We bestowed knowledge on David and Solomon and they both said, "Praise be to God who has exalted us above many of His believing servants." 15 And Solomon succeeded David and said: "O people, we have been taught the speech of birds and we have been endowed with all kinds of things. Surely this is a conspicuous favour (from Allah)." 16 Hosts of jinn and humans and birds were marshalled for Solomon and were kept under full control. 17 Until when they came to the valley of the ants, a she ant exclaimed, “O ants, enter your houses – may not Sulaiman and his armies crush you, unknowingly.” 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 inspected the birds, and said: "What is the matter that I see not the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? 20 I will punish him severely, or cut his throat, unless he bring a valid excuse." 21 But [the hoopoe] tarried but a short while; and [when it came] it said: "I have encompassed [with my knowledge] something that thou hast never yet encompassed [with thine] - for I have come to thee from Sheba with a tiding sure! 22 There I found a woman ruling over them. She possess everything and has a great throne. 23 I found her and her people prostrating before the sun instead of God. Satan has made their deeds attractive to them. He has kept them away from the right path and they have no guidance. 24 so that they prostrate not themselves to God, who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and earth; and He knows what you conceal and what you publish. 25 Allah! there is no God but he, the Lord of the Magnificent Throne. ۩ 26 ۞ Solomon said, "We shall soon see whether you have spoken the truth, or whether you are a liar. 27 “Go with this letter of mine and drop it upon them – then move aside from them and see what they answer in return.” 28 She said: O chiefs! verily there hath been cast unto me an honourable epistle. 29 Verily it is from Sulaiman, and verily it is: in the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful. 30 "'Be ye not arrogant against me, but come to me in submission (to the true Religion).'" 31