And when what was mentioned occurred, it was as if it was said: 'Indeed, they have come to them what they were not expecting.' So what did they say? It was said: 'They said,' [in astonishment, to the utmost degree of astonishment]. And for that reason, they swore by what indicates that: 'By Allah,' meaning the Greatest King, 'Indeed, Allah has favored you,' meaning the One to Whom belongs all command, 'over us,' meaning He has made for you a favor that covers our traces with His exaltation. The meaning is: He has preferred you over us, meaning with knowledge, intellect, wisdom, beauty, kingship, and piety, and other than that. 'And if' they have lightened it from the heavy, confirming it with brevity to indicate the importance of conveying the apology in the quickest time, 'we were,' meaning a being that is a nature for us, 'sinners,' meaning deeply rooted in sin, which is the deliberate committing of wrongdoing.