۞ We bestowed Grace aforetime on David from ourselves: "O ye Mountains! Sing ye back the Praises of Allah with him! and ye birds (also)! And We made the iron soft for him;- 10 'Fashion wide coats of mail, and measure well the links. ' -- And do ye righteousness, for surely I see the things you do. 11 To Solomon the morning course of the wind was a month's journey, and its evening course was also a month's journey. We caused copper to be (as a) molten spring for him. And the jinn, some served him by the permission of his Lord. But as for those amongst them that swerved away from Our Command, We shall let them taste the punishment of the Blaze (the Fire). 12 They would make for him anything that he wanted like fortresses, statues, large basins like reservoirs, and huge immovable cooking pots. It was said, "Family of David, worship and act gratefully. Only few of my servants are grateful." 13 And when We decreed (Solomon's) death, they had no indication that he was dead until (they saw a termite), a crawler of the earth eating away his staff. And when he fell down, the jinn realized that had they known the unseen, they would not have continued in their humiliating punishment. 14 There was indeed a sign for Sheba in their dwelling-place: Two gardens on the right hand and the left (as who should say): Eat of the provision of your Lord and render thanks to Him. A fair land and an indulgent Lord! 15 Yet they turned away [from the truth]. So We let loose on them a flood from the dam and replaced their two gardens by two others bearing bitter fruits, tamarisks, and a few lote trees. 16 Like this We requited them because they were ungrateful disbelievers. And never do We requit in such a way except those who are ungrateful, (disbelievers). 17 Between them and the cities We had blessed We placed towns along the highway, and made them stages on their journey, (saying): "Travel between them in safety by day or by night." 18 And they said: O our Lord! make spaces to be longer between our journeys; and they were unjust to themselves so We made them stories and scattered them with an utter scattering; most surely there are signs in this for every patient, grateful one 19 And indeed Iblis (Satan) did prove true his thought about them, and they followed him, all except a group of true believers (in the Oneness of Allah). 20 He did not have any authority over them except to the extent that would allow Us to know who had faith in the life to come and who had doubts about it. Your Lord is a Guard over all things. 21