." Advise me, O nobles," she said "in this matter. I do not decide any thing until you concur." 32 They answered: "We are endowed with power and with mighty prowess in war - but the command is thine; consider, then, what thou wouldst command." 33 She said: "Surely when kings enter a city they destroy it and despoil the honour of its nobility. So will they do (to us). 34 So verily I am going to send a present unto them, and see with what answer the envoys come back. 35 So when he came to Sulaiman, he said: What! will you help me with wealth? But what Allah has given me is better than what He has given you. Nay, you are exultant because of your present; 36 [Then Sulaiman (Solomon) said to the chief of her messengers who brought the present]: "Go back to them. We verily shall come to them with hosts that they cannot resist, and we shall drive them out from there in disgrace, and they will be abased." 37 Solomon then said, "O Counsellors, which of you can bring me her throne before they come to me in submission? 38 One audacious among the jinn said: I will bring it to you before you rise up from your place; and most surely I am strong (and) trusty for it. 39 But one who had knowledge of the letter, said: "I will bring it to you in the twinkling of an eye." When Solomon saw it before him, (he said): "This is by the grace of my Lord that He may test me whether I am grateful or I am thankless. Yet if one is grateful, he is grateful for himself, and if one is thankless, then surely my Lord is unconcerned and magnanimous." 40 Said Sulaiman, “Disguise her throne in front of her so that we may see whether she finds the way* or becomes of those who remain unknowing.” (*Recognises her throne.) 41 So, when she came, it was said, 'Is thy throne like this?' She said, 'It seems the same.' 'And we were given the knowledge before her, and we were in surrender, 42 but that she served, apart from God, barred her, for she was of a people of unbelievers.' 43 [After a while] she was told: "Enter this court!" - but when she saw it, she thought that it was a fathomless expanse of water, and she bared her legs. Said he: "Behold, it is [but] a court smoothly paved with glass!" Cried she: "O my Sustainer! I have been sinning against myself thy worshipping aught but Thee]: but [now] I have surrendered myself, with Solomon, unto the Sustainer of all the worlds!" 44