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.”

فَمَكَثَ غَيرَ بَعيدٍ فَقالَ أَحَطتُ بِما لَم تُحِط بِهِ وَجِئتُكَ مِن سَبَإٍ بِنَبَإٍ يَقينٍ

But he didn’t take long to return and said, “I have discovered what you didn’t know. I’ve come to you from Sheba with certain news.

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?

قالَ سَنَنظُرُ أَصَدَقتَ أَم كُنتَ مِنَ الكاذِبينَ

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

اذهَب بِكِتابي هـٰذا فَأَلقِه إِلَيهِم ثُمَّ تَوَلَّ عَنهُم فَانظُر ماذا يَرجِعونَ

Take this letter of mine, deliver it to them, then withdraw from them and see what their response will be.”

قالَت يا أَيُّهَا المَلَأُ إِنّي أُلقِيَ إِلَيَّ كِتابٌ كَريمٌ

She said, “O council, I have been delivered a noble letter.

إِنَّهُ مِن سُلَيمانَ وَإِنَّهُ بِسمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحمـٰنِ الرَّحيمِ

It is from Solomon, and it is ‘In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.’

أَلّا تَعلوا عَلَيَّ وَأتوني مُسلِمينَ

‘Don’t exalt yourselves above me, but come to me in submission.’”