وَشَدَدنا مُلكَهُ وَآتَيناهُ الحِكمَةَ وَفَصلَ الخِطابِ

We strengthened his kingdom and granted him wisdom and decisive speech.

وَهَل أَتاكَ نَبَأُ الخَصمِ إِذ تَسَوَّرُوا المِحرابَ

Did you hear of the litigants who scaled the sanctuary?

إِذ دَخَلوا عَلىٰ داوودَ فَفَزِعَ مِنهُم ۖ قالوا لا تَخَف ۖ خَصمانِ بَغىٰ بَعضُنا عَلىٰ بَعضٍ فَاحكُم بَينَنا بِالحَقِّ وَلا تُشطِط وَاهدِنا إِلىٰ سَواءِ الصِّراطِ

They startled David when they entered upon him. They said, “Fear not. We are two litigants; one has wronged the other. Judge justly between us, show no bias, and guide us to the right way.”

إِنَّ هـٰذا أَخي لَهُ تِسعٌ وَتِسعونَ نَعجَةً وَلِيَ نَعجَةٌ واحِدَةٌ فَقالَ أَكفِلنيها وَعَزَّني فِي الخِطابِ

“My brother has ninety-nine ewes, while I have only one. Yet he insisted, ‘Entrust it to me,’ and he overpowered me in speech.”

قالَ لَقَد ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤالِ نَعجَتِكَ إِلىٰ نِعاجِهِ ۖ وَإِنَّ كَثيرًا مِنَ الخُلَطاءِ لَيَبغي بَعضُهُم عَلىٰ بَعضٍ إِلَّا الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ وَقَليلٌ ما هُم ۗ وَظَنَّ داوودُ أَنَّما فَتَنّاهُ فَاستَغفَرَ رَبَّهُ وَخَرَّ راكِعًا وَأَنابَ ۩

He responded, “He wronged you by demanding your single ewe be added to his flock. Indeed, many associates wrong one another, except for those who believe and do righteous deeds, and they are few.” Then David realized that We were testing him, so he asked forgiveness from his Lord, fell prostrate, and he turned in repentance.

يا داوودُ إِنّا جَعَلناكَ خَليفَةً فِي الأَرضِ فَاحكُم بَينَ النّاسِ بِالحَقِّ وَلا تَتَّبِعِ الهَوىٰ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبيلِ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذينَ يَضِلّونَ عَن سَبيلِ اللَّهِ لَهُم عَذابٌ شَديدٌ بِما نَسوا يَومَ الحِسابِ

“O David, We made you a successor on earth, so judge between people with justice, and don’t follow desire, lest it diverts you from God’s way. Those who stray from God’s way will face a severe punishment for forgetting the Day of Account.”

وَما خَلَقنَا السَّماءَ وَالأَرضَ وَما بَينَهُما باطِلًا ۚ ذٰلِكَ ظَنُّ الَّذينَ كَفَروا ۚ فَوَيلٌ لِلَّذينَ كَفَروا مِنَ النّارِ

We didn’t create the heavens, the earth, and everything between them in vain. That’s the misconception of those who disbelieve—woe to the unbelievers from the Fire.

أَم نَجعَلُ الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَعَمِلُوا الصّالِحاتِ كَالمُفسِدينَ فِي الأَرضِ أَم نَجعَلُ المُتَّقينَ كَالفُجّارِ

Shall We treat those who believe and perform righteous deeds the same as those who spread corruption on earth? Or should We treat the devout as the wicked?

كِتابٌ أَنزَلناهُ إِلَيكَ مُبارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّروا آياتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الأَلبابِ

We revealed to you a blessed Book, so they may ponder its verses, and those with discernment may reflect.

وَوَهَبنا لِداوودَ سُلَيمانَ ۚ نِعمَ العَبدُ ۖ إِنَّهُ أَوّابٌ

To David, We granted Solomon—a good servant, deeply devoted.