يوسف
Joseph
Explanations are simplified from tafsirs by Ibn Kathir, Mufti Muhammad Shafi, and Maulana Wahiduddin Khan. Spot an inaccuracy? Let us know.
yāṣāḥibayi l-sij'ni ammā aḥadukumā fayasqī rabbahu khamran wa-ammā l-ākharu fayuṣ'labu fatakulu l-ṭayru min rasihi quḍiya l-amru alladhī fīhi tastaftiyāni
O two companions of prison, as for one of you, he will give drink to his master of wine; but as for the other, he will be crucified, and the birds will eat from his head. The matter has been decreed about which you both inquire."
waqāla lilladhī ẓanna annahu nājin min'humā udh'kur'nī ʿinda rabbika fa-ansāhu l-shayṭānu dhik'ra rabbihi falabitha fī l-sij'ni biḍ'ʿa sinīna
And he said to the one whom he knew would go free, "Mention me before your master." But Satan made him forget the mention [to] his master, and he [i.e., Joseph] remained in prison several years.
waqāla l-maliku innī arā sabʿa baqarātin simānin yakuluhunna sabʿun ʿijāfun wasabʿa sunbulātin khuḍ'rin wa-ukhara yābisātin yāayyuhā l-mala-u aftūnī fī ru'yāya in kuntum lilrru'yā taʿburūna
And [subsequently] the king said, "Indeed, I have seen [in a dream] seven fat cows being eaten by seven [that were] lean, and seven green spikes [of grain] and others [that were] dry. O eminent ones, explain to me my vision, if you should interpret visions."
qālū aḍghāthu aḥlāmin wamā naḥnu bitawīli l-aḥlāmi biʿālimīna
They said, "[It is but] a mixture of false dreams, and we are not learned in the interpretation of dreams."
waqāla alladhī najā min'humā wa-iddakara baʿda ummatin anā unabbi-ukum bitawīlihi fa-arsilūni
But the one who was freed and remembered after a time said, "I will inform you of its interpretation, so send me forth."
yūsufu ayyuhā l-ṣidīqu aftinā fī sabʿi baqarātin simānin yakuluhunna sabʿun ʿijāfun wasabʿi sunbulātin khuḍ'rin wa-ukhara yābisātin laʿallī arjiʿu ilā l-nāsi laʿallahum yaʿlamūna
[He said], "Joseph, O man of truth, explain to us about seven fat cows eaten by seven [that were] lean, and seven green spikes [of grain] and others [that were] dry - that I may return to the people [i.e., the king and his court]; perhaps they will know [about you]."
qāla tazraʿūna sabʿa sinīna da-aban famā ḥaṣadttum fadharūhu fī sunbulihi illā qalīlan mimmā takulūna
[Joseph] said, "You will plant for seven years consecutively; and what you harvest leave in its spikes, except a little from which you will eat.
thumma yatī min baʿdi dhālika sabʿun shidādun yakul'na mā qaddamtum lahunna illā qalīlan mimmā tuḥ'ṣinūna
Then will come after that seven difficult [years] which will consume what you advanced [i.e., saved] for them, except a little from which you will store.
thumma yatī min baʿdi dhālika ʿāmun fīhi yughāthu l-nāsu wafīhi yaʿṣirūna
Then will come after that a year in which the people will be given rain and in which they will press [olives and grapes]."
waqāla l-maliku i'tūnī bihi falammā jāahu l-rasūlu qāla ir'jiʿ ilā rabbika fasalhu mā bālu l-nis'wati allātī qaṭṭaʿna aydiyahunna inna rabbī bikaydihinna ʿalīmun
And the king said, "Bring him to me." But when the messenger came to him, [Joseph] said, "Return to your master and ask him what is the case of the women who cut their hands. Indeed, my Lord is Knowing of their plan."
qāla mā khaṭbukunna idh rāwadttunna yūsufa ʿan nafsihi qul'na ḥāsha lillahi mā ʿalim'nā ʿalayhi min sūin qālati im'ra-atu l-ʿazīzi l-āna ḥaṣḥaṣa l-ḥaqu anā rāwadttuhu ʿan nafsihi wa-innahu lamina l-ṣādiqīna
Said [the king to the women], "What was your condition when you sought to seduce Joseph?" They said, "Perfect is Allāh! We know about him no evil." The wife of al-ʿAzeez said, "Now the truth has become evident. It was I who sought to seduce him, and indeed, he is of the truthful.
dhālika liyaʿlama annī lam akhun'hu bil-ghaybi wa-anna l-laha lā yahdī kayda l-khāinīna
That is so he [i.e., al-ʿAzeez] will know that I did not betray him in [his] absence and that Allāh does not guide the plan of betrayers.
wamā ubarri-u nafsī inna l-nafsa la-ammāratun bil-sūi illā mā raḥima rabbī inna rabbī ghafūrun raḥīmun
And I do not acquit myself. Indeed, the soul is a persistent enjoiner of evil, except those upon which my Lord has mercy. Indeed, my Lord is Forgiving and Merciful."
waqāla l-maliku i'tūnī bihi astakhliṣ'hu linafsī falammā kallamahu qāla innaka l-yawma ladaynā makīnun amīnun
And the king said, "Bring him to me; I will appoint him exclusively for myself." And when he spoke to him, he said, "Indeed, you are today established [in position] and trusted."
qāla ij'ʿalnī ʿalā khazāini l-arḍi innī ḥafīẓun ʿalīmun
[Joseph] said, "Appoint me over the storehouses of the land. Indeed, I will be a knowing guardian."
wakadhālika makkannā liyūsufa fī l-arḍi yatabawwa-u min'hā ḥaythu yashāu nuṣību biraḥmatinā man nashāu walā nuḍīʿu ajra l-muḥ'sinīna
And thus We established Joseph in the land to settle therein wherever he willed. We touch with Our mercy whom We will, and We do not allow to be lost the reward of those who do good.
wala-ajru l-ākhirati khayrun lilladhīna āmanū wakānū yattaqūna
And the reward of the Hereafter is better for those who believed and were fearing Allāh.
wajāa ikh'watu yūsufa fadakhalū ʿalayhi faʿarafahum wahum lahu munkirūna
And the brothers of Joseph came [seeking food], and they entered upon him; and he recognized them, but he was to them unknown.
walammā jahhazahum bijahāzihim qāla i'tūnī bi-akhin lakum min abīkum alā tarawna annī ūfī l-kayla wa-anā khayru l-munzilīna
And when he had furnished them with their supplies, he said, "Bring me a brother of yours from your father. Do you not see that I give full measure and that I am the best of accommodators?
fa-in lam tatūnī bihi falā kayla lakum ʿindī walā taqrabūni
But if you do not bring him to me, no measure will there be [hereafter] for you from me, nor will you approach me."