Al-Qur'an Surah Yusuf Verse 20

Mufti Taqi Usmani

And they sold him for a paltry price, for a few silver-coins, and they had not much interest in him.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

They ˹later˺ sold him for a cheap price, just a few silver coins—only wanting to get rid of him.[[ Other possible translations: 1. “… so little did they value him.” 2. “… they had no interest in him.” In any case, they wanted to sell him immediately before someone claimed him. According to some Quran commentators, it was Joseph’s brothers who sold him to the travellers after he was picked up from the well. The verse states that Joseph was sold for a few worthless coins. Ironically, in {12:88} Joseph’s brothers came to him after he became Egypt’s Chief Minister, begging for supplies and saying that the only money they could afford was a few worthless coins. This is when Joseph revealed his true identity to them. ]] 

Ruwwad Translation Center

They sold him for a meager price, a few silver coins; they were quite indifferent about him.

A. J. Arberry

Then they sold him for a paltry price, a handful of counted dirhams; for they set small store by him.

Abdul Haleem

and then sold him for a small price, for a few pieces of silver: so little did they value him.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And they sold him for a mean price: a few dirhams numbered and they were in regard to him of the indifferent.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

The (Brethren) sold him for a miserable price, for a few dirhams counted out; in such low estimation did they hold him!

Abul Ala Maududi

Later they sold him for a paltry sum - just a few dirhams; they did not care to obtain a higher price.

Ahmed Ali

And they sold him as worthless for a few paltry dirham.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And the brothers sold him for an improper price, a limited number of coins; and they had no interest in him.

Ali Quli Qarai

And they sold him for a cheap price, a few dirhams, for they set small store by him.

Ali Ünal

And they sold him for a paltry price – a few silver coins – so little did they value him.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And they (- the brothers of Joseph) sold him, (claiming him to be their slave, to the travellers) for a trifling price - a few dirhams (- silver coins), and they were not (even) desirous of it.

English Literal

And they bought him with a reduced/unjust price, counted/numbered silver coins , and they were in him from the indifferent/uninterested .

Faridul Haque

And the brothers sold him for an improper price, a limited number of coins; and they had no interest in him.

Hamid S. Aziz

And a caravan of travellers came and sent their water-drawer. He let down his bucket into the pit. Said he, "What good luck! Here is a youth." So they concealed him, as a treasure, and Allah was Aware of what they did.

Hilali & Khan

And they sold him for a low price, - for a few Dirhams (i.e. for a few silver coins). And they were of those who regarded him insignificant.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

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 was Cognizant of what they did.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And they sold him for a small price, a few pieces of silver, and they showed no desire for him.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And they sold him for a low price, a number of silver coins; and they attached no value to him.

Muhammad Sarwar

In selling him they asked for a very small price and even then no one wanted to buy him.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Then, they sold him for a trifling price, a number of dirhams, because they considered him to be of little value.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And they sold him for a Bakhs price, - for a few Dirhams. And they were of those who regarded him insignificant.

Wahiduddin Khan

Later they sold him for a paltry sum, a few pieces of silver [dirhams]: So little did they value him.

Talal Itani

And they sold him for a cheap price—a few coins—they considered him to be of little value.

Tafsir jalalayn

Then they sold him -- they [the caravan] purchased him from them -- for a very low, a diminished, price, a handful of dirhams, 20 or 22; for they, that is, his brothers, set small store by him. So the caravan brought him to Egypt, where the one who had bought him sold him for 20 dinars, two pairs of sandals and two robes.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَشَرَوْهُ بِثَمَنٍ بَخْسٍ دَرَاهِمَ مَعْدُودَةٍ

And they sold him for a Bakhs price, - for a few Dirhams

in reference to Yusuf's brothers selling him for a little price, according to Mujahid and Ikrimah.
Bakhs' means decreased, just as Allah the Exalted said in another Ayah,

فَلَ يَخَافُ بَخْساً وَلَا رَهَقاً

shall have no fear, either of a Bakhs (a decrease in the reward of his good deeds) or a Rahaq (an increase in the punishment for his sins). (72;13)

meaning that Yusuf's brothers exchanged him for a miserably low price. Yet, he was so insignificant to them that had the caravan people wanted him for free, they would have given him for free to them!

Ibn Abbas, Mujahid and Ad-Dahhak said that,

وَشَرَوْهُ
(And they sold him), is in reference to Yusuf's brothers. They sold Yusuf for the lowest price, as indicated by Allah's statement next,

دَرَاهِمَ مَعْدُودَةٍ
(for a few Dirhams),

twenty Dirhams, according to Abdullah bin Mas`ud.

Similar was said by Ibn Abbas, Nawf Al-Bikali, As-Suddi, Qatadah and Atiyah Al-Awfi, who added that they divided the Dirhams among themselves, each getting two Dirhams.

وَكَانُواْ فِيهِ مِنَ الزَّاهِدِينَ



And they were of those who regarded him insignificant.

Ad-Dahhak commented on Allah's statement,

"Because they had no knowledge of his Prophethood and glorious rank with Allah, the Exalted and Most Honored.