She said: O chiefs! give me advice respecting my affair: I never decide an affair until you are in my presence. 32 They said: we are owners of power and owners of great violence, but the command is with thee; see then whatsoever thou shalt command. 33 She said, "Indeed kings - when they enter a city, they ruin it and render the honored of its people humbled. And thus do they do. 34 I will send them a gift and then see with what answer my envoys return." 35 So when (the messengers with the present) came to Sulaiman (Solomon), he said: "Will you help me in wealth? What Allah has given me is better than that which He has given you! Nay, you rejoice in your gift!" 36 Go back to them: we shall most certainly come upon them with forces which they will never be able to withstand, and shall most certainly cause them to be driven from their lands, disgraced and humbled!" 37 Solomon said: "My nobles, which of you can bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?" 38 A powerful one from among the jinn said, "I will bring it to you before you rise from your place, and indeed, I am for this [task] strong and trustworthy." 39 One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: I will bring it thee before thy gaze returneth unto thee. And when he saw it set in his presence, (Solomon) said: This is of the bounty of my Lord, that He may try me whether I give thanks or am ungrateful. Whosoever giveth thanks he only giveth thanks for (the good of) his own soul; and whosoever is ungrateful (is ungrateful only to his own soul's hurt). For lo! my Lord is Absolute in independence, Bountiful. 40 Said Sulaiman, “Disguise her throne in front of her so that we may see whether she finds the way* or becomes of those who remain unknowing.” (*Recognises her throne.) 41 Then when she came, it was said to her, “Is your throne like this? She said, “As if this is it! And we came to know about this incident beforehand and submit (to you).” 42 What prevented her (from accepting the True Faith) was her worshipping deities other than Allah, for she belonged to an unbelieving people. 43 It was said to her, “Enter the hall”; and when she saw it she thought it was a pool and bared her shins*; said Sulaiman, “This is only a smooth hall, affixed with glass”; she said, “My Lord, I have indeed wronged myself, and I now submit myself along with Sulaiman to Allah, the Lord Of The Creation.” (* In order to cross it) 44