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 We gathered to Solomon his army of jinn, humans and birds; gathered and dispersed, 17 (Solomon was once on the move with them) until when they reached a valley of ants one of the ants said: "O ants, get into your holes, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under their feet) without even knowing." 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 sought among the birds and said: How is it that I see not the hoopoe, or is he among the absent? 20 Surely, I will punish him with a terrible punishment, or I will slaughter him or he gives me a good reason' 21 Not long after the hoopoe came forward and said, "I have information which you do not have. I have come from the land of Sheba with a true report. 22 “I have seen a woman who rules over them, and she has been given from all things, and she has a mighty throne.” 23 I found that she and her people prostrate themselves before the sun rather than Allah. " Satan has made their deeds appear attractive to them and has, thus, debarred them from the Right Path so they do not find true guidance 24 (Satan has done this) so that they will not worship God who brings forth whatever is hidden in the heavens and the earth and knows whatever you conceal or reveal. 25 God: there is no god but He, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.' ۩ 26 ۞ Sulaiman said: we shall see now whether thou hast spoken the truth or whether thou art of the liars. 27 Take this my letter and hand it over to them, then turn away from them and see what (answer) they return. 28 The Queen of Sheba said, "O Counsellors, an honourable letter has been delivered to me. 29 Surely it is from Sulaiman, and surely it is in the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; 30 (It says): "Do not act towards me with defiance, but come to me in submission." 31