Al-Qur'an Surah Yusuf Verse 77

Mufti Taqi Usmani

They said, “If he commits theft, (there is nothing surprising, because) his other brother had committed theft earlier.” Yūsuf kept it (his reaction) to himself and did not reveal it to them. He said (in his heart), “You are even worse in position. Allah knows best of what you allege.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹To distance themselves,˺ Joseph’s brothers argued, “If he has stolen, so did his ˹full˺ brother before.”[[ Joseph was falsely accused of theft when he was young.]] But Joseph suppressed his outrage—revealing nothing to them—and said ˹to himself˺, “You are in such an evil position,[[ He meant: I did not steal anything, nor did my brother ˹Benjamin˺. You are the real thieves; you stole me from my father and threw me into the well. ]] and Allah knows best ˹the truth of˺ what you claim.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

They said, “If he steals, then it was his brother [Joseph] who stole before.” Joseph kept it to himself and did not reveal it to them, and said [in his heart], “You are in a far worse position; and Allah knows best the truth of what you say.”

A. J. Arberry

They said, 'If he is a thief, a brother of his was a thief before.' But Joseph secreted it in his soul and disclosed it not to them, saying, 'You are in a worse case; God knows very well what you are describing.'

Abdul Haleem

[His brothers] said, ‘If he is a thief then his brother was a thief before him,’ but Joseph kept his secrets and did not reveal anything to them. He said, ‘You are in a far worse situation. God knows best the truth of what you claim.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

They said: if he stealeth, then surely a brother of him hath stolen afore. But Yusuf concealed it in himself, and discovered it not unto them. He said: ye are in evil plight, and Allah is the Best Knower of that which ye ascribe.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

They said; "If he steals, there was a brother of his who did steal before (him)." But these things did Joseph keep locked in his heart, revealing not the secrets to them. He (simply) said (to himself); "Ye are the worse situated; and Allah knoweth best the truth of what ye assert!"

Abul Ala Maududi

They said: "No wonder that he steals for a brother of his stole before." But Joseph kept his reaction to himself without disclosing the truth to them. He merely said to himself: "You are an evil lot. Allah knows well the truth of the accusation that you are making against me (to my face)."

Ahmed Ali

Said the brothers: "If he has stolen (no wonder), his brother had stolen before." But Joseph kept this secret and did not disclose it to them, and said (to himself): "You are worse in the degree of evil, for God knows better of what you allege."

Ahmed Raza Khan

They said, “If he steals, then indeed his brother has stolen before”; so Yusuf kept this in his heart and did not reveal it to them; he replied within himself, “In fact, you are in a worse position; and Allah well knows the matters you fabricate.”

Ali Quli Qarai

They said, ‘If he has stolen [there is no wonder]; a brother of his had stolen before.’ Thereupon Joseph kept the matter to himself and he did not disclose it to them. He said, ‘You are in a worse state! And Allah knows best what you allege.’

Ali Ünal

They (the other brothers) said: "If he has stolen – well, a brother of his stole before." But Joseph (endured their false accusation in silence and) held it secret in his soul and did not disclose it to them. He said (to himself): "You are indeed in a bad situation. God has full knowledge of (the truth of) what you allege."

Amatul Rahman Omar

(Joseph´s brothers) said, `If he has stolen, (no wonder) a brother of his had (also) committed theft before (this).´ But Joseph kept it secret in his heart and did not disclose it to them. He (simply) said, `You are a worse case and Allâh knows best what you are alleging.´

English Literal

They said: "If he steals/robs, so a brother to him had stolen/robbed from before." So Joseph kept it secret in himself, and did not show it to them, he said: "You are a worse position , and God (is) more knowledgeable with what you describe/categorize."

Faridul Haque

They said, "If he steals, then indeed his brother has stolen before"; so Yusuf kept this in his heart and did not reveal it to them; he replied within himself, "In fact, you are in a worse position; and Allah well knows the matters you fabricate."

Hamid S. Aziz

And he began (searching) their sacks before the sacks of his brother; then he drew it forth from his brother´s sack. Thus did We devise a stratagem for Joseph. He could not take his brother by the king´s law unless Allah willed. We raise by degrees of mercy whom We will, and over every possessor of knowledge is one who knows more (or One All-knowing).

