And certainly We gave knowledge to Dawood and Sulaiman, and they both said: Praise be to Allah, Who has made us to excel many of His believing servants. 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 He smiled, and laughed at its words, and said: 'My Lord, inspire me that I should be thankful for Your blessing with which You have blessed me and my parents, and that I may do good works that will please You. Admit me, by Your Mercy, among Your righteous worshipers' 19 (Solomon) inspected the birds and said, "How is it that I cannot see the hoopoe. Is he absent? 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 "Behold, I found there a woman ruling over them; and she has been given [abundance] of all [good] things, and hers is 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 [for they have come to believe] that they ought not to adore God [although it is He] who brings forth all that is hidden in the heavens and on earth, and knows all that you would conceal as well as all that you bring into the open: 25 He is God: there is no deity but He, the Lord of the mighty throne." ۩ 26 ۞ He said: We will see whether you have told the truth or whether you are of the liars: 27 Take this letter of mine, and cast it unto them, then turn back from them and see what they shall return ' 28 (The Queen of Sheba) said to her officials, "A gracious letter has been dropped before me. 29 It is from Solomon and it is "In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Most Merciful. 30 do not exalt yourselves above me, but come to me in all submission." 31