Verse 12:11 in Context

Translator Abdel Haleem

7 ۞ لَّقَدۡ كَانَ فِی یُوسُفَ وَإِخۡوَتِهِۦۤ ءَایَـٰتࣱ لِّلسَّاۤىِٕلِینَ ۝٧ laqad kāna fī yūsufa wa-ikh'watihi āyātun lilssāilīn There are lessons in the story of Joseph and his brothers for all who seek them 8 إِذۡ قَالُوا۟ لَیُوسُفُ وَأَخُوهُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىٰۤ أَبِینَا مِنَّا وَنَحۡنُ عُصۡبَةٌ إِنَّ أَبَانَا لَفِی ضَلَـٰلࣲ مُّبِینٍ ۝٨ idh qālū layūsufu wa-akhūhu aḥabbu ilā abīnā minnā wanaḥnu ʿuṣ'batun inna abānā lafī ḍalālin mubīni The brothers said [to each other], ‘Although we are many, Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we are–– our father is clearly in the wrong.’ 9 ٱقۡتُلُوا۟ یُوسُفَ أَوِ ٱطۡرَحُوهُ أَرۡضࣰا یَخۡلُ لَكُمۡ وَجۡهُ أَبِیكُمۡ وَتَكُونُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعۡدِهِۦ قَوۡمࣰا صَـٰلِحِینَ ۝٩ uq'tulū yūsufa awi iṭ'raḥūhu arḍan yakhlu lakum wajhu abīkum watakūnū min baʿdihi qawman ṣāliḥīn [One of them said], ‘Kill Joseph or banish him to another land, and your father’s attention will be free to turn to you. After that you can be righteous.’ 10 قَالَ قَاۤىِٕلࣱ مِّنۡهُمۡ لَا تَقۡتُلُوا۟ یُوسُفَ وَأَلۡقُوهُ فِی غَیَـٰبَتِ ٱلۡجُبِّ یَلۡتَقِطۡهُ بَعۡضُ ٱلسَّیَّارَةِ إِن كُنتُمۡ فَـٰعِلِینَ ۝١٠ qāla qāilun min'hum lā taqtulū yūsufa wa-alqūhu fī ghayābati l-jubi yaltaqiṭ'hu baʿḍu l-sayārati in kuntum fāʿilīn [Another of them] said, ‘Do not kill Joseph, but, if you must, throw him into the hidden depths of a well where some caravan may pick him up.’

11 قَالُوا۟ یَـٰۤأَبَانَا مَالَكَ لَا تَأۡمَـ۫نَّا عَلَىٰ یُوسُفَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَنَـٰصِحُونَ ۝١١ qālū yāabānā mā laka lā tamannā ʿalā yūsufa wa-innā lahu lanāṣiḥūn They said to their father, ‘Why do you not trust us with Joseph? We wish him well

12 أَرۡسِلۡهُ مَعَنَا غَدࣰا یَرۡتَعۡ وَیَلۡعَبۡ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَحَـٰفِظُونَ ۝١٢ arsil'hu maʿanā ghadan yartaʿ wayalʿab wa-innā lahu laḥāfiẓūn Send him with us tomorrow and he will enjoy himself and play- we will take good care of him.’ 13 قَالَ إِنِّی لَیَحۡزُنُنِیۤ أَن تَذۡهَبُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَأَخَافُ أَن یَأۡكُلَهُ ٱلذِّئۡبُ وَأَنتُمۡ عَنۡهُ غَـٰفِلُونَ ۝١٣ qāla innī layaḥzununī an tadhhabū bihi wa-akhāfu an yakulahu l-dhi'bu wa-antum ʿanhu ghāfilūn He replied, ‘The thought of you taking him away with you worries me: I am afraid a wolf may eat him when you are not paying attention.’ 14 قَالُوا۟ لَىِٕنۡ أَكَلَهُ ٱلذِّئۡبُ وَنَحۡنُ عُصۡبَةٌ إِنَّاۤ إِذࣰا لَّخَـٰسِرُونَ ۝١٤ qālū la-in akalahu l-dhi'bu wanaḥnu ʿuṣ'batun innā idhan lakhāsirūn They said, ‘If a wolf were to eat him when there are so many of us, we would truly be losers!’ 15 فَلَمَّا ذَهَبُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَأَجۡمَعُوۤا۟ أَن یَجۡعَلُوهُ فِی غَیَـٰبَتِ ٱلۡجُبِّۚ وَأَوۡحَیۡنَاۤ إِلَیۡهِ لَتُنَبِّئَنَّهُم بِأَمۡرِهِمۡ هَـٰذَا وَهُمۡ لَا یَشۡعُرُونَ ۝١٥ falammā dhahabū bihi wa-ajmaʿū an yajʿalūhu fī ghayābati l-jubi wa-awḥaynā ilayhi latunabbi-annahum bi-amrihim hādhā wahum lā yashʿurūn Then they took him away with them, resolved upon throwing him into the hidden depths of a well- We inspired him, saying, ‘You will tell them of all this [at a time] when they do not realize [who you are]!’