Hilali & Khan

They [(Yusuf's (Joseph) brothers] said: "If he steals, there was a brother of his [Yusuf (Joseph)] who did steal before (him)." But these things did Yusuf (Joseph) keep in himself, revealing not the secrets to them. He said (within himself): "You are in worst case, and Allah knows best the truth of what you assert!"

Maulana Mohammad Ali

So he began with their sacks before the sack of his brother, then he brought it out from his brother’s sack. Thus did We plan for the sake of Joseph. He could not take his brother under the king’s law, unless Allah pleased. We raise in degree whom We please. And above every one possessed of knowledge is the All-Knowing One.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

They said: If he steal, a brother of his did indeed steal before; but Yusuf kept it secret in his heart and did not disclose it to them. He said: You are in an evil condition and Allah knows best what you state.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

They said: If he stealeth, a brother of his stole before. But Joseph kept it secret in his soul and revealed it not unto them. He said (within himself): Ye are in worse case, and Allah knoweth best (the truth of) that which ye allege.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Joseph's) brothers said, "It's no wonder that he steals; a brother of his had stolen before him." Joseph noted their remarks, but did not utter a word. He said (to himself), "You are in a worse position. God knows best what you allege."

Qaribullah & Darwish

They said: 'If he is a thief know then that a brother of his has committed theft before him' But Joseph kept it secret and did not reveal it to them. He said:'You are in a worse position. And Allah knows well what you describe'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

They [Yusuf's brothers] said: "If he steals, there was a brother of his [Yusuf] who did steal before (him). " But these things did Yusuf keep in himself, revealing not the secrets to them. He said (within himself): "You are in an evil situation, and Allah is the Best Knower of that which you describe!"

Wahiduddin Khan

They said, "If he is a thief, a brother of his had [also] committed theft before him." But Joseph kept his secret and revealed nothing to them. He said [to himself], "Your deed was worse. God best knows the things you speak of."

Talal Itani

They said, “If he has stolen, a brother of his has stolen before.” But Joseph kept it to himself, and did not reveal it to them. He said, “You are in a worse situation, and God is Aware of what you allege.”

Tafsir jalalayn

They said, `If he is stealing, a brother of his stole before', that is, Joseph -- he had stolen a golden idol from his maternal grandfather and smashed it, lest he worship it. But Joseph kept it secret in his soul and did not disclose it, manifest it, to them (the [suffixed] pronoun [in yubdi-h, `disclose it'] refers to the word[s] in his [following] saying); he said, within himself; `You are a worse case, than Joseph and his brother, because of your stealing a brother of yours from your father, and your wronging him. And God knows very well what you are describing', [what] you are mentioning with regard to him.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Yusuf's Brothers accuse Him of Theft!

Allah tells that after Yusuf's brothers saw that the king's bowl was taken out of Binyamin's bag,

قَالُواْ إِن يَسْرِقْ فَقَدْ سَرَقَ أَخٌ لَّهُ مِن قَبْلُ



They said;"If he steals, there was a brother of his who did steal before.

They tried to show themselves as innocent from being like Binyamin, saying that he did just like a brother of his did beforehand, meaning Yusuf, peace be upon him!

Allah said,

فَأَسَرَّهَا يُوسُفُ فِي نَفْسِهِ

But these things did Yusuf keep in himself,

meaning the statement that he said afterwards, i.e.,

وَلَمْ يُبْدِهَا لَهُمْ قَالَ

revealing not the secrets to them.

أَنتُمْ شَرٌّ مَّكَانًا وَاللّهُ أَعْلَمْ بِمَا تَصِفُونَ



You are in an evil situation, and Allah is the Best Knower of that which you describe!

Yusuf said this to himself and did not utter it aloud, thus intending to hide what he wanted to say to himself even before he said it.

Al-Awfi reported that Ibn Abbas said about Allah's statement,
فَأَسَرَّهَا يُوسُفُ فِي نَفْسِهِ
(But these things did Yusuf keep in himself),

"He kept in himself (his statement next),
أَنتُمْ شَرٌّ مَّكَانًا وَاللّهُ أَعْلَمْ بِمَا تَصِفُونَ
(You are in an evil situation, and Allah is the Best Knower of that which you describe!)."