۞ We gave David bounty from Us. 'O mountains, and birds, echo (the praise of Allah) with him' And We softened iron for him, 10 Saying: "Make you perfect coats of mail, balancing well the rings of chain armour, and work you (men) righteousness. Truly, I am AllSeer of what you do." 11 (We made subservient to) Solomon the wind that travelled a month's journey in the morning and a month's journey in the evening. We made a stream of brass flow for him and some of the jinn worked for him by his Lord's command. We would make whichever of them (jinn) who turned away from Our command to suffer a burning torment. 12 They worked for him as he desired, (making) arches, images, basons as large as reservoirs, and (cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places): "Work ye, sons of David, with thanks! but few of My servants are grateful!" 13 When We ordained (Solomon's) death, none but the weevil, that was eating away his staff (on which he rested), pointed out to them that he was dead. When he fell down (dead) the jinns realised that if they had knowledge of the Unknown they would never have suffered demeaning labour. 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 Yet they turned away [from the truth]. So We let loose on them a flood from the dam and replaced their two gardens by two others bearing bitter fruits, tamarisks, and a few lote trees. 16 As such We recompensed them for their disbelief; do We recompense any except the unbelievers? 17 And We had placed between them and the cities which We had blest cities easy to be seen, and We had made the stages of journey between them easy; travel in them nights and days secure. 18 But they said: "Our Lord! Place longer distances between our journey-stages": but they wronged themselves (therein). At length We made them as a tale (that is told), and We dispersed them all in scattered fragments. Verily in this are Signs for every (soul that is) patiently constant and grateful. 19 Now, indeed, Iblis did prove that his opinion of them had been right: for [when he called them,] they followed him - all but some of the believers [among them]. 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