We gave knowledge to David and Solomon. They said: 'Praise be to Allah who has preferred us above many of His believing worshipers' 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 We gathered to Solomon his army of jinn, humans and birds; gathered and dispersed, 17 till, when they came on the Valley of Ants, an ant said, 'Ants, enter your dwelling-places, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you, being unaware!' 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 sought among the birds and said: How is it that I see not the hoopoe, or is he among the absent? 20 “I will indeed punish him severely or slay him, or he must bring to me some clear evidence.” 21 Not before long the hoopoe came up and said: "I have obtained a knowledge which you could not. I have brought for you sure news about Sheba. 22 "I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent 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 Al-La (this word has two interpretations) (A) [As Shaitan (Satan) has barred them from Allah's Way] so that they do not worship (prostrate before) Allah, or (B) So that they may worship (prostrate before) Allah, Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you reveal. [Tafsir At-Tabari, Vol. 19, Page 149] 25 God, save whom there is no deity - the Sustainer, in awesome almightiness enthroned!" ۩ 26 ۞ Solomon said, "We shall soon see whether you have spoken the truth, or whether you are a liar. 27 Take this my letter and hand it over to them, then turn away from them and see what (answer) they return. 28 She (the Queen of Sheba) said: 'O Council, look, an honorable letter has been dropped to me. 29 "It is from Solomon, and is (as follows): 'In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful: 30 do not exalt yourselves above me, but come to me in all submission." 31