And We verily gave knowledge unto David and Solomon, and they said: Praise be to Allah, Who hath preferred us above many of His believing slaves! 15 And Solomon was David's heir. And he said: O mankind! Lo! we have been taught the language of birds, and have been given (abundance) of all things. This surely is evident favour. 16 And [one day] there were assembled before Solomon his hosts of invisible beings, and of men, and of birds; and then they were led forth in orderly ranks, 17 Till, when they came to the valley of the ants, one of the ants said: "O ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Sulaiman (Solomon) and his hosts crush you, while they perceive not." 18 Thereupon [Solomon] smiled joyously at her words, and said: "O my Sustainer! Inspire me so that I may forever be grateful for those blessings of Thine with which Thou hast graced me and my parents, and that I may do what is right [in a manner] that will please Thee; and include me, by Thy grace, among Thy righteous servants!" 19 Then Solomon inspected the birds, and said, "How is it that I do not see the hoopoe? Is he absent then? 20 Surely I shall torment him with a severe torment, or I shall slaughter him, unless he bringeth unto me a warranty manifest. 21 But the hoopoe stayed not long, he (came up and) said: "I have grasped (the knowledge of a thing) which you have not grasped and I have come to you from Saba' (Sheba) with true news. 22 Surely I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given abundance and she has a mighty throne: 23 I found her and her people prostrating to the sun, apart from God; Satan has decked out fair their deeds to them and he has barred them from the way, and therefore they are not guided, 24 To worship God who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and is cognisant of what you hide and what you disclose. 25 Allah! there is no God but he, the Lord of the Magnificent Throne. ۩ 26 ۞ Solomon said: "Soon shall we see whether you have spoken the truth or are one of those that lie. 27 Take this letter of mine, deliver it to them, and then draw back from them, and observe what they do." 28 She (the Queen of Sheba) said: 'O Council, look, an honorable letter has been dropped to 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