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In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
- He said: "It was she that sought to seduce me -- from my (true) self." And one of her household saw (this) and bore witness, (thus) "If it be that his shirt is rent form the front, then is her tale true, and he is a liar!
- "But if it be that his shirt is torn from the back, then is she the liar and he is telling the truth!"
- So when he saw his shirt, that it was torn at the back, (her husband) said: "Behold! it is a snare of you women! Truly, mighty is your snare!
- "O Joseph, pass this over! (O wife), ask forgiveness for thy sin, for truly thou hast been at fault!"
- Ladies said in the City: "The wife of the (great) `Aziz is seeking to seduce her slave from his (true) self: Truly hath he inspired her with violent love: We see she is evidently going astray."
- When (Zulaikha) heard of their malicious talk, she sent for them and prepared a banquet for them: She gave each of them a knife; and she said (to Joseph), "Come out before them." When they saw him, they did extol him, and (in their amazement) cut their hands: They said "Allah preserve us! no mortal is this! This is none other than a noble angel!"
- She said: "There before you is the man about whom ye did blame me! I did seek to seduce him from his (true) self but he did firmly save himself guiltless!... And now, if he doth not my bidding, he shall certainly be cast into prison, and (what is more) be in the company of the vilest!"
- He said: "O my Lord! the prison is more to my liking than that to which they invite me: Unless thou turn away their snare from me: I should (in my youthful folly) feel inclined towards them and join the ranks of the ignorant."
- So his Lord heard him (in his prayer), and turned away from him their snare: Verily He heareth and knoweth (all things).
- Then it occurred to the men, after they had seen the Signs, (that it was best) to imprison him for a time.
- Now with him there came into the prison two young men. Said one of them: "I see myself (in a dream) pressing wine." Said the other: "I see myself (in a dream) carrying bread on my head, and birds are eating thereof." "Tell us" (they said) "the truth and meaning thereof: For we see thou art one that doth good (to all)."
- He said: "Before any food comes (in due course) to feed either of you, I will surely reveal to you the truth and meaning of this ere it come to pass: That is part of the (Duty) which my Lord hath taught me. I have (I assure you) abandoned the ways of a people that believe not in Allah and that (even) deny the Hereafter.
- "And I follow the ways of my fathers, -- Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and never could we attribute any partners whatever to Allah: That (comes) of the grace of Allah to us and to mankind: Yet most men are not grateful.
- "O my two companions of the prison! (I ask you): Are many lords differing among themselves better, or the One Allah, Supreme and Irresistible?
- "If not Him, ye worship nothing but names which ye have named, ye and your fathers, for which Allah hath sent you no authority: The Command is for none but Allah: He hath commanded that ye worship none but Him: That is the right religion, but Most men understand not...
- "O my two companions of the prison! as to one of you, he will pour out the wine for his lord to drink: As for the other, he will hang from the cross, and the birds will eat from off his head. (So) hath been decreed that matter whereof ye twain do enquire..."
- And of the two, to that one whom he considered about to be saved, he said: "Mention me to thy lord." But Satan made him forget to mention him to his lord: And (Joseph) lingered in prison a few (more) years.
- The king (of Egypt) said: "I do see (in a vision) seven fat kine, whom seven lean ones devour, and seven green ears of corn, and seven (others) withered. O ye chiefs! expound to me my vision if it be that ye can interpret visions."
- They said: "A confused medley of dreams: And we are not skilled in the interpretation of dreams."
- But the man who had been released, one of the two (who had been in prison) and who now bethought him after (so long) a space of time, said: "I will tell you the truth of its interpretation: Send ye me (therefor)."
- "O Joseph!" (he said) "O man of truth! expound to us (the dream) of seven fat kine whom seven lean ones devour, and of seven green ears of corn and (seven) others withered: That I may return to the people, and that they may understand."
- (Joseph) said: "For seven years shall ye diligently sow as is your wont: And the harvests that ye reap, ye shall leave them in the ear, except a little, of which ye shall eat.
- "Then will come after that (period) seven dreadful (years), which will devour what ye shall have laid by in advance for them, (all) except a little which ye shall have (specially) guarded.
- "Then will come after that (period) a year in which the people will have abundant water, and in which they will press (wine and oil)."
- So the king said: "Bring ye him unto me." But when the messenger came to him, (Joseph) said: "Go thou back to thy lord, and ask him, `What is the state of mind of the ladies who cut their hands?' for my Lord is certainly well aware of their snare."
- (The king) said (to the ladies): "What was your affair when ye did seek to seduce Joseph from his (true) self?" The ladies said: "Allah preserve us! no evil know we against him!" Said the `Aziz's wife: "Now is the truth manifest (to all): It was I who sought to seduce him from his (true) self: He is indeed of those who are (ever) true (and virtuous).
- "This (say I), in order that he may know that I have never been false to him in his absence, and that Allah will never guide the snare of the false ones.
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