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."

فَتَبَسَّمَ ضاحِكًا مِن قَولِها وَقالَ رَبِّ أَوزِعني أَن أَشكُرَ نِعمَتَكَ الَّتي أَنعَمتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلىٰ والِدَيَّ وَأَن أَعمَلَ صالِحًا تَرضاهُ وَأَدخِلني بِرَحمَتِكَ في عِبادِكَ الصّالِحينَ

So [Solomon] smiled, amused at her speech, and said, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to do righteousness of which You approve. And admit me by Your mercy into [the ranks of] Your righteous servants."

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,

أَلّا يَسجُدوا لِلَّهِ الَّذي يُخرِجُ الخَبءَ فِي السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ وَيَعلَمُ ما تُخفونَ وَما تُعلِنونَ

[And] so they do not prostrate to Allah, who brings forth what is hidden within the heavens and the earth and knows what you conceal and what you declare -