to Joseph: "Hast thou ever known, seen, or heard of a
woman my peer in beauty, let alone a woman with beauty
exceeding mine? Yet I try daily to persuade thee, I fall
into decline through love of thee, I confer all this honor
upon thee, and thou wilt not hearken unto my voice! Is it
by reason of fear of thy master, that he punish thee? As
the king liveth, no harm shall come upon thee from thy
master on account of this thing. Now, therefore, I pray
thee, listen to me, and consent unto my desire for the sake of
the honor that I have conferred upon thee, and take this
death away from me. For why should I die on account of
thee?" Joseph remained as steadfast under these importunities
as before. Zuleika, however, was not discouraged;
she continued her solicitations unremittingly, day after
day,[118] month after month, for a whole year, but always