And We had certainly given to David and Solomon knowledge, and they said, "Praise [is due] to Allah, who has favored us over many of His believing servants." 15 And Sulaiman inherited from Daud. And he said: O mankind! Verily we have been taught the diction of birds, and we have been vcuchsafed of everything; and verily this is grace manifest. 16 And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts,- of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks. 17 Until when they came to the valley of the Naml, a Namlite said: O Naml! enter your houses, (that) Sulaiman and his hosts may not crush you while they do not know. 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 And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? 20 I will most certainly punish him with a severe punishment, or kill him, or he shall bring to me a clear plea. 21 But the Hoopoe tarried not far: he (came up and) said: "I have compassed (territory) which thou hast not compassed, and I have come to thee from Saba with tidings true. 22 Surely I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given abundance and she has a mighty throne: 23 I found that she and her people worship the sun in place of God, for Satan has made their deeds look attractive to them and has turned them away from the Path, so they do not find the way 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 said: O chiefs! verily there hath been cast unto me an honourable epistle. 29 Behold, it is from Solomon, and it says, 'In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace: 30 Saying: exalt not yourselves against me and come to me in submission. 31