of the consequences thereof? They answered, Art thou really
Joseph? He replied, I am Joseph; and this is my brother. Now hath God been
gracious unto us. For whoso feareth God, and persevereth with patience,
shall at length find relief; since God will not suffer the reward of the
righteous to perish. They said, By God, now hath God chosen thee above
us; and we have surely been sinners. Joseph answered, Let there be no reproach
cast on you this day. God forgiveth you; for he is the most merciful of
those who show mercy. Depart ye with this my inner garment, and throw it
on my father's face; and he shall recover his sight: and then come unto
me with all your family, And when the company of travellers was departed
from Egypt on their journey towards Canaan, their father said unto those
who were about him, Verily I perceive the smell of Joseph: although ye
think that I dote. They answered, By God, thou art in thy old mistake.
But when the messenger of good tidings was come with Joseph’s inner garment,
he threw it over his face; and he recovered his eyesight. And Jacob said,
Did I not tell you that I knew from God that which ye knew not? They answered,
O father, ask pardon of our sins for us, for we have surely been sinners.
He replied, I will surely ask pardon for you of my Lord; for he is gracious
and merciful. And when Jacob and his family arrived in Egypt, and were
introduced unto Joseph, he received his parents unto him, and said, Enter
ye into Egypt, by God’s favor, in full security. And he raised his parents
to the seat of state, and they, together with his brethren, fell down and
did obeisance unto him. And he said, O my father, this is the interpretation
of my vision, which I saw heretofore: now hath my Lord rendered it true.
And he hath surely been gracious unto me, since he took me forth from the
prison, and hath brought me hither from the desert; after that the devil
had sown discord between me and my brethren: for my Lord is gracious unto
whom he pleaseth; and, he is the knowing, the wise God. O Lord, thou hast
given me a part of the kingdom, and hast taught me the interpretation of
dark sayings. The Creator of heaven and earth! thou art my protector in
this world, and in that which is to come: make me to die a Moslem, and
join me with the righteous. This is a secret history, which we reveal unto
thee, O Mohammed, although thou wast not present with the brethren of Joseph,
when they concerted their design, and contrived a plot against him. But
the greater part of men, although thou earnestly desire it, will not believe.
Thou shalt not demand of them any reward for thy publishing the Koran;
it is no other than an admonition unto all creatures. And how many signs
soever there be of the being, unity, and providence of God, in the heavens
and the earth; they will pass by them, and will retire afar off from them.
And the greater part of them believe not in God, without being also guilty
of idolatry. Do they not believe that some overwhelming affliction shall
fall on them, as a punishment from God; or that the hour of judgment shall
overtake them suddenly, while they consider not its approach? Say unto
those of Mecca, This is my way: I invite you unto God, by an evident demonstration;
both I and he who followeth me; and, praise be unto God! I am not an idolater.
We sent not any apostles before thee, except men unto whom we revealed
our will, and whom we chose out of those who dwelt in cities. Will they
not go through the earth, and see what hath been the end of those who have
preceded them? But the dwelling of the next life shall surely be better
for those who fear God. Will they not therefore understand? Their predecessors
were borne with for a time, until, when our apostles despaired of their
conversion, and they thought that they were liars, our help came unto them,
and we delivered whom we pleased; but our vengeance was not turned away
from the wicked people. Verily in the histories of the prophets and their
people there is an instructive example unto those who are endued with understanding.
The Koran is not a new invented fiction; but a confirmation of those scriptures
which have been revealed before it, and a distinct explication of everything
necessary, in respect either to faith or practice, and a direction and
mercy unto people who believe.
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