Sūra XXVII.: Naml, or the Ants.

Section 3

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

32. the said: "Ye chiefs!
Advise me in (this)
My affair: no affair
Have I decided
Except in your presence."

33. Qaloo nahnu oloo quwwatin waoloo ba/sin shadeedin waal-amru ilayki faonthuree matha ta/mureena

33. They said: "We are endued
With strength, and given
To vehement war:
But the command is
With thee; so consider
What thou wilt command."

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

34. She said: "Kings, when they
Enter a country, despoil it,
And make the noblest
Of its people its meanest
Thus do they behave.

35. Wa-innee mursilatun ilayhim bihadiyyatin fanathiratun bima yarjiAAu almursaloona

35. "But I am going to send
Him a present, and (wait)
To see with what (answer)
Return (my) ambassadors."

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

36. Now when (the embassy) came
To Solomon, he said:
"Will ye give me abundance
In wealth? But that which
God has given me is better
Than that which He has
Given you! Nay it is ye
Who rejoice in your gift!

37. IrjiAA ilayhim falana/tiyannahum bijunoodin la qibala lahum biha walanukhrijannahum minha athillatan wahum saghiroona

37. "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)."

38. Qala ya ayyuha almalao ayyukum ya/teenee biAAarshiha qabla an ya/toonee muslimeena

38. He said (to his own men):
"Ye Chiefs! which of you
Can bring me her throne
Before they come to me
In submission?"

39. Qala AAifreetun mina aljinni ana ateeka bihi qabla an taqooma min maqamika wa-inne AAalayhi laqawiyyun ameenun

39. Said an ‘Ifrit, of the Jinns:
"I will bring it to thee
Before thou rise from thy
Council: indeed I have
Full strength for the purpose,
And may he trusted."

40. Qala allathee AAindahu AAilmun mina alkitabi ana ateeka bihi qabla an yartadda ilayka tarfuka falamma raahu mustaqirran AAindahu qala hatha min fadli rabbee liyabluwanee aashkuru am akfuru waman shakara fa-innama yashkuru linafsihi waman kafara fa-inna rabbee ghaniyyun kareemun

40. Said one who had knowledge
Of the Book: "I will
Bring it to thee within
The twinkling of an eye!"
Then when (Solomon) saw it
Placed firmly before him,
He said: "This is
By the grace of my Lord!
To test me whether I am
Grateful or ungrateful!
And if any is grateful,
Truly his gratitude is (a gain)
For his own soul; hut if
Any is ungrateful, truly
My Lord is Free of all Needs,
Supreme in Honour!"

41. Qala nakkiroo laha AAarshaha nanthur atahtadee am takoonu mina allatheena la yahtadoona

41. He said: "Transform her throne
Out of all recognition by her:
Let us see whether she
Is guided (to the truth)
Or is one of those who
Receive no guidance."

42. Falamma jaat qeela ahakatha AAarshuki qalat kaannahu huwa waooteena alAAilma min qabliha wakunna muslimeena

42. So when she arrived,
She was asked, "Is this
Thy throne?" She said,
"It was just like this;
And knowledge was bestowed
On us in advance of this,
And we have submitted
To God (in Islam)."

43. Wasaddaha ma kanat taAAbudu min dooni Allahi innaha kanat min qawmin kafireena

43. And he diverted her
From the worship of others
Besides God: for she was
(Sprung) of a people
That had no faith.

44. Qeela laha odkhulee alssarha falamma raat-hu hasibat-hu lujjatan wakashafat AAan saqayha qala innahu sarhun mumarradun min qawareera qalat rabbi innee thalamtu nafsee waaslamtu maAAa sulaymana lillahi rabbi alAAalameena

44. She was asked to enter
The lofty Palace: but
When she saw it, she
Thought it was a lake
Of water, and she (tucked up
Her skirts), uncovering her legs.
He said: "This is
But a palace paved
Smooth with slabs of glass."
She said: "O my Lord!
I have indeed wronged"
My soul: I do (now)
Submit (in Islam), with Solomon,
To the Lord of the Worlds."

Next: Section 4 (45-58)