And We indeed bestowed great knowledge to Dawud and Sulaiman; and they both said, “All praise is to Allah, Who bestowed us superiority over many of His believing bondmen.” 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 His armies of jinns and men and Tair assembled, formed into ranks, (and marched) 17 At length, when they came to a (lowly) valley of ants, one of the ants said: "O ye ants, get into your habitations, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you (under foot) without knowing it." 18 So he smiled, amused at her speech, and said: my Lord! arouse me that I should be thankful for Thy favour wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and that I should work righteously pleasing Thee, and out of Thy mercy enter me among Thine righteous bondmen. 19 And he surveyed the birds – he therefore said, “What is to me that I do not see the Hudhud (hoopoe), or is he really absent?” 20 I shall surely punish him severely or order him to be executed, unless he gives me a good reason for his absence." 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 Indeed, I found [there] a woman ruling them, and she has been given of all things, and she has a great throne. 23 But she and her people prostrate to the sun instead of Allah. And satan has made their deeds seem pleasing to them and barred them from the Path, 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!- Lord of the Throne Supreme!" ۩ 26 ۞ He said: We will see whether you have told the truth or whether you are of the liars: 27 Go with this my letter and throw it down unto them; then turn away and see what (answer) they return, 28 She said: O chief! surely an honorable letter has been delivered to me 29 Lo! it is from Solomon, and lo! it is: In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful; 30 Saying: exalt not yourselves against me and come to me in submission. 31