«فَمَهِّدِ الْعُذْرَ أَوْ فَسَامِحْ / إِنْ كُنْتُ أَجْرَمْتُ أَوْ جَنَيْتُ»
Make room for an excuse, or forgive me, if I have committed an offence or done wrong.
Mahhid originally means to level or prepare a way, here to open a path to an excuse. Sāmiḥ calls for pardon. Ajramtu / janaytu pair related expressions for wrongdoing.
The verse is outwardly apologetic, but it retains Abū Zayd’s comic self-awareness. He describes the trick and then invites the person he deceived to decide whether there is any room for pardon.