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Suggested translation^1,2:

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¹This translation may have been updated from the original suggested translation as a result of the discussions that follow.
²Click on the {verse number} of a translation to see other good translations of the verse.

I suggest,
{12:50} And the king said, "Bring him to me." But when the messenger came to him, [Joseph] said, "Return to your lord and ask him what is the state of mind of the women who cut their hands. Surely, my lord, of their wiling, is well aware."


I suggest,
{12:51} Said [the king to the women], "What is your affair when you sought to seduce Joseph from his [pure] self?" They said, "God forbid! We know about him no evil." The wife of the nobleman said, "Now the truth has come to light. [It was] I who sought to seduce him from his [pure] self, and indeed, he is of the truthful."

Sounds good, but I am a bit uncomfortable with "what is the state of mind" The same expression is used in the Quran in

so I think "what about" is more befitting.


Perhaps "shined" or "prevailed" (I am not sure what the linguistic meaning of the Arabic word is). Also, "who" should be an interjection I think.

But we stick to the Arabic words in this translation. The word بال means "mind." It's like asking, "What were they thinking?" If the verse said ماشأن النسوة, then the translation "what about the women" would be the accurate one.


I did look it up and it means "come to light." "Shine" does not necessarily mean it was obscure before, and prevail does not convey the light aspect. You are right about "who" being an interjection. Thanks for observing,
{12:51} Said [the king to the women], "What is your affair when you sought to seduce Joseph from his [pure] self?" They said, "God forbid! We know about him no evil." The wife of the nobleman said, "Now the truth has come to light. [It was] I [who] sought to seduce him from his [pure] self, and indeed, he is of the truthful."