27. Neml · verses 19–33

فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكٗا مِّن قَوۡلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوۡزِعۡنِيٓ أَنۡ أَشۡكُرَ نِعۡمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِيٓ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَيَّ وَأَنۡ أَعۡمَلَ صَٰلِحٗا تَرۡضَىٰهُ وَأَدۡخِلۡنِي بِرَحۡمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ ٱلصَّٰلِحِينَ

Fatabassama dahikan min qawliha waqala rabbi awziAAnee an ashkura niAAmataka allatee anAAamta AAalayya waAAala walidayya waan aAAmala salihan tardahu waadkhilnee birahmatika fee AAibadika alssaliheena

So he smiled, amused at her speech; and he said: "O my Lord! so order me that I may be grateful for Thy favours, which thou hast bestowed on me and on my parents, and that I may work the righteousness that will please Thee: And admit me, by Thy Grace, to the ranks of Thy righteous Servants."

وَتَفَقَّدَ ٱلطَّيۡرَ فَقَالَ مَالِيَ لَآ أَرَى ٱلۡهُدۡهُدَ أَمۡ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَآئِبِينَ

Watafaqqada alttayra faqala ma liya la ara alhudhuda am kana mina alghaibeena

And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees?

لَأُعَذِّبَنَّهُۥ عَذَابٗا شَدِيدًا أَوۡ لَأَاْذۡبَحَنَّهُۥٓ أَوۡ لَيَأۡتِيَنِّي بِسُلۡطَٰنٖ مُّبِينٖ

LaoAAaththibannahu AAathaban shadeedan aw laathbahannahu aw layatiyannee bisultanin mubeenin

"I will certainly punish him with a severe penalty, or execute him, unless he bring me a clear reason (for absence)."

فَمَكَثَ غَيۡرَ بَعِيدٖ فَقَالَ أَحَطتُ بِمَا لَمۡ تُحِطۡ بِهِۦ وَجِئۡتُكَ مِن سَبَإِۭ بِنَبَإٖ يَقِينٍ

Famakatha ghayra baAAeedin faqala ahattu bima lam tuhit bihi wajituka min sabain binabain yaqeenin

But the Hoopoe tarried not far: he (came up and) said: "I have compassed (territory) which thou hast not compassed, and I have come to thee from Saba with tidings true.

إِنِّي وَجَدتُّ ٱمۡرَأَةٗ تَمۡلِكُهُمۡ وَأُوتِيَتۡ مِن كُلِّ شَيۡءٖ وَلَهَا عَرۡشٌ عَظِيمٞ

Innee wajadtu imraatan tamlikuhum waootiyat min kulli shayin walaha AAarshun AAatheemun

"I found (there) a woman ruling over them and provided with every requisite; and she has a magnificent throne.

وَجَدتُّهَا وَقَوۡمَهَا يَسۡجُدُونَ لِلشَّمۡسِ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ أَعۡمَٰلَهُمۡ فَصَدَّهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ فَهُمۡ لَا يَهۡتَدُونَ

Wajadtuha waqawmaha yasjudoona lilshshamsi min dooni Allahi wazayyana lahumu alshshaytanu aAAmalahum fasaddahum AAani alssabeeli fahum la yahtadoona

"I found her and her people worshipping the sun besides Allah: Satan has made their deeds seem pleasing in their eyes, and has kept them away from the Path,- so they receive no guidance,-

أَلَّاۤ يَسۡجُدُواْۤ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِي يُخۡرِجُ ٱلۡخَبۡءَ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَيَعۡلَمُ مَا تُخۡفُونَ وَمَا تُعۡلِنُونَ

Alla yasjudoo lillahi allathee yukhriju alkhabaa fee alssamawati waalardi wayaAAlamu ma tukhfoona wama tuAAlinoona

"(Kept them away from the Path), that they should not worship Allah, Who brings to light what is hidden in the heavens and the earth, and knows what ye hide and what ye reveal.

ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلۡعَرۡشِ ٱلۡعَظِيمِ۩

Allahu la ilaha illa huwa rabbu alAAarshi alAAatheemi

"Allah!- there is no god but He!- Lord of the Throne Supreme!"

۞ قَالَ سَنَنظُرُ أَصَدَقۡتَ أَمۡ كُنتَ مِنَ ٱلۡكَٰذِبِينَ

Qala sananthuru asadaqta am kunta mina alkathibeena

(Solomon) said: "Soon shall we see whether thou hast told the truth or lied!

ٱذۡهَب بِّكِتَٰبِي هَٰذَا فَأَلۡقِهۡ إِلَيۡهِمۡ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّ عَنۡهُمۡ فَٱنظُرۡ مَاذَا يَرۡجِعُونَ

Ithhab bikitabee hatha faalqih ilayhim thumma tawalla AAanhum faonthur matha yarjiAAoona

"Go thou, with this letter of mine, and deliver it to them: then draw back from them, and (wait to) see what answer they return"...

قَالَتۡ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمَلَؤُاْ إِنِّيٓ أُلۡقِيَ إِلَيَّ كِتَٰبٞ كَرِيمٌ

Qalat ya ayyuha almalao innee olqiya ilayya kitabun kareemun

(The queen) said: "Ye chiefs! here is delivered to me - a letter worthy of respect.

إِنَّهُۥ مِن سُلَيۡمَٰنَ وَإِنَّهُۥ بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Innahu min sulaymana wainnahu bismi Allahi alrrahmani alrraheemi

"It is from Solomon, and is (as follows): ´In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful:

أَلَّا تَعۡلُواْ عَلَيَّ وَأۡتُونِي مُسۡلِمِينَ

Alla taAAloo AAalayya watoonee muslimeena

"´Be ye not arrogant against me, but come to me in submission (to the true Religion).´"

قَالَتۡ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمَلَؤُاْ أَفۡتُونِي فِيٓ أَمۡرِي مَا كُنتُ قَاطِعَةً أَمۡرًا حَتَّىٰ تَشۡهَدُونِ

Qalat ya ayyuha almalao aftoonee fee amree ma kuntu qatiAAatan amran hatta tashhadoona

She said: "Ye chiefs! advise me in (this) my affair: no affair have I decided except in your presence."

قَالُواْ نَحۡنُ أُوْلُواْ قُوَّةٖ وَأُوْلُواْ بَأۡسٖ شَدِيدٖ وَٱلۡأَمۡرُ إِلَيۡكِ فَٱنظُرِي مَاذَا تَأۡمُرِينَ

Qaloo nahnu oloo quwwatin waoloo basin shadeedin waalamru ilayki faonthuree matha tamureena

They said: "We are endued with strength, and given to vehement war: but the command is with thee; so consider what thou wilt command."