When she heard about their gossip,1 she invited them and set a banquet for them. She gave each one a knife, then said ˹to Joseph˺, “Come out before them.” When they saw him, they were so stunned ˹by his beauty˺ that they cut their hands,2 and exclaimed, “Good God! This cannot be human; this must be a noble angel!”
12:31
She said, “This is the one for whose love you criticized me! I did try to seduce him but he ˹firmly˺ refused. And if he does not do what I order him to, he will certainly be imprisoned and ˹fully˺ disgraced.”1
12:32
Joseph prayed, “My Lord! I would rather be in jail than do what they invite me to. And if You do not turn their cunning away from me, I might yield to them and fall into ignorance.”
12:33
So his Lord responded to him, turning their cunning away from him. Surely He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.
12:34
And so it occurred to those in charge, despite seeing all the proofs ˹of his innocence˺, that he should be imprisoned for a while.1
12:35
And two other servants went to jail with Joseph. One of them said, “I dreamt I was pressing wine.” The other said, “I dreamt I was carrying ˹some˺ bread on my head, from which birds were eating.” ˹Then both said,˺ “Tell us their interpretation, for we surely see you as one of the good-doers.”
12:36
Joseph replied, “I can even tell you what kind of meal you will be served before you receive it. This ˹knowledge˺ is from what my Lord has taught me. I have shunned the faith of a people who disbelieve in Allah and deny the Hereafter.
12:37