Al-Qur'an Surah Yusuf Verse 19

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And some wayfarers came (near the pit in which Yūsuf was thrown), and sent their water-drawer (to bring water for them). So, he let down his bucket. He said, “What a good news! Here is a boy.” And they kept him hidden as merchandise, while Allah was aware of what they were doing.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

And there came some travellers, and they sent their water-boy who let down his bucket into the well. He cried out, “Oh, what a great find! Here is a boy!” And they took him secretly ˹to be sold˺ as merchandise, but Allah is All-Knowing of what they did.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Some travelers came and sent their water fetcher, who lowered his bucket into the well. He cried out, “Oh, what good news; here is a boy!” They kept him hidden as merchandise, but Allah is All-Knowing of what they did.

A. J. Arberry

Then came travellers, and they sent one of them, a water-drawer, who let down his bucket. 'Good news!' he said. 'Here is a young man.' So they hid him as merchandise; but God knew what they were doing.

Abdul Haleem

Some travellers came by. They sent someone to draw water and he let down his bucket. ‘Good news!’ he exclaimed. ‘Here is a boy!’ They hid him like a piece of merchandise- God was well aware of what they did-

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And a caravan came, and they sent their water-drawer, and he let down his bucket. He said: glad tidings! here is a youth. And they hid him as merchandise, And Allah was the Knower of that which they worked.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Then there came a caravan of travellers; they sent their water-carrier (for water), and he let down his bucket (into the well)... He said; "Ah there! Good news! Here is a (fine) young man!" So they concealed him as a treasure! But Allah knoweth well all that they do!

Abul Ala Maududi

And a caravan came, and they sent their water drawer to draw water. As he let down his bucket in the well he (observed Joseph) and cried out: "This is good news. There is a boy." They concealed him, considering him as part of their merchandise, while Allah was well aware of what they did.

Ahmed Ali

A caravan happened to pass, and sent the water-carrier to bring water from the well. He let down his bucket (and pulled Joseph up with it). "What luck," said the man; "here is a boy;" and they hid him as an item of merchandise; but what they did was known to God.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And there came a caravan – so they sent their water-drawer, he therefore lowered his pail; he said, “What good luck, this is a boy!”; and they hid him as a treasure; and Allah knows what they do.

Ali Quli Qarai

There came a caravan, and they sent their water-drawer, who let down his bucket. ‘Good news!’ he said. ‘This is a young boy!’ So they hid him as [a piece of] merchandise, and Allah knew best what they were doing.

Ali Ünal

And there came a caravan, and they sent forth one among them to fetch water. He let down his bucket (into the well). "Good luck!" he exclaimed: "(There is) a youth here!" So they hid and preserved him as merchandise to sell. God had full knowledge of what they were doing.

Amatul Rahman Omar

(Now) there came a caravan of travellers and they sent their water-drawer (to fetch water) and he let down his bucket (into the well). And behold! he cried, `Oh, glad tidings, here is a young boy.´ So they (- Joseph´s brothers) presented him (in this way) as (if) a piece of merchandise, and Allâh was Well-Aware of their doings.

English Literal

And a caravan came, so they sent their brave/tall (scout/waterboy), so he lowered/dropped his bucket/pail, he said: "Oh good news, that (is) a boy/slave ." And they kept him secret (as) goods/merchandise, and God (is) knowledgeable with what they make/do .

Faridul Haque

And there came a caravan - so they sent their water-drawer, he therefore lowered his pail; he said, "What good luck, this is a boy!"; and they hid him as a treasure; and Allah knows what they do.

Hamid S. Aziz

And they brought his shirt with false blood upon it. Said he, "Nay, but your souls have beguiled you into some deed; but patience is more fitting for me. And Allah alone is He whose aid is to be sought against that which you describe."

Hilali & Khan

And there came a caravan of travellers; they sent their water-drawer, and he let down his bucket (into the well). He said: "What good news! Here is a boy." So they hid him as merchandise (a slave). And Allah was the All-Knower of what they did.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And they came with false blood on his shirt. He said: Nay, your souls have made a matter light for you. So patience is goodly. And Allah is He Whose help is sought against what you describe.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And there came travellers and they sent their water-drawer and he let down his bucket. He said: O good news! this is a youth; and they concealed him as an article of merchandise, and Allah knew what they did.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And there came a caravan, and they sent their waterdrawer. He let down his pail (into the pit). He said: Good luck! Here is a youth. And they hid him as a treasure, and Allah was Aware of what they did.

