27.21 . I verily will punish him with hard punishment or I verily will slay him , or he verily shall bring me a plain excuse .

27.22 . But he was not long in coming , and he said : I have found out ( a thing ) that thou apprehendest not , and I come unto thee from Sheba with sure tidings .

27.23 . Lo! I found a woman ruling over them , and she hath been given ( abundance ) of all things , and hers is a mighty throne .

27.24 . I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of Allah ; and Satan maketh their works fair seeming unto them , and debarreth them from the way ( of Truth ) , so that they go not aright :

27.25 . So that they worship not Allah , Who bringeth forth the hidden in the heavens and the earth , and knoweth what ye hide and what ye proclaim ,

27.26 . Allah ; there is no God save Him , the Lord of the tremendous Throne .

27.27 . ( Solomon ) said : We shall see whether thou speakest truth or whether thou art of the liars .

27.28 . Go with this my letter and throw it down unto them ; then turn away and see what ( answer ) they return ,

27.29 . ( The Queen of Sheba ) said ( when she received the letter ) : O chieftains! Lo! there hath been thrown unto me a noble letter .

27.30 . Lo! it is from Solomon , and lo! it is : In the name of Allah the Beneficent , the Merciful ;

27.31 . Exalt not yourselves against me , but come unto me as those who surrender .

27.32 . She said : O chieftains! Pronounce for me in my case . I decide no case till ye are present with me .

27.33 . They said : We are lords of might and lords of great prowess , but it is for thee to command ; so consider what thou wilt command .

27.34 . She said : Lo! kings , when they enter a township , ruin it and make the honor of its people shame . Thus will they do .

27.35 . But lo! I am going to send a present unto them , and to see with what ( answer ) the messengers return .

27.36 . So when ( the envoy ) came unto Solomon , ( the King ) said : What! Would ye help me with wealth? But that which Allah hath given me is better than that which He hath given you . Nay it is ye ( and not I ) who exult in your gift .

27.37 . Return unto them . We verily shall come unto them with hosts that they cannot resist , and we shall drive them out from thence with shame , and they will be abased .

27.38 . He said : O chiefs! Which of you will bring me her throne before they come unto me , surrendering?

27.39 . A stalwart of the Jinn said : I will bring it thee before thou canst rise from thy place . Lo! I verily am strong and trusty for such work .

27.40 . One with whom was knowledge of the Scripture said : I will bring it thee before thy gaze returneth unto thee . And when he saw it set in his presence , ( Solomon said : This is of the bounty of my Lord , that He may try me whether I give thanks or am ungrateful . Whosoever giveth thanks he only giveth thanks for ( the good of ) his own soul : and whosoever is ungrateful ( is ungrateful only to his own soul ' s hurt ) . For lo! my Lord is Absolute in independence , Bountiful .