۞ We granted David a favor by commanding the mountains and birds to sing Our praise along with him and softened iron for him 10 [and inspired him thus:] "Do good deeds lavishly, without stint, and give deep thought to their steady flow." And [thus should you all, O believers,] do righteous deeds: for, verily, I see all that you do! 11 And unto Sulaiman We subjected the wind, whereof the morning journeying was a month and the evening journeying a month. And We made a fount of brass to flow for him. And of the jinn were some who worked before him by the will of his Lord. And whosoever of them swerved from Our command, him We shall cause to taste the torment of the Blaze. 12 They worked for him what he desired, (making) high rooms, images, basins as large as reservoirs, and (cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places). "Work you, O family of Dawud (David), with thanks!" But few of My slaves are grateful. 13 So when We sent the command of death towards him, no one revealed his death to the jinns except the termite of the earth which ate his staff; and when he came to the ground, the truth about the jinns was exposed – if they had known the hidden, they would not have remained in the disgraceful toil. 14 Assuredly there was for Saba a sign in their own dwelling-place: two gardens on the right hand and on the left. And it was said unto them: eat ye of the provision of your Lord and give thanks unto Him; a fair land and a forgiving Lord. 15 In response they turned away – We therefore sent upon them a tremendous flood, and in exchange of their two gardens gave them two gardens bearing bitter fruit, and tamarisk, and some berries. 16 Thus did We retribute them for their ingratitude. And none do We retribute in this manner except the utterly ungrateful. 17 Now [before their downfall,] We had placed between them and the cities which We had blessed [many] towns within sight of one another; and thus We had made traveling easy [for them, as if to say]: "Travel safely in this [land,] by night or by day!" 18 But [insolently] they said, "Our Lord, lengthen the distance between our journeys," and wronged themselves, so We made them narrations and dispersed them in total dispersion. Indeed in that are signs for everyone patient and grateful. 19 And Iblees had already confirmed through them his assumption, so they followed him, except for a party of 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