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 possess force and we possess great might. The affair rests with thee; so consider what thou wilt command.' 33 She said, "Surely, when mighty kings invade a country, they despoil it and humiliate its noblest inhabitants, these men will do the same, 34 I will send them a gift and then see with what answer my envoys return." 35 So when [the envoy] came to Solomon he said, "What! Are you offering me wealth? But that which God has given me is better than that which He has given you. Yet you rejoice in your gift. 36 "Go thou back unto them [that have sent thee]! For, [God says:] '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 that [land of theirs,] despicable and humbled!'" 37 Solomon said: "My nobles, which of you can bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?" 38 Said a bold one of the invisible beings [subject to Solomon]: "I shall bring it to thee ere thou rise from thy council-seat - for, behold, I am powerful enough to do it, [and] worthy of trust!" 39 One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said: "I will bring it to you within the twinkling of an eye!" then when [Sulaiman (Solomon)] saw it placed before him, he said: "This is by the Grace of my Lord to test me whether I am grateful or ungrateful! And whoever is grateful, truly, his gratitude is for (the good of) his ownself, and whoever is ungrateful, (he is ungrateful only for the loss of his ownself). Certainly! My Lord is Rich (Free of all wants), 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 So when she came, it was said: Is your throne like this? She said: It is as it were the same, and we were given the knowledge before it, and we were submissive. 42 And that which she used to worship beside God had stopped her [from believing]; for she came of a disbelieving people. 43 She was told: "Enter the palace." But when she saw it, she thought it was a pool of water and she bared both her calves (to enter into it). Solomon said: "This is a slippery floor of crystal." Thereupon she cried out: "My Lord, I have been inflicting much wrong on myself. Now I submit myself with Solomon to Allah, the Lord of the whole Universe." 44