Surah Yusuf · سُوْرَةُ يُوسُفَ · Juz 13
Q 12:78
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْعَزِيزُ إِنَّ لَهُۥٓ أَبًا شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا فَخُذْ أَحَدَنَا مَكَانَهُۥٓ ۖ إِنَّا نَرَىٰكَ مِنَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ
Translations
They said, "O 'Azeez, indeed he has a father [who is] an old man, so take one of us in place of him. Indeed, we see you as a doer of good."- Ils dirent. «O Al-'Azize, il a un père très vieux; saisis-toi donc de l'un de nous, à sa place. Nous voyons que tu es vraiment du nombre des gens bienfaisants».Tafsir
Joseph’s brothers told him that their father was old and elderly and loved their brother dearly. They asked him to take one of them instead of him, saying that they saw that he was a doer of good in his dealings with them and others, and they asked him to be generous with them by doing this.
Read Ibn Kathir (Ibn Kathir (abridged, English))
They said: "O 'Aziz! Verily, he has an old father (who will grieve for him); so take one of us in his place. Indeed we think that you are one of the doers of good. (78)He said: "Allah forbid, that we should take anyone but him with whom we found our property. Indeed (if we did so), we should be wrongdoers. (79)
Yusuf's Brothers offer taking One of Them instead of Binyamin as a Slave, Yusuf rejects the Offer
When it was decided that Benyamin was to be taken and kept with Yusuf according to the law they adhered by, Yusuf's brothers started requesting clemency and raising compassion in his heart for them,
قَالُوا يَا أَيُّهَا الْعَزِيزُ إِنَّ لَهُ أَبًا شَيْخًا كَبِيرًا
(They said, "O 'Aziz! Verily, he has an old father...") who loves him very much and is comforted by his presence from the son that he lost,
فَخُذْ أَحَدَنَا مَكَانَهُ
(so take one of us in his place.), instead of Binyamin to remain with you,
إِنَّا نَرَاكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
(Indeed we think that you are one of the doers of good.), the good doers, just, and accepting fairness,
قَالَ مَعَاذَ اللَّهِ أَن نَّأْخُذَ إِلَّا مَن وَجَدْنَا مَتَاعَنَا عِندَهُ
(He said: "Allah forbid, that we should take anyone but him with whom we found our property..."), 'according to the judgement that you gave for his punishment,
إِنَّا إِذًا لَّظَالِمُونَ
(Indeed, we should be wrongdoers.), if we take an innocent man instead of the guilty man.'
Arabic text: Tanzil (Uthmani). Translations: Sahih International (en), Muhammad Hamidullah (fr). tanzil.net