27. Neml · verses 29–34

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.