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 assert!"
12:78
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."
12:79
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.
12:80
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.
12:81
"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!
12:82
"'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.'"
12:83
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."
12:84
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.
