27. Neml · verses 26–38

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."

قَالَتۡ إِنَّ ٱلۡمُلُوكَ إِذَا دَخَلُواْ قَرۡيَةً أَفۡسَدُوهَا وَجَعَلُوٓاْ أَعِزَّةَ أَهۡلِهَآ أَذِلَّةٗۚ وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَفۡعَلُونَ

Qalat inna almulooka itha dakhaloo qaryatan afsadooha wajaAAaloo aAAizzata ahliha athillatan wakathalika yafAAaloona

She said: "Kings, when they enter a country, despoil it, and make the noblest of its people its meanest thus do they behave.

وَإِنِّي مُرۡسِلَةٌ إِلَيۡهِم بِهَدِيَّةٖ فَنَاظِرَةُۢ بِمَ يَرۡجِعُ ٱلۡمُرۡسَلُونَ

Wainnee mursilatun ilayhim bihadiyyatin fanathiratun bima yarjiAAu almursaloona

"But I am going to send him a present, and (wait) to see with what (answer) return (my) ambassadors."

فَلَمَّا جَآءَ سُلَيۡمَٰنَ قَالَ أَتُمِدُّونَنِ بِمَالٖ فَمَآ ءَاتَىٰنِۦَ ٱللَّهُ خَيۡرٞ مِّمَّآ ءَاتَىٰكُمۚ بَلۡ أَنتُم بِهَدِيَّتِكُمۡ تَفۡرَحُونَ

Falamma jaa sulaymana qala atumiddoonani bimalin fama ataniya Allahu khayrun mimma atakum bal antum bihadiyyatikum tafrahoona

Now when (the embassy) came to Solomon, he said: "Will ye give me abundance in wealth? But that which Allah has given me is better than that which He has given you! Nay it is ye who rejoice in your gift!

ٱرۡجِعۡ إِلَيۡهِمۡ فَلَنَأۡتِيَنَّهُم بِجُنُودٖ لَّا قِبَلَ لَهُم بِهَا وَلَنُخۡرِجَنَّهُم مِّنۡهَآ أَذِلَّةٗ وَهُمۡ صَٰغِرُونَ

IrjiAA ilayhim falanatiyannahum bijunoodin la qibala lahum biha walanukhrijannahum minha athillatan wahum saghiroona

"Go back to them, and be sure we shall come to them with such hosts as they will never be able to meet: We shall expel them from there in disgrace, and they will feel humbled (indeed)."

قَالَ يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلۡمَلَؤُاْ أَيُّكُمۡ يَأۡتِينِي بِعَرۡشِهَا قَبۡلَ أَن يَأۡتُونِي مُسۡلِمِينَ

Qala ya ayyuha almalao ayyukum yateenee biAAarshiha qabla an yatoonee muslimeena

He said (to his own men): "Ye chiefs! which of you can bring me her throne before they come to me in submission?"