۞ And certainly We gave to Dawood excellence from Us: O mountains! sing praises with him, and the birds; and We made the iron pliant to him, 10 "Make long coats of mail," (We said), "and fix their links, and do the right. I surely see whatsoever you do." 11 And We subdued the wind to Solomon: its morning course was a month's journey and its evening course was a month's journey. We gave him a spring flowing with molten brass, and We subdued for him jinn who, by his Lord's permission, worked before him. Such of them as swerved from Our commandment, We let them taste the chastisement of the Blazing Fire. 12 They worked for him whatsoever he pleased of lofty halls and statues and basins like cisterns and cauldrons standing firm. Work ye, house of Da'ud! with thanksgiving; few of My bondmen are thankful. 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 There was, for Saba, aforetime, a Sign in their home-land - two Gardens to the right and to the left. "Eat of the Sustenance (provided) by your Lord, and be grateful to Him: a territory fair and happy, and a Lord Oft-Forgiving! 15 But they were froward, so We sent on them the flood of 'Iram, and in exchange for their two gardens gave them two gardens bearing bitter fruit, the tamarisk and here and there a lote-tree. 16 We gave them this reward – the recompense of their ingratitude; and whom do We punish, except the ungrateful? 17 Between them and the villages which We had blessed, We placed easily visible villages, and We spaced the journey between them exactly. (We said) 'Travel through them by day and night in safety' 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 iblis' made his guess true to them; and all except for a party of believers followed him. 20 Yet he had no authority over them except that We would know who believed in the Everlasting Life, from he who doubted. Your Lord is the Watcher over all things. 21