P:  So, When they despaired of (moving) him, they conferred together apart.  The eldest of them said:  Know ye not how your father took an undertaking from you in Allah’s name and how ye failed in the case of Joseph aforetime?  Therefore I shall not go forth from the land until my father giveth leave or Allah judgeth for me.  He is the Best of Judges.

S:  Then when they despaired of him, they retired, conferring privately together.  The eldest of them said:  Do you not know that your father took from you a covenant in Allah’s name, and how you fell short of your duty with respect to Yusuf before?  Therefore I will by no means depart from this land until my father permits me or Allah decides for me, and He is the best of the judges: 

012.081 Y:  “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!”

P:  Return unto your father and say:  O our father!  Lo! thy son hath stolen.  We testify only to that which we know; we are not guardians of the Unseen.

S:  Go back to your father and say:  O our father! surely your son committed theft, and we do not bear witness except to what we have known, and we could not keep watch over the unseen: 

012.082 Y:  “’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.’”

P:  Ask the township where we were, and the caravan with which we travelled hither.  Lo! we speak the truth.

S:  And inquire in the town in which we were and the caravan with which we proceeded, and most surely we are truthful.

012.083 Y:  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.”

P:  (And when they came unto their father and had spoken thus to him) he said:  Nay, but your minds have beguiled you into something. (My course is) comely patience!  It may be that Allah will bring them all unto me.  Lo!  He, only He, is the Knower, the Wise.

S:  He (Yaqoub) said:  Nay, your souls have made a matter light for you, so patience is good; maybe Allah will bring them all together to me; surely He is the Knowing, the Wise.

012.084 Y:  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.

P:  And he turned away from them and said:  Alas, my grief for Joseph!  And his eyes were whitened with the sorrow that he was suppressing.

S:  And he turned away from them, and said:  O my sorrow for Yusuf! and his eyes became white on account of the grief, and he was a repressor (of grief).

012.085 Y:  They said:  “By Allah! (never) wilt thou cease to remember Joseph until thou reach the last extremity of illness, or until thou die!”