وَجَحَدوا بِها وَاستَيقَنَتها أَنفُسُهُم ظُلمًا وَعُلُوًّا ۚ فَانظُر كَيفَ كانَ عاقِبَةُ المُفسِدينَ

And they rejected them, while their [inner] selves were convinced thereof, out of injustice and haughtiness. So see how was the end of the corrupters.

وَلَقَد آتَينا داوودَ وَسُلَيمانَ عِلمًا ۖ وَقالَا الحَمدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذي فَضَّلَنا عَلىٰ كَثيرٍ مِن عِبادِهِ المُؤمِنينَ

And We had certainly given to David and Solomon knowledge, and they said, "Praise [is due] to Allah, who has favored us over many of His believing servants."

وَوَرِثَ سُلَيمانُ داوودَ ۖ وَقالَ يا أَيُّهَا النّاسُ عُلِّمنا مَنطِقَ الطَّيرِ وَأوتينا مِن كُلِّ شَيءٍ ۖ إِنَّ هـٰذا لَهُوَ الفَضلُ المُبينُ

And Solomon inherited David. He said, "O people, we have been taught the language of birds, and we have been given from all things. Indeed, this is evident bounty."

وَحُشِرَ لِسُلَيمانَ جُنودُهُ مِنَ الجِنِّ وَالإِنسِ وَالطَّيرِ فَهُم يوزَعونَ

And gathered for Solomon were his soldiers of the jinn and men and birds, and they were [marching] in rows.

حَتّىٰ إِذا أَتَوا عَلىٰ وادِ النَّملِ قالَت نَملَةٌ يا أَيُّهَا النَّملُ ادخُلوا مَساكِنَكُم لا يَحطِمَنَّكُم سُلَيمانُ وَجُنودُهُ وَهُم لا يَشعُرونَ

Until, when they came upon the valley of the ants, an ant said, "O ants, enter your dwellings that you not be crushed by Solomon and his soldiers while they perceive not."

وَتَفَقَّدَ الطَّيرَ فَقالَ ما لِيَ لا أَرَى الهُدهُدَ أَم كانَ مِنَ الغائِبينَ

And he took attendance of the birds and said, "Why do I not see the hoopoe - or is he among the absent?

لَأُعَذِّبَنَّهُ عَذابًا شَديدًا أَو لَأَذبَحَنَّهُ أَو لَيَأتِيَنّي بِسُلطانٍ مُبينٍ

I will surely punish him with a severe punishment or slaughter him unless he brings me clear authorization."

فَمَكَثَ غَيرَ بَعيدٍ فَقالَ أَحَطتُ بِما لَم تُحِط بِهِ وَجِئتُكَ مِن سَبَإٍ بِنَبَإٍ يَقينٍ

But the hoopoe stayed not long and said, "I have encompassed [in knowledge] that which you have not encompassed, and I have come to you from Sheba with certain news.

إِنّي وَجَدتُ امرَأَةً تَملِكُهُم وَأوتِيَت مِن كُلِّ شَيءٍ وَلَها عَرشٌ عَظيمٌ

Indeed, I found [there] a woman ruling them, and she has been given of all things, and she has a great throne.

وَجَدتُها وَقَومَها يَسجُدونَ لِلشَّمسِ مِن دونِ اللَّهِ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيطانُ أَعمالَهُم فَصَدَّهُم عَنِ السَّبيلِ فَهُم لا يَهتَدونَ

I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allah, and Satan has made their deeds pleasing to them and averted them from [His] way, so they are not guided,