فَلَمَّا جَهَّزَهُم بِجَهَازِهِمۡ جَعَلَ ٱلسِّقَايَةَ فِي رَحۡلِ أَخِيهِ ثُمَّ أَذَّنَ مُؤَذِّنٌ أَيَّتُهَا ٱلۡعِيرُ إِنَّكُمۡ لَسَٰرِقُونَ
Later, when he equipped them with their provisions, he placed the bowl in the camel-pack of his brother. Then, an announcer shouted out, “O people of the caravan, you are thieves.”
قَالُواْ وَأَقۡبَلُواْ عَلَيۡهِم مَّاذَا تَفۡقِدُونَ
Turning towards them, they said, “What are you missing?”
قَالُواْ نَفۡقِدُ صُوَاعَ ٱلۡمَلِكِ وَلِمَن جَآءَ بِهِۦ حِمۡلُ بَعِيرٖ وَأَنَا۠ بِهِۦ زَعِيمٞ
They said, “We are missing the measuring-bowl of the king, and whoever brings it back shall deserve a camel-load, and I stand surety for it.”
قَالُواْ تَٱللَّهِ لَقَدۡ عَلِمۡتُم مَّا جِئۡنَا لِنُفۡسِدَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا كُنَّا سَٰرِقِينَ
They said, “We swear by Allah, you know, we did not come to make mischief in the land, nor have we ever been thieves.”
قَالُواْ فَمَا جَزَـٰٓؤُهُۥٓ إِن كُنتُمۡ كَٰذِبِينَ
They said, “What is the punishment, if you are liars?”
قَالُواْ جَزَـٰٓؤُهُۥ مَن وُجِدَ فِي رَحۡلِهِۦ فَهُوَ جَزَـٰٓؤُهُۥۚ كَذَٰلِكَ نَجۡزِي ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
They said, “Its punishment? The one in whose saddlebag it is found shall himself be the punishment. This is how we punish the wrongdoers.”