And We verily gave knowledge unto David and Solomon, and they said: Praise be to Allah, Who hath preferred us above many of His believing slaves! 15 Solomon was heir to David, and he said: "O people, we have been taught the language of Tair, and have been given of everything. This is a clear favour indeed." 16 And there were gathered together unto Solomon his armies of the jinn and humankind, and of the birds, and they were set in battle order; 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 Thereupon [Solomon] smiled joyously at her words, and said: "O my Sustainer! Inspire me so that I may forever be grateful for those blessings of Thine with which Thou hast graced me and my parents, and that I may do what is right [in a manner] that will please Thee; and include me, by Thy grace, among Thy righteous servants!" 19 When he reviewed the Tair, he said: "How is it I do not see Hud-hud? Is he absent? 20 Surely, I will punish him with a terrible punishment, or I will slaughter him or he gives me a good reason' 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 I found a woman ruling the people there and she possessed something of (almost) everything and a great throne. 23 And I found her and her people adoring the sun instead of God; and Satan has made these doings of theirs seem goodly to them, and [thus] has barred them from the path [of God,] so that they cannot find the right way: 24 Should they not worship God who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and earth and knows both what you conceal and what you make known? 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 Go thou with this epistle of mine, and cast it down unto them, and turn aside from them, and see how they return. 28 (The Queen said): "O nobles, a venerable letter has been delivered to me. 29 It is from Solomon, and it is: "In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate." 30 Do not consider yourselves superior to me but come to me as Muslims (in submission)". 31