وَحُشِرَ لِسُلَيمانَ جُنودُهُ مِنَ الجِنِّ وَالإِنسِ وَالطَّيرِ فَهُم يوزَعونَ

And gathered for Solomon were his troops of jinn, men, and birds—all held in strict order.

حَتّىٰ إِذا أَتَوا عَلىٰ وادِ النَّملِ قالَت نَملَةٌ يا أَيُّهَا النَّملُ ادخُلوا مَساكِنَكُم لا يَحطِمَنَّكُم سُلَيمانُ وَجُنودُهُ وَهُم لا يَشعُرونَ

Upon reaching the Valley of the Ants, an ant warned, “O ants, retreat to your dwellings, lest Solomon and his troops inadvertently crush you.”

فَتَبَسَّمَ ضاحِكًا مِن قَولِها وَقالَ رَبِّ أَوزِعني أَن أَشكُرَ نِعمَتَكَ الَّتي أَنعَمتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلىٰ والِدَيَّ وَأَن أَعمَلَ صالِحًا تَرضاهُ وَأَدخِلني بِرَحمَتِكَ في عِبادِكَ الصّالِحينَ

Amused by her words, he laughed and prayed, “My Lord, enable me to be thankful for the blessings You’ve bestowed upon me and my parents, and to perform righteous deeds that please You. And by Your mercy, include me among Your righteous servants.”

وَتَفَقَّدَ الطَّيرَ فَقالَ ما لِيَ لا أَرَى الهُدهُدَ أَم كانَ مِنَ الغائِبينَ

He surveyed the birds and said, “What’s amiss that I don’t see the hoopoe? Could he be among the absentees?

لَأُعَذِّبَنَّهُ عَذابًا شَديدًا أَو لَأَذبَحَنَّهُ أَو لَيَأتِيَنّي بِسُلطانٍ مُبينٍ

I will punish him severely or even slay him, unless he brings me a valid explanation.”

إِنّي وَجَدتُ امرَأَةً تَملِكُهُم وَأوتِيَت مِن كُلِّ شَيءٍ وَلَها عَرشٌ عَظيمٌ

I found a woman ruling over them, endowed with every requisite, and she possesses a magnificent throne.

وَجَدتُها وَقَومَها يَسجُدونَ لِلشَّمسِ مِن دونِ اللَّهِ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيطانُ أَعمالَهُم فَصَدَّهُم عَنِ السَّبيلِ فَهُم لا يَهتَدونَ

I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of God. Satan made their deeds appear pleasing to them, thus diverting them from the path, so they are not guided.

أَلّا يَسجُدوا لِلَّهِ الَّذي يُخرِجُ الخَبءَ فِي السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ وَيَعلَمُ ما تُخفونَ وَما تُعلِنونَ

Shouldn’t they prostrate to God, who brings out the hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what you conceal and what you disclose?

اللَّهُ لا إِلـٰهَ إِلّا هُوَ رَبُّ العَرشِ العَظيمِ ۩

God—there is no deity except He, the Lord of the Majestic Throne.”

قالَ سَنَنظُرُ أَصَدَقتَ أَم كُنتَ مِنَ الكاذِبينَ

He responded, “We will see whether you told the truth or were lying.