O fellow-prisoners, one of you will serve wine to your master, the other will be crucified and the birds will peck at his brain. Determined is the matter of your inquiry."

And (Joseph) asked the man he knew would be released: "Remember me to your lord;" but Satan made him forget to mention this to his lord, and Joseph remained in prison for a number of years.

(One day) the king said (to his courtiers): "I saw seven fat cows in a dream being devoured by seven lean ones, and seven ears of corn that were green and seven others that were seared. O courtiers, tell me the significance of my dream, if you know how to interpret them."

"They were only confused dreams," they said; "we do not know how to interpret them."

Then the servant, who of the two had been released, remembering (Joseph), said: "I will give you its interpretation; let me go for it."

(And coming to the prison) he said: "O Joseph the truthful, tell us (the meaning of) seven fat cows being devoured by seven lean ones, and seven green ears of corn and seven seared, that I may go back to the people and tell them."

He said: "Sow as usual for seven years, and after reaping leave the corn in the ears, except the little you need for food.

Then there will come seven years of hardship which will consume the grain you had laid up against them, except a little you may have stored away.

This will be followed by a year of rain, and people shall press (the grapes)."

The king said: "Bring him to me. So when the messenger came to Joseph, he said: "Go back to your lord and ask him: ´How fare the women who had cut their hands?´ My Lord is cognisant of their guile."

The king asked the women: "What was the affair of seducing Joseph?" "God preserve us," they said; "we know no evil against him." The wife of the minister said: "The truth has now come out. It was I who desired to seduce him, but he is indeed a man of virtue." --

(At this Joseph remarked:) "From this (the Minister) should know that I did not betray him in his absence, and that God does not surely let the wiles of those who betray ever succeed.

But I do not wish to absolve myself, for the soul is prone to evil, unless my Lord have mercy. Indeed my Lord is forgiving and kind." --

When the king heard this he said: "Bring him to me. I shall take him in my special service." When he had talked to him, he said: "Today you are established in a rank of trust with us."

"Appoint me over the granaries of the land," (he said); "I shall be a knowledgeable keeper."

Thus We gave Joseph authority in the land so that he lived wherever he liked. We bestow Our favours on whomsoever We please, and do not allow the reward of those who are good to go waste.

And certainly the recompense of the life to come is better for those who believe and follow the right path.

The brothers of Joseph came (to Egypt) and visited him. He recognised them, though they did not recognise him.

When he had supplied their provisions, he said to them: "Bring your (half) brother with you. Have you not seen that I have given full measure, and that I am the best of hosts?

But if you do not bring him with you, then I shall have no grain for you, nor should you come back to me."

They said: "We shall request his father, and will certainly do that."

Then he ordered his servants: "Put their money back in their packs: They may find it on reaching home, and perhaps come again."

When they returned to their father, they said: "O father, a further measure has been denied us. So send our brother with us that he may bring more grain. We shall take care of him."

He replied: "Should I trust you with him as I did his brother? But God is the best of guardians, and most merciful of all."

When they unpacked their goods they said: "O father, what more can we ask? Look, even our money has been returned. We shall go and bring a camel-load more of grain for our family, and take good care of our brother. That will be an easy measure."

He said: "I will never send him with you until you swear by God that you will bring him back to me, unless all of you are overtaken (by misfortune)." When they had given their promise, he said: "God is witness to our conversation."

(As they were leaving) their father said to them: "O my sons, do not seek one approach but employ different ways (of attaining your object). If anything should befall you from God I shall not be able to avert it, for all authority belongs to God. I have placed my trust in Him, and the trusting should rely on Him alone."

When they entered as their father had advised them, nothing could avail them against (the will of) God, yet it confirmed a premonition Jacob had, for verily he had knowledge as We had taught him, though most men do not know.

When they came to Joseph he made his brother his guest, and said: "I am your brother. So do not grieve for what they had done."

When he had given them their provisions he put his goblet in his brother´s saddle-bag. Then a crier announced: "O men of the caravan, you are thieves."

They turned to them and asked: "What is it you have lost?"

"We cannot find the master´s goblet. Whoever comes up with it will be given a camel-load of grain; I vouch for it."

They said: "We swear by God. You know we did not come to commit any crime in the land, nor are we thieves."

"What should be the punishment," they were asked, "in case you are liars?"

"The punishment for that (should be)," they said, "that he in whose luggage it is found should be held as punishment. This is how we repay the wrong-doers."

So he searched their saddle-bags before his brother´s, then produced the cup from his brother´s bag. That is how We planned an excuse for Joseph, for under the law of the king he could not detain his brother unless God so willed. We raise the status of whom We please. Over every man of knowledge there is one more knowing.

Said the brothers: "If he has stolen (no wonder), his brother had stolen before." But Joseph kept this secret and did not disclose it to them, and said (to himself): "You are worse in the degree of evil, for God knows better of what you allege."

They said: "O Minister, he has an aged father, so keep one of us in his place. We see you are a virtuous man."

"May God forgive us," he said, "if we hold any one but him with whom we found our property, or else we would be unjust."

When they despaired of (persuading) him, they went aside to confer. The oldest of them said: "You know that your father has pledged you in the name of God, and you have been guilty of iniquity in the case of Joseph before. I will not leave this place unless my father permits or God decides for me, for He is the best of all judges.