Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 6.djvu/345

Ⅻ, 1-10. (Ⅻ. Mecca.)

In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.

A. L. R. Those are the signs of the perspicuous Book. Verily, we have revealed it, an Arabic Qur′ân; haply ye may understand.

We tell thee the best of stories, in inspiring thee with this Qur′ân, though thou wert before it among the heedless.

When Joseph said to his father, ‘0 my sire! verily, I saw eleven stars, and the sun, and the moon, — I saw them adoring me!’

He said, ‘O my boy ! tell not thy vision to thy brethren, for they will plot a plot against thee ; verily, the devil is to man an open foe.’

Thus does thy Lord choose thee, and teach thee the interpretation of sayings, and fulfil His favour upon thee, and upon Jacob's people, as He fulfilled it upon thy two forefathers before thee, Abraham and Isaac, — verily, thy Lord is knowing, wise !

In Joseph and his brethren were signs to those who enquire !

When they said, ‘Surely, Joseph and his brother are dearer to our father than we, a band although we be ; verily, our father is in obvious error.

‘Slay Joseph, or cast him in some land ; that your father′s face may be free for you, and ye may be, after he is gone, a people who do right.’

A speaker from amongst them spake, 'Slay