And We gave David and Solomon knowledge and they said, 'Praise belongs to God who has preferred us over many of His believing servants.' 15 And Sulaiman became Dawud’s heir; and he said, “O people, we have indeed been taught the language of birds, and have been given from all things; this surely is a manifest favour.” 16 And before Solomon were marshalled his hosts,- of Jinns and men and birds, and they were all kept in order and ranks. 17 till, when they came on the Valley of Ants, an ant said, 'Ants, enter your dwelling-places, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you, being unaware!' 18 So he smiled, wondering at her word, and said: My Lord! grant me that I should be grateful for Thy favor which Thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I should do good such as Thou art pleased with, and make me enter, by Thy mercy, into Thy servants, the good ones. 19 And [one day] he looked in vain for [a particular one of] the birds; and so he said: How is it that I do not see the hoopoe? Or could he be among the absent? 20 Surely I shall torment him with a severe torment, or I shall slaughter him, unless he bringeth unto me a warranty manifest. 21 But the hoopoe stayed not long, he (came up and) said: "I have grasped (the knowledge of a thing) which you have not grasped and I have come to you from Saba' (Sheba) with true news. 22 Indeed, I found [there] a woman ruling them, and she has been given of all things, and she has a great throne. 23 And I found her and her people adoring the sun instead of God; and Satan has made these doings of theirs seem goodly to them, and [thus] has barred them from the path [of God,] so that they cannot find the right way: 24 [for they have come to believe] that they ought not to adore God [although it is He] who brings forth all that is hidden in the heavens and on earth, and knows all that you would conceal as well as all that you bring into the open: 25 "Allah!- there is no god but He!- Lord of the Throne Supreme!" ۩ 26 ۞ Solomon said, "We shall soon see whether you have spoken the truth, or whether you are a liar. 27 Go with this letter of mine and lay it before them, then withdraw from them and see how they respond." 28 She said: O chiefs! verily there hath been cast unto me an honourable epistle. 29 "It is from Solomon, and is (as follows): 'In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful: 30 "'Be ye not arrogant against me, but come to me in submission (to the true Religion).'" 31