Al-Qur'an Surah Yusuf Verse 46

Mufti Taqi Usmani

(Thus he came to the prison and said to Yūsuf “Yūsuf, O the truthful one, tell us about seven fat cows eaten by seven lean ones, and seven ears of grain which are green and (seven) others which are dry, so that I may go back to the people and they may know (the interpretation of the dream.)”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹He said,˺ “Joseph, O  man of truth! Interpret for us ˹the dream of˺ seven fat cows eaten up by seven skinny ones; and seven green ears of grain and ˹seven˺ others dry, so that I may return to the people and let them know.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

[He said], “Joseph, O man of truth, tell us about seven fat cows eaten up by seven lean ones, and seven green ears of grain and [seven] others withered, so that I may return to the people and that they may know.”

A. J. Arberry

'Joseph, thou true man, pronounce to us regarding seven fat kine, that seven lean ones were devouring, seven green ears of corn, and seven withered; haply I shall return to the men, haply they will know.'

Abdul Haleem

‘Truthful Joseph! Tell us the meaning of seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, seven green ears of corn and [seven] others withered,

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Yusuf, O saint! give an answer unto us in regard to seven fat kine which seven lean ones are devouring and seven green corn-ears and seven others dry; haply may return unto the people; haply they may learn.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

"O Joseph!" (he said) "O man of truth! Expound to us (the dream) of seven fat kine whom seven lean ones devour, and of seven green ears of corn and (seven) others withered; that I may return to the people, and that they may understand."

Abul Ala Maududi

Then he went to Joseph and said to him: "Joseph, O truthfulness incarnate, tell the true meaning of the dream in which seven fat cows are devoured by seven lean ones; and there are seven green ears of corn and seven others dry and withered so that I may return to the people and they may learn."

Ahmed Ali

(And coming to the prison) he said: "O Joseph the truthful, tell us (the meaning of) seven fat cows being devoured by seven lean ones, and seven green ears of corn and seven seared, that I may go back to the people and tell them."

Ahmed Raza Khan

“O Yusuf! O truthful one! Explain for us the seven healthy cows which seven lean cows were eating and the seven green ears of corn and seven others dry, so I may return to the people, possibly they may come to know.”

Ali Quli Qarai

‘Joseph,’ [he said], ‘O truthful one, give us your opinion concerning seven fat cows who are eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green ears and [seven] others dry, that I may return to the people so that they may know [the truth of the matter].’

Ali Ünal

(Coming to Joseph in the prison, he said): "Joseph, O man of truth! Enlighten us about seven fat cows being devoured by seven lean ones, and seven green ears of grain and another (seven) dry – so that I can return to the people (of the court). And it may be that (after I have told them your interpretation of the dreams) they will come to know (what manner of man you are and the injustice done to you)."

Amatul Rahman Omar

(So he went to Joseph in the prison and exclaimed,) `Joseph, you, the man of truth, explain to us the (real) significance of (a dream in which) seven fat kine which seven lean ones devour; and (of) seven green ears of corn and as many others withered, so that I may return to the people and they may know (the interpretation and thereby your exalted position).´

English Literal

Joseph, you the always very truthful, give us your opinion/clarify for us in seven fat/fleshy cows, seven weak/bony/starved eat them (F), and seven green ears/spikes of wheat, barley etc. and others dry, maybe/perhaps I return to the people, maybe/perhaps they know.

Faridul Haque

"O Yusuf! O truthful one! Explain for us the seven healthy cows which seven lean cows were eating and the seven green ears of corn and seven others dry, so I may return to the people, possibly they may come to know."

Hamid S. Aziz

Then he of the twain who had escaped, remembered after a while, and said, "Verily, I will inform you of the interpretation thereof, so send me forth."

Hilali & Khan

(He said): "O Yusuf (Joseph), the man of truth! Explain to us (the dream) of seven fat cows whom seven lean ones were devouring, and of seven green ears of corn, and (seven) others dry, that I may return to the people, and that they may know."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And of the two, he who had found deliverance and remembered after a long time said: I will inform you of its interpretation, so send me.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Yusuf! O truthful one! explain to us seven fat kine which seven lean ones devoured, and seven green ears and (seven) others dry, that I may go back to the people so that they may know.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

(And when he came to Joseph in the prison, he exclaimed): Joseph! O thou truthful one! Expound for us the seven fat kine which seven lean were eating and the seven green ears of corn and other (seven) dry, that I may return unto the people, so that they may know.

Muhammad Sarwar

(He went to the prison) and said to Joseph, "You are a man of truth. Would you tell me the meaning of a dream in which seven fat cows eat up seven lean ones and the meaning of seven green ears of corn and seven dry ones? I hope you can tell me the right meaning and save people from confusion."

Qaribullah & Darwish

(He said:) 'Joseph, the truthful, tell us of the seven fatted cows that were devoured by seven lean ones also of the seven green ears of corn and the other seven which were withered, so that I can go back to the people and then they will then know'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

(He said): "O Yusuf, the man of truth! Explain to us seven fat cows whom seven lean ones were devouring, and seven green ears of corn, and (seven) others dry, that I may return to the people, and that they may know."

Wahiduddin Khan

"O truthful Joseph!" he said, "Tell us the meaning of a dream in which seven fat cows are being eaten by seven lean ones, and there are seven green ears of corn and seven others which are dry, so that I may return to my people and inform them."

Talal Itani

“Joseph, O man of truth, inform us concerning seven fat cows being eaten by seven lean ones, and seven green spikes, and others dried up, so that I may return to the people, so that they may know.”

Tafsir jalalayn

`O, Joseph, O truthful one, one given to truth, give us your opinion concerning seven fat kine that are devoured by seven lean ones, and [concerning] seven green ears of corn and [seven] others dry, that I may return to the people, that is, to the king and his courtiers, so that they might know', its interpretation.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

يُوسُفُ أَيُّهَا الصِّدِّيقُ أَفْتِنَا

O Yusuf, the man of truth! Explain to us...

and mentioned the king's dream to him.

فِي سَبْعِ بَقَرَاتٍ سِمَانٍ يَأْكُلُهُنَّ سَبْعٌ عِجَافٌ وَسَبْعِ سُنبُلَتٍ خُضْرٍ وَأُخَرَ يَابِسَاتٍ لَّعَلِّي أَرْجِعُ إِلَى النَّاسِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ


seven fat cows whom seven lean ones were devouring, and seven green ears of corn, and (seven) others dry, that I may return to the people, and that they may know."
Yusuf's Interpretation of the King's Dream

This is when Yusuf, peace be upon him, told the interpretation of the dream, without criticizing the man for forgetting his request that he had made to him. Neither did he make a precondition that he be released before explaining the meaning. Rather