She said: 'O Council, let me hear your counsel, concerning my affairs, for I am not used to deciding an affair until you bear me witness' 32 They answered: "We are endowed with power and with mighty prowess in war - but the command is thine; consider, then, what thou wouldst command." 33 She said: "Surely when kings enter a city they destroy it and despoil the honour of its nobility. So will they do (to us). 34 Hence, behold, I am going to send a gift to those [people,] and await whatever [answer] the envoys bring back." 35 But when he came to Solomon he said, 'What, would you succour me with wealth, and what God gave me is better than what He has given you? Nay, but instead 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 He said: O chiefs! Which of you will bring me her throne before they come unto me, surrendering? 38 One audacious among the jinn said: I will bring it to you before you rise up from your place; and most surely I am strong (and) trusty for it. 39 But one of them who had some knowledge of the Book said, "I will bring it to you in the twinkling of an eye." When Solomon saw it placed before him, he exclaimed, "This is by the grace of my Lord, to test whether I am grateful or ungrateful. Whosoever is grateful, it is for the good of his own self; and whosoever is ungrateful, then surely my Lord is self-sufficient and generous." 40 (Turning to his nobles) he said: "Change the appearance of her throne. Let us see if she is rightly guided, or is not guided at all." 41 When she arrived, they asked her: "Is your throne like this?" She said: "As though this is it. We had come to have knowledge and already submitted." 42 Her idols prevented her from believing in God and she was an infidel. 43 [After a while] she was told: "Enter this court!" - but when she saw it, she thought that it was a fathomless expanse of water, and she bared her legs. Said he: "Behold, it is [but] a court smoothly paved with glass!" Cried she: "O my Sustainer! I have been sinning against myself thy worshipping aught but Thee]: but [now] I have surrendered myself, with Solomon, unto the Sustainer of all the worlds!" 44