Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Said they: “If he steals, then there stole a brother of his before.” (But Joseph concealed it within his soul, and did not reveal it to them, saying: “You are in worse position; and God best knows what you describe.”)

قَالُٓوا اِنْ يَسْرِقْ فَقَدْ سَرَقَ اَخٌ لَهُ مِنْ قَبْلُۚ فَاَسَرَّهَا يُوسُفُ ف۪ي نَفْسِه۪ وَلَمْ يُبْدِهَا لَهُمْ قَالَ اَنْتُمْ شَرٌّ مَكَاناًۚ وَاللّٰهُ اَعْلَمُ بِمَا تَصِفُونَ
Qaloo in yasriq faqad saraqa akhunlahu min qablu faasarraha yoosufu fee nafsihi walam yubdihalahum qala antum sharrun makanan wallahuaAAlamu bima tasifoon
#wordmeaningroot
1qālūThey saidقول
2inIf
3yasriqhe steals سرق
4faqadthen verily
5saraqastoleسرق
6akhuna brotherاخو
7lahuof his
8minbefore
9qablubeforeقبل
10fa-asarrahāBut Yusuf kept it secretسرر
11yūsufuBut Yusuf kept it secret
12within
13nafsihihimselfنفس
14walamand (did) not
15yub'dihāreveal itبدو
16lahumto them
17qālaHe saidقول
18antumYou
19sharrun(are the) worseشرر
20makānan(in) positionكون
21wal-lahuand Allah
22aʿlamuknows bestعلم
23bimāof what
24taṣifūnayou describeوصف
  • Aisha Bewley

    They said, ‘If he steals now, his brother stole before. ’ But Yusuf kept it to himself and still did not disclose it to them, saying, ‘The plight that you are in is worse than that. Allah knows best the matter you describe.’

  • Progressive Muslims

    They said: "If he has stolen, there was a brother of his before who also had stolen. " Joseph kept this all inside himself, and did not reveal anything to them. He said: "You are in an awkward position, and God best knows what you describe."

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    The brothers said, "If he stole, so did his brother in the past. " Joseph stayed quiet, revealing nothing. He only said in his heart, "You are in worse case, and Allah is the Best Knower of what you allege."

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Said they: “If he steals, then there stole a brother of his before.” (But Joseph concealed it within his soul, and did not reveal it to them, saying: “You are in worse position; and God best knows what you describe.”)

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    They said: "If he has stolen, there was a brother of his before who also had stolen." Joseph kept this all inside himself, and did not reveal anything to them. He said: "You are in an awkward position, and God best knows what you describe."

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    They said, "If he has stolen, there was a brother of his before who also had stolen." Joseph kept this all inside himself, and did not reveal anything to them. He said, "You are in a worse position, and God best knows what you describe."

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    They said, "If he stole, so did a brother of his in the past." Joseph concealed his feelings in himself, and did not give them any clue. He said (to himself), "You are really bad. GOD is fully aware of your accusations."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    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."

  • Sahih International (Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)

    They said, "If he steals - a brother of his has stolen before. " But Joseph kept it within himself and did not reveal it to them. He said, "You are worse in position, and Allah is most knowing of what you describe."

  • Muhammad Asad

    exclaimed: "If he has stolen-well, a brother of his used to steal afore-time!" Thereupon Joseph said to himself, without revealing his thought to them: "You are far worse in this respect, and God is fully aware of what you are saying.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    They said: If he stealeth, a brother of his stole before. But Joseph kept it secret in his soul and revealed it not unto them. He said (within himself): Ye are in worse case, and Allah knoweth best (the truth of) that which ye allege.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    They said: "No wonder that he steals for a brother of his stole before."* But Joseph kept his reaction to himself without disclosing the truth to them. He merely said to himself: "You are an evil lot. Allah knows well the truth of the accusation that you are making against me (to my face)."

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    There and then said the brothers, adding insult to injury: "If he has appropriated dishonestly something belonging to someone else, a brother of his had committed theft aforetime. " Yusuf swallowed his resentment and kept it down, and in words spoken aside he said: "You went further and fared worse; it shall go bad with you here and worse Hereafter, and Allah knows every falsity you devise."

  • Bijan Moeinian

    The other brothers (in order to disassociate themselves from Benjamin) said: "Of course; he is a thief like his brother Joseph!" Joseph said to himself: “What evil people you are. Good thing God knows the truth.”

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    They said: "If he steals, there was a brother of his who did steal before (him)." But these things did Yûsuf (Joseph) keep in himself, revealing not the secrets to them. He said (within himself): "You are in worst case, and Allâh is the Best Knower of that which you describe!"

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    They said: "If he steals, there was a brother of his who did steal before (him)." But these things did Joseph keep locked 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!"

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    ˹To distance themselves,˺ Joseph’s brothers argued, "If he has stolen, so did his ˹full˺ brother before." But Joseph suppressed his outrage—revealing nothing to them—and said ˹to himself˺, “You are in such an evil position, and Allah knows best ˹the truth of˺ what you claim.”

  • Taqi Usmani

    They said, "If he commits theft, (there is nothing surprising, because) his other brother had committed theft earlier." Yūsuf kept it (his reaction) to himself and did not reveal it to them. He said (in his heart), “You are even worse in position. Allah knows best of what you allege.”

  • Abdul Haleem

    said, ‘If he is a thief then his brother was a thief before him,’ but Joseph kept his secrets and did not reveal anything to them. He said, ‘You are in a far worse situation. God knows best the truth of what you claim.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    They said, 'If he is a thief, a brother of his was a thief before. ' But Joseph secreted it in his soul and disclosed it not to them, saying, 'You are in a worse case; God knows very well what you are describing.'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    They said, 'If he has stolen, a brother of his has stolen before him. ' But Joseph kept it secret in his soul and disclosed it not to them. Said he, 'Ye are in a bad case, and God knows best about what ye describe.'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And he began (searching) their sacks before the sacks of his brother; then he drew it forth from his brother's sack. Thus did We devise a stratagem for Joseph. He could not take his brother by the king's law unless Allah willed. We raise by degrees of mercy whom We will, and over every possessor of knowledge is one who knows more (or One All-knowing).

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    They said, "In case he steals, then a brother of his already stole even before. " Yet Yûsuf (Joseph) kept it secret within himself and did not display it to them. He said (to himself), "You are in an eviler place; and Allah knows best what you are describing."

  • George Sale

    His brethren said, if Benjamin be guilty of theft, his brother Joseph hath been also guilty of theft heretofore. But Joseph concealed these things in his mind, and did not discover them unto them: And he said within himself, ye are in a worse condition than us two; and God best knoweth what ye discourse about.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    They (the brothers) said: "If he steals, there was a brother of his who did steal before (him). " But Yusuf (Joseph) kept these things locked in his heart, without telling the secrets to them. He said (to himself): "You are in worse position; And Allah knows best the truth of whatever you say!"

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    (Joseph's brothers) said, `If he has stolen, (no wonder) a brother of his had (also) committed theft before (this). ' But Joseph kept it secret in his heart and did not disclose it to them. He (simply) said, `You are a worse case and Allâh knows best what you are alleging.'

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    They said, ‘If he has stolen ; a brother of his had stolen before. ’ Thereupon Joseph kept the matter to himself and he did not disclose it to them. He said, ‘You are in a worse state! And Allah knows best what you allege.’