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.
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.’”
قالَت يا أَيُّهَا المَلَأُ أَفتوني في أَمري ما كُنتُ قاطِعَةً أَمرًا حَتّىٰ تَشهَدونِ
She continued, “O my counselors, advise me in this matter. I don’t make a decision without your counsel.”
قالوا نَحنُ أُولو قُوَّةٍ وَأُولو بَأسٍ شَديدٍ وَالأَمرُ إِلَيكِ فَانظُري ماذا تَأمُرينَ
They responded, “We possess power and great military might, but the command is yours to decide. Consider what you will command.”
قالَت إِنَّ المُلوكَ إِذا دَخَلوا قَريَةً أَفسَدوها وَجَعَلوا أَعِزَّةَ أَهلِها أَذِلَّةً ۖ وَكَذٰلِكَ يَفعَلونَ
She said, “When kings enter a city, they ruin it and humiliate its noble citizens. Such is their way.
وَإِنّي مُرسِلَةٌ إِلَيهِم بِهَدِيَّةٍ فَناظِرَةٌ بِمَ يَرجِعُ المُرسَلونَ
I will send them a gift and await what the messengers will return.”