Quran Universe
12:11

قَالُواْ يَـٰٓأَبَانَا مَا لَكَ لَا تَأۡمَ۬نَّا عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ وَإِنَّا لَهُۥ لَنَٰصِحُونَ

Qaloo ya abana ma laka la tamanna AAala yoosufa wainna lahu lanasihoona

They said, "O our father, why do you not entrust us with Joseph while indeed, we are to him sincere counselors?

Word by word
  1. قَالُواْThey said
  2. يَـٰٓأَبَانَاO our father
  3. مَاWhy
  4. لَكَ(do) you
  5. لَاnot
  6. تَأۡمَ۬نَّاtrust us
  7. عَلَىٰwith
  8. يُوسُفَYusuf
  9. وَإِنَّاwhile indeed,we
  10. لَهُۥ(are) for him
  11. لَنَٰصِحُونَsurely well-wishers
Yusuf · 12:11Makkah

Why don't you trust us? We only want his good.

When the pitch starts with sincerity

The opening line
the brothersplan already made
say
trust uswe are sincere to him
to
Yaqubthe father
Words and intent
well-wisherswhat they said
the oppositewhat they meant

Having agreed on the well, the brothers went to Yaqub. They began with a statement of sincerity while intending its opposite, out of envy. Ibn Kathir calls it the introduction to executing their plan.

Someone leads with trust me, I only want what is best for you, right before asking for your password, your savings, your signature. The louder the sincerity, the more it is worth a pause. And check your own pitches too.

If someone says they mean well, I should believe them.

Words of sincerity can be the first step of a plan, so I look at the deeds.

Try this

Before agreeing to a request today, ask yourself what the person gains, kindly and calmly.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

They said: "O our father! Why do you not trust us with Yusuf though we are indeed his well-wishers? (11)"Send him with us tomorrow to enjoy himself and play, and verily, we will take care of him. (12)

Yusuf's Brothers ask for Their Father's Permission to take Yusuf with Them

When Yusuf's brothers agreed to take him and throw him down the well, taking the advice of their elder brother Rubil, they went to their father Ya'qub, peace be upon him. They said to him, "Why is it that you,

لَا تَأْمَنَّا عَلَىٰ يُوسُفَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَنَاصِحُونَ

(do not trust us with Yusuf though we are indeed his well-wishers?)." They started executing their plan by this introductory statement, even though they really intended its opposite, out of envy towards Yusuf for being loved by his father. They said,

أَرْسِلْهُ مَعَنَا

"(Send him with us) tomorrow so that we all enjoy ourselves and play." Qatadah, Ad-Dahhak and As-Suddi said similarly. Yusuf's brothers said next,

وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ

(and verily, we will take care of him.), we will protect him and ensure his safety for you.