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.

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,

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."

فَلَمّا جاءَ سُلَيمانَ قالَ أَتُمِدّونَنِ بِمالٍ فَما آتانِيَ اللَّهُ خَيرٌ مِمّا آتاكُم بَل أَنتُم بِهَدِيَّتِكُم تَفرَحونَ

So when they came to Solomon, he said, "Do you provide me with wealth? But what Allah has given me is better than what He has given you. Rather, it is you who rejoice in your gift.