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إِنِّي وَجَدتُّ امْرَأَةً تَمْلِكُهُمْ وَأُوتِيَتْ مِن كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَلَهَا عَرْشٌ عَظِيمٌ

Innee wajattum ra atan tamlikuhum wa ootiyat min kulli shai'inw wa lahaa 'arshun 'azeem

Indeed, I found [there] a woman ruling them, and she has been given of all things, and she has a great throne.

وَجَدتُّهَا وَقَوْمَهَا يَسْجُدُونَ لِلشَّمْسِ مِن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فَصَدَّهُمْ عَنِ السَّبِيلِ فَهُمْ لَا يَهْتَدُونَ

Wajattuhaa wa qawmahaa yasjudoona lishshamsi min doonil laahi wa zaiyana lahumush Shaitaanu a'maalahum fasaddahum 'anis sabeeli fahum laa yahtadoon

I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allah, and Satan has made their deeds pleasing to them and averted them from [His] way, so they are not guided,

أَلَّا يَسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ الَّذِي يُخْرِجُ الْخَبْءَ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تُخْفُونَ وَمَا تُعْلِنُونَ

Allaa yasjudoo lillaahil lazee yukhrijul khab'a fis samaawaati wal ardi wa ya'lamu maa tukhfoona wa maa tu'linoon

[And] so they do not prostrate to Allah, who brings forth what is hidden within the heavens and the earth and knows what you conceal and what you declare -

اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ

Allaahu laaa ilaaha illaa Huwa Rabbul 'Arshil Azeem

Allah - there is no deity except Him, Lord of the Great Throne."

قَالَ سَنَنظُرُ أَصَدَقْتَ أَمْ كُنتَ مِنَ الْكَاذِبِينَ

Qaala sananzuru asadaqta am kunta minal kaazibeen

[Solomon] said, "We will see whether you were truthful or were of the liars.

اذْهَب بِّكِتَابِي هَٰذَا فَأَلْقِهْ إِلَيْهِمْ ثُمَّ تَوَلَّ عَنْهُمْ فَانظُرْ مَاذَا يَرْجِعُونَ

Izhab bikitaabee haaza fa alqih ilaihim summma tawalla 'anhum fanzur maazaa yarji'oon

Take this letter of mine and deliver it to them. Then leave them and see what [answer] they will return."

قَالَتْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ إِنِّي أُلْقِيَ إِلَيَّ كِتَابٌ كَرِيمٌ

Qaalat yaaa aiyuhal mala'u innee ulqiya ilaiya kitaabun kareem

She said, "O eminent ones, indeed, to me has been delivered a noble letter.

إِنَّهُ مِن سُلَيْمَانَ وَإِنَّهُ بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ

Innahoo min Sulaimaana wa innahoo bismil laahir Rahmaanir Raheem

Indeed, it is from Solomon, and indeed, it reads: 'In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful,

أَلَّا تَعْلُوا عَلَيَّ وَأْتُونِي مُسْلِمِينَ

Allaa ta'loo 'alaiya waa toonee muslimeen

Be not haughty with me but come to me in submission [as Muslims].' "

قَالَتْ يَا أَيُّهَا الْمَلَأُ أَفْتُونِي فِي أَمْرِي مَا كُنتُ قَاطِعَةً أَمْرًا حَتَّىٰ تَشْهَدُونِ

Qaalat yaaa aiyuhal mala'u aftoonee fee amree maa kuntu qaati'atan amran hattaa tashhhaddon

She said, "O eminent ones, advise me in my affair. I would not decide a matter until you witness [for] me."

قَالُوا نَحْنُ أُولُو قُوَّةٍ وَأُولُو بَأْسٍ شَدِيدٍ وَالْأَمْرُ إِلَيْكِ فَانظُرِي مَاذَا تَأْمُرِينَ

Qaaloo nahnu uloo quwwatinw wa uloo baasin shadeed; wal amru ilaiki fanzuree maazaa taamureen

They said, "We are men of strength and of great military might, but the command is yours, so see what you will command."

قَالَتْ إِنَّ الْمُلُوكَ إِذَا دَخَلُوا قَرْيَةً أَفْسَدُوهَا وَجَعَلُوا أَعِزَّةَ أَهْلِهَا أَذِلَّةً ۖ وَكَذَٰلِكَ يَفْعَلُونَ

Qaalat innal mulooka izaa dakhaloo qaryatan afsadoohaa wa ja'alooo a'izzata ahlihaaa azillah; wa kazaalika yaf'aloon

She said, "Indeed kings - when they enter a city, they ruin it and render the honored of its people humbled. And thus do they do.

وَإِنِّي مُرْسِلَةٌ إِلَيْهِم بِهَدِيَّةٍ فَنَاظِرَةٌ بِمَ يَرْجِعُ الْمُرْسَلُونَ

Wa innee mursilatun ilaihim bihadiyyatin fanaaziratum bima yarji'ul mursaloon

But indeed, I will send to them a gift and see with what [reply] the messengers will return."