The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

قَالَ لَنْ أُرْسِلَهُ مَعَكُمْ حَتَّى تُؤْتُونِ مَوْثِقًا مِّنَ اللّهِ...

12: 66. (Jacob) said:

"Never will I send him with you until ye swear a solemn oath to me, in Allah's name,

...لَتَأْتُنَّنِي بِهِ إِلاَّ أَن يُحَاطَ بِكُمْ...

that ye will be sure to bring him back to me unless ye are yourselves hemmed in (and made powerless)."

C1728. The appeal to the family's needs in the time of famine at length made Jacob relent, but he exacted a solemn promise from the brothers, under the most religious sanctions, that they would bring Benjamin back to him, unless they were themselves prevented, as the Insurance Policies say "by an act of God," so that they became really powerless. To that promise Jacob called Allah to witness.

...فَلَمَّا آتَوْهُ مَوْثِقَهُمْ قَالَ اللّهُ عَلَى مَا نَقُولُ وَكِيلٌ ﴿٦٦﴾

And when they had sworn their solemn oath, he said:

"Over all that we say, be Allah the Witness and Guardian!"

C1729. This is more than a formula. Allah is invoked as present and witnessing the bargain, and to Him both parties make over the affair to arrange and fulfil.

Other Versions:

12: 66

Pickthall He said: I will not send him with you till ye give me an undertaking in the name of Allah that ye will bring him hack to me, unless ye are surrounded. And when they gave him their undertaking he said: Allah is the Warden over what we say.

Yuksel He said, "I will not send him with you until you give me a covenant before God that you will bring him back unless you are completely overtaken." So when they gave him their covenant, he said, "God is a guard over what we say."

Transliteration Wa qa_la ya_ baniyya la_ tadkhulu_ mim ba_biw wa_hidiw wa-dkhulu_ min abwa_bim mutafarriqah(tin), wa ma_ ugni 'ankum minalla_hi min syai'(in), inil hukmu illa_ lilla_h(i), 'alaihi tawakkaltu wa 'alaihi falyatawakkalil mutawakkilu_n(a).