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 -

قالَ سَنَنظُرُ أَصَدَقتَ أَم كُنتَ مِنَ الكاذِبينَ

[Solomon] said, "We will see whether you were truthful or were of the liars.

اذهَب بِكِتابي هـٰذا فَأَلقِه إِلَيهِم ثُمَّ تَوَلَّ عَنهُم فَانظُر ماذا يَرجِعونَ

Take this letter of mine and deliver it to them. Then leave them and see what [answer] they will return."

قالَت يا أَيُّهَا المَلَأُ إِنّي أُلقِيَ إِلَيَّ كِتابٌ كَريمٌ

She said, "O eminent ones, indeed, to me has been delivered a noble letter.

إِنَّهُ مِن سُلَيمانَ وَإِنَّهُ بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمـٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

Indeed, it is from Solomon, and indeed, it reads: 'In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,

أَلّا تَعلوا عَلَيَّ وَأتوني مُسلِمينَ

Be not haughty with me but come to me in submission [as Muslims].' "