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 -

اللَّهُ لا إِلـٰهَ إِلّا هُوَ رَبُّ العَرشِ العَظيمِ ۩

Allah - there is no deity except Him, Lord of the Great Throne."

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.

أَلّا تَعلوا عَلَيَّ وَأتوني مُسلِمينَ

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

قالَت يا أَيُّهَا المَلَأُ أَفتوني في أَمري ما كُنتُ قاطِعَةً أَمرًا حَتّىٰ تَشهَدونِ

She said, "O eminent ones, advise me in my affair. I would not decide a matter until you witness [for] me."

قالوا نَحنُ أُولو قُوَّةٍ وَأُولو بَأسٍ شَديدٍ وَالأَمرُ إِلَيكِ فَانظُري ماذا تَأمُرينَ

They said, "We are men of strength and of great military might, but the command is yours, so see what you will command."

قالَت إِنَّ المُلوكَ إِذا دَخَلوا قَريَةً أَفسَدوها وَجَعَلوا أَعِزَّةَ أَهلِها أَذِلَّةً ۖ وَكَذٰلِكَ يَفعَلونَ

She said, "Indeed kings - when they enter a city, they ruin it and render the honored of its people humbled. And thus do they do.

وَإِنّي مُرسِلَةٌ إِلَيهِم بِهَدِيَّةٍ فَناظِرَةٌ بِمَ يَرجِعُ المُرسَلونَ

But indeed, I will send to them a gift and see with what [reply] the messengers will return."