۞ And indeed We gave Dawud the utmost excellence from Us; “O the hills and birds, repent towards Allah along with him”; and We made iron soft for him. 10 “Make large coats of armour and keep proper measure while making; and all of you perform good deeds; I am indeed seeing your deeds.” 11 AND UNTO Solomon [We made subservient] the wind: its morning course [covered the distance of] a month's journey, and its evening course, a month's journey. And We caused a fountain of molten copper to flow at his behest; and [even] among the invisible beings there were some that had [been constrained] to labour for him by his Sustainer's leave and whichever of them deviated from Our command, him would We let taste suffering through a blazing flame: 12 They worked for him what he desired, (making) high rooms, images, basins as large as reservoirs, and (cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places). "Work you, O family of Dawud (David), with thanks!" But few of My slaves are grateful. 13 Then when We decreed death for him [Sulaiman (Solomon)], nothing informed them (jinns) of his death except a little worm of the earth, which kept (slowly) gnawing away at his stick, so when he fell down, the jinns saw clearly that if they had known the unseen, they would not have stayed in the humiliating torment. 14 For Sheba there was indeed a sign. In their dwelling place there were two gardens, on the right and left side. (We said): 'Eat of your Lord's provisions and give thanks to Him, a good land, and a Lord who is the Forgiving' 15 But they turned aside, so We sent upon them a torrent of which the rush could not be withstood, and in place of their two gardens We gave to them two gardens yielding bitter fruit and (growing) tamarisk and a few lote-trees. 16 This We awarded them because of their ingratitude. Punish We ever any save the ingrates? 17 And We set, between them and the towns which We had blessed, towns easy to be seen, and We made the stage between them easy, (saying): Travel in them safely both by night and day. 18 Then they said: Our Lord make the distance between our journeys longer. And they wronged themselves. Wherefore We made them bywords and dispersed them with a total dispersion. Verily herein are signs for every persevering, grateful person. 19 And Iblees had already confirmed through them his assumption, so they followed him, except for a party of believers. 20 And he hath no authority over them except that We would know him who believeth in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt thereof. And thy Lord is over everything a Warden. 21