Muhammad Sarwar

A caravan came by and sent their water carrier out to the well. When he drew out Joseph in his bucket, he shouted, "Glad news, a young boy!" The people of the caravan hid him amongst their belongings. God knows well what they do.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Thereafter travelers came, and sent their waterman. And when he had let down his pail, (he cried:) 'Rejoice, a boy' Then they concealed him among their merchandise, but Allah knew what they did.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And there came a caravan of travelers and they sent their water-drawer, and he let down his bucket (into the well). He said: "What good news! Here is a boy." So they hid him as merchandise (a slave). And Allah was the All-Knower of what they did.

Wahiduddin Khan

And there came a caravan of travellers and they sent their water-drawer to draw water from the well. He let down his bucket into the well and he exclaimed, "Oh, what a lucky find, here is a boy!" They hid him like a piece of merchandise, but God knew well what they did.

Talal Itani

A caravan passed by, and they sent their water-carrier. He lowered his bucket, and said, “Good news. Here is a boy.” And they hid him as merchandise. But God was aware of what they did.

Tafsir jalalayn

And there came a caravan -- travellers going from Midian to Egypt, who stopped near to Joseph's well -- and they sent their water-drawer, the one who goes down to the water [source] to draw from it, and he let down his bucket, into the well and Joseph clung to it and he pulled him out, and when he saw him; he said, `Good news!' (a variant reading [of y bushr] has y bushrya; this [vocative] call is figurative, in other words [it is to be understood as] `Come [O good news], now is your time!') `This is a young boy'. His brothers became aware of this and came to him, and they hid him, that is, they disguised his real status, claiming that he was, as [a piece of] merchandise, by saying, `This is a slave of ours; he is a runaway'; but Joseph did not say anything, fearing that they might kill him. But God knew well what they were doing.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Yusuf is Rescued from the Well and sold as a Slave

Allah tells;

وَجَاءتْ سَيَّارَةٌ فَأَرْسَلُواْ وَارِدَهُمْ فَأَدْلَى دَلْوَهُ قَالَ يَا بُشْرَى هَـذَا غُلَمٌ

And there came a caravan of travelers and they sent their water-drawer, and he let down his bucket (into the well). He said;"What good news! Here is a boy."

Allah narrates what happened to Yusuf, peace be upon him, after his brothers threw him down the well and left him in it, alone, where he remained for three days, according to Abu Bakr bin Ayyash.

Muhammad bin Ishaq said,

"After Yusuf's brothers threw him down the well, they remained around the well for the rest of the day to see what he might do and what would happen to him. Allah sent a caravan of travelers that camped near that well, and they sent to it the man responsible for drawing water for them. When he approached the well, he lowered his bucket down into it, Yusuf held on to it and the man rescued him and felt happy,
بُشْرَى هَـذَا غُلَمٌ
(What good news! Here is a boy)."

Allah's statement,

وَأَسَرُّوهُ بِضَاعَةً

So they hid him as merchandise,

Al-Awfi reported that Ibn Abbas commented,

"is in reference to Yusuf's brothers, who hid the news that he was their brother.

Yusuf hid this news for fear that his brothers might kill him and preferred to be sold instead.

Consequently, Yusuf's brothers told the water drawer about him and that man said to his companions,
بُشْرَى هَـذَا غُلَمٌ
("What good news! Here is a boy"), a slave whom we can sell. Therefore, Yusuf's own brothers sold him."

Allah's statement,

وَاللّهُ عَلِيمٌ بِمَا يَعْمَلُونَ



And Allah was the All-Knower of what they did.

states that Allah knew what Yusuf's brothers, and those who bought him, did. He was able to stop them and prevent them from committing their actions, but out of His perfect wisdom He decreed otherwise. He let them do what they did, so that His decision prevails and His appointed destiny rules,

أَلَا لَهُ الْخَلْقُ وَالاٌّمْرُ تَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَـلَمِينَ

Surely, His is the creation and commandment. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of the all that exists! (7;54)

This reminds Allah's Messenger Muhammad, that Allah has perfect knowledge in the persecution that his people committed against him and that He is able to stop them. However, He decided to give them respite, then give Muhammad the victory and make him prevail over them, just as He gave Yusuf victory and made him prevail over his brothers.

Allah said next