۞ We bestowed upon David great favour. We said, "O mountains and birds! Join with him in celebrating Our praise." We softened iron for him, saying, 10 (Commanding), "Make thou coast of mail, balancing well the rings of chain armour, and work ye righteousness; for be sure I see (clearly) all that ye do." 11 We subjected the wind to Solomon; its morning course was a month and its evening course a month; and We caused a fount of molten copper to flow for him. And of the jinn there were some who worked under him, by the command of his Lord. If any one of them turned away from Our command, We would make him taste the punishment of the burning fire. 12 They made for him what he pleased of fortresses and images, and bowls (large) as watering-troughs and cooking-pots that will not move from their place; give thanks, O family of Dawood! and very few of My servants are grateful. 13 When We decreed that Solomon should die, no one knew of his death except for a creeping creature of the earth who ate-up his staff. When he fell down, the jinn realized that if they had known about the unseen, they would not have remained in such a humiliating torment for so long. 14 For the people of Sheba there was a sign in their homeland: two gardens, one on the right hand and the other on the left. We said to them: "Eat what your Lord has provided for you, and be grateful. You have a good land and a Lord most forgiving." 15 But they turned away. Wherefore We sent upon them the inundation of the dam and We exchanged their two gardens for two gardens bearing bitter fruit, and tamarisk and some few lote-trees. 16 Thus We recompensed them for their unbelief; and do 'We ever recompense any hut the unbeliever? 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 but they said, "Our Lord! Make the stages of our journeys longer." Thus they wronged themselves and We made them bygone tales and scattered them throughout the land. There are certainly signs in that for everyone who is steadfast and thankful. 19 And on them did Satan prove true his idea, and they followed him, all but a party that believed. 20 He did not have any authority over them except to the extent that would allow Us to know who had faith in the life to come and who had doubts about it. Your Lord is a Guard over all things. 21