۞ And We gave David bounty from Us: 'O you mountains, echo God's praises with him, and you birds!' And We softened for him iron: 10 [Commanding him], "Make full coats of mail and calculate [precisely] the links, and work [all of you] righteousness. Indeed I, of what you do, am Seeing." 11 To Solomon the morning course of the wind was a month's journey, and its evening course was also a month's journey. We caused copper to be (as a) molten spring for him. And the jinn, some served him by the permission of his Lord. But as for those amongst them that swerved away from Our Command, We shall let them taste the punishment of the Blaze (the 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 But when We decreed death for him, naught showed them his death but a creature of the earth that ate away his staff; and when it fell down, the jinn came to know plainly that if they had known the unseen, they would not have tarried in abasing torment. 14 There was indeed a sign for Sheba in their dwelling-place: Two gardens on the right hand and the left (as who should say): Eat of the provision of your Lord and render thanks to Him. A fair land and an indulgent Lord! 15 But they turned away. So We sent against them the Flood (at the city) of Arim, and exchanged their gardens with two others bearing bitter fruit and Tamarisks, and here and there a few Lotus trees. 16 That was the Requital We gave them because they ungratefully rejected Faith: and never do We give (such) requital except to such as are ungrateful rejecters. 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, prolong the stages of our travel'; and they wronged themselves, so We made them as but tales, and We tore them utterly to pieces. Surely in that are signs for every man enduring, thankful. 19 And assuredly Iblis found his conjecture true concerning them; and they followed him all save a party of the believers. 20 He had no authority over them save for the purpose of Our knowing who believed in the world to come, and who doubted it. For your Lord keeps a watch over everything. 21