۞ And assuredly We vouchsafed unto Da'ud grace from us, and said: mountains! repeat Our praise with him; and also ye birds! And We softened for him the iron. 10 so that he could make coats of mail and properly measure their rings. We told him and his people to act righteously. We are Well-Aware of what you do. 11 We (subjugated) the wind to Solomon. Its morning's journey took one month, and the evening's one month. We made a spring of molten brass to flow for him; and many jinns laboured for him by the will of his Lord. Anyone of them who turned from Our command was made to taste the torment of blazing fire. 12 They worked for him as he desired, (making) arches, images, basons as large as reservoirs, and (cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places): "Work ye, sons of David, with thanks! but few of My servants are grateful!" 13 And when We decreed that he should die, naught indicated to them that he was dead but the Beast of the Earth devouring his staff; and when he fell down, the jinn saw clearly that, had they only known the Unseen, they would not have continued in the humbling chastisement. 14 Certainly there was a sign for Saba in their abode; two gardens on the right and the left; eat of the sustenance of your Lord and give thanks to Him: a good land and a Forgiving Lord! 15 But they turned away; so We loosed on them the Flood of Arim, and We gave them, in exchange for their two gardens, two gardens bearing bitter produce and tamarisk-bushes, and here and there a few lote-trees. 16 We requited them in that way because of their ingratitude. We requite no one in that way but the ungrateful. 17 Between them and the cities We had blessed We placed towns along the highway, and made them stages on their journey, (saying): "Travel between them in safety by day or by night." 18 But they said: "Our Lord! Place longer distances between our journey-stages": but they wronged themselves (therein). At length We made them as a tale (that is told), and We dispersed them all in scattered fragments. Verily in this are Signs for every (soul that is) patiently constant and grateful. 19 And certainly the Shaitan found true his conjecture concerning them, so they follow him, except a party of the believers. 20 But he had no authority over them,- except that We might test the man who believes in the Hereafter from him who is in doubt concerning it: and thy Lord doth watch over all things. 21