Sūra XII.: Yūsuf, or Joseph.

Section 4

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30. Waqala niswatun fee almadeenati imraatu alAAazeezi turawidu fataha AAan nafsihi qad shaghafaha hubban inna lanaraha fee dalalin mubeenin

30. 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."

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31. Falamma samiAAat bimakrihinna arsalat ilayhinna waaAAtadat lahunna muttakaan waatat kulla wahidatin minhunna sikkeenan waqalati okhruj AAalayhinna falamma raaynahu akbarnahu waqattaAAna aydiyahunna waqulna hasha lillahi ma hatha basharan in hatha illa malakun kareemun

31. When she 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,
Thy did extol him,
And (in their amazement)
Cut their hands: they said,
"God preserve us! no mortal
Is this! This is none other
Than a noble angel!"

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32. Qalat fathalikunna allathee lumtunnanee feehi walaqad rawadtuhu AAan nafsihi faistAAsama wala-in lam yafAAal ma amuruhu layusjananna walayakoonan mina alssaghireena

32. 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 of the company of the vilest!"

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33. Qala rabbi alssijnu ahabbu ilayya mimma yadAAoonanee ilayhi wa-illa tasrif AAannee kaydahunna asbu ilayhinna waakun mina aljahileena

33. 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."

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34. Faistajaba lahu rabbuhu fasarafa AAanhu kaydahunna innahu huwa alssameeAAu alAAaleemu

34. So his Lord hearkened to him
(In his prayer), and turned
Away from him their snare:
Verily He heareth and knoweth
(All things).

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35. Thumma bada lahum min baAAdi ma raawoo al-ayati layasjununnahu hatta heenin

35. Then it occurred to the men,
After they had seen the Signs,
(That it was best)
To Imprison him
For a time.