And We gave David and Solomon knowledge and they said, 'Praise belongs to God who has preferred us over many of His believing servants.' 15 And [in this insight] Solomon was [truly] David's heir; and he would say: "O you people! We have been taught the speech of birds, and have been given [in abundance] of all [good] things: this, behold, is indeed a manifest favour [from God]!" 16 And there were gathered unto Sulaiman his hosts of jinns and mankind and birds, and they were set in bands. 17 Until when they came unto the valley of the ants, an ant said: O ants! enter your habitations lest Sulaiman and his hosts crush you while they perceive not. 18 So he smiled, wondering at her word, and said: My Lord! grant me that I should be grateful for Thy favor which Thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I should do good such as Thou art pleased with, and make me enter, by Thy mercy, into Thy servants, the good ones. 19 He reviewed the birds and said: 'Why is it that I do not see the hoopoe here? Or is he among the absent? 20 I will surely punish him with a severe punishment or slaughter him unless he brings me clear authorization." 21 He was not long in coming, and said: 'I know what you do not know. I come to you from Sheba with certain news. 22 Lo! I found a woman ruling over them, and she hath been given (abundance) of all things, and hers is a mighty throne. 23 I found that she and her people prostrate themselves before the sun rather than Allah. " Satan has made their deeds appear attractive to them and has, thus, debarred them from the Right Path so they do not find true guidance 24 So that they worship not Allah, Who bringeth forth the hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knoweth what ye hide and what ye proclaim, 25 Allah! there is no God but he, the Lord of the Magnificent Throne. ۩ 26 ۞ [Solomon] said, "We will see whether you were truthful or were of the liars. 27 Take my letter, and drop it to them. Then turn aside and see what they shall return' 28 The woman said, “O chieftains, indeed a noble letter has been dropped upon me.” 29 It is from Solomon, and (says): 'In the name of Allah, Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim. 30 “That ‘Do not wish eminence above me, and present yourselves humbly to me, with submission.’” 31