." Advise me, O nobles," she said "in this matter. I do not decide any thing until you concur." 32 They said: We are possessors of strength and possessors of mighty prowess, and the command is yours, therefore see what you will command. 33 She said: Surely the kings, when they enter a town, ruin it and make the noblest of its people to be low, and thus they (always) do; 34 but I shall send them a present and see with what reply my envoys will return." 35 Now when [the Queen's messenger] came unto Solomon, he said: "Do you people mean to add to my wealth? But that which God has given me is [so much] better than all that He has given you! Nay, it is [only such as] you that would rejoice in this gift of yours! 36 Return unto them. We verily shall come unto them with hosts that they cannot resist, and we shall drive them out from thence with shame, and they will be abased. 37 He said: O chiefs! which of you can bring to me her throne before they come to me in submission? 38 A stalwart of the jinn said: I will bring it thee before thou canst rise from thy place. Lo! I verily am strong and trusty for such work. 39 The one who had some knowledge of the Book said: I shall bring it unto thee ere thy eye twinkleth. Then when he saw it placed before him, he said: this is of the grace of my Lord that He may prove me whether I give thanks or am ungrateful. Whosoever giveth thanks he only giveth thanks for his own soul; and whosoever is ungrateful then verily my Lord is Self-Sufficient, Munificent. 40 [And] he continued: Alter her throne so that she may not know it as hers: let us see whether she allows herself to be guided [to the truth] or remains one of those who will not be guided." 41 And so, as soon as she arrived, she was asked: "Is thy throne like this?" She answered: "It is as though it were the same!" [And Solomon said to his nobles: "She has arrived at the truth without any help from us,] although it is we who have been given [divine] knowledge before her, and have [long ago] surrendered ourselves unto God! 42 but that she served, apart from God, barred her, for she was of a people of unbelievers.' 43 [After a while] she was told: "Enter this court!" - but when she saw it, she thought that it was a fathomless expanse of water, and she bared her legs. Said he: "Behold, it is [but] a court smoothly paved with glass!" Cried she: "O my Sustainer! I have been sinning against myself thy worshipping aught but Thee]: but [now] I have surrendered myself, with Solomon, unto the Sustainer of all the worlds!" 44