( قالوا ) معتذرين ( تالله لقد آثرك الله علينا ) أي : اختارك الله وفضلك علينا ( وإن كنا لخاطئين ) أي : وما كنا في صنيعنا بك إلا مخطئين مذنبين . يقال : خطئ خطئا إذا تعمد ، وأخطأ إذا كان غير متعمد .
The brothers apologised to Joseph for their behaviour towards him, and they said that Allah had indeed preferred him over them through the attributes of perfection He had given to him, and that they had committed evil and disobedience in what they had done to him.