Verse 27:17 in Context

Translator Abdel Haleem

13 فَلَمَّا جَاۤءَتۡهُمۡ ءَایَـٰتُنَا مُبۡصِرَةࣰ قَالُوا۟ هَـٰذَا سِحۡرࣱ مُّبِینࣱ ۝١٣ falammā jāathum āyātunā mub'ṣiratan qālū hādhā siḥ'run mubīnu But when Our enlightening signs came to them, they said, ‘This is clearly [just] sorcery!’ 14 وَجَحَدُوا۟ بِهَا وَٱسۡتَیۡقَنَتۡهَاۤ أَنفُسُهُمۡ ظُلۡمࣰا وَعُلُوࣰّاۚ فَٱنظُرۡ كَیۡفَ كَانَ عَـٰقِبَةُ ٱلۡمُفۡسِدِینَ ۝١٤ wajaḥadū bihā wa-is'tayqanathā anfusuhum ẓul'man waʿuluwwan fa-unẓur kayfa kāna ʿāqibatu l-muf'sidīn They denied them, in their wickedness and their pride, even though their souls acknowledged them as true. See how those who spread corruption met their end 15 وَلَقَدۡ ءَاتَیۡنَا دَاوُۥدَ وَسُلَیۡمَـٰنَ عِلۡمࣰاۖ وَقَالَا ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِی فَضَّلَنَا عَلَىٰ كَثِیرࣲ مِّنۡ عِبَادِهِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَ ۝١٥ walaqad ātaynā dāwūda wasulaymāna ʿil'man waqālā l-ḥamdu lillahi alladhī faḍḍalanā ʿalā kathīrin min ʿibādihi l-mu'minīn We gave knowledge to David and Solomon, and they both said, ‘Praise be to God, who has favoured us over many of His believing servants.’ 16 وَوَرِثَ سُلَیۡمَـٰنُ دَاوُۥدَۖ وَقَالَ یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ عُلِّمۡنَا مَنطِقَ ٱلطَّیۡرِ وَأُوتِینَا مِن كُلِّ شَیۡءٍۖ إِنَّ هَـٰذَا لَهُوَ ٱلۡفَضۡلُ ٱلۡمُبِینُ ۝١٦ wawaritha sulaymānu dāwūda waqāla yāayyuhā l-nāsu ʿullim'nā manṭiqa l-ṭayri waūtīnā min kulli shayin inna hādhā lahuwa l-faḍlu l-mubīn Solomon succeeded David. He said, ‘People, we have been taught the speech of birds, and we have been given a share of everything: this is a clearly a great favour.’

17 وَحُشِرَ لِسُلَیۡمَـٰنَ جُنُودُهُۥ مِنَ ٱلۡجِنِّ وَٱلۡإِنسِ وَٱلطَّیۡرِ فَهُمۡ یُوزَعُونَ ۝١٧ waḥushira lisulaymāna junūduhu mina l-jini wal-insi wal-ṭayri fahum yūzaʿūn Solomon’s hosts of jinn, men, and birds were marshalled in ordered ranks before him

18 حَتَّىٰۤ إِذَاۤ أَتَوۡا۟ عَلَىٰ وَادِ ٱلنَّمۡلِ قَالَتۡ نَمۡلَةࣱ یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلنَّمۡلُ ٱدۡخُلُوا۟ مَسَـٰكِنَكُمۡ لَا یَحۡطِمَنَّكُمۡ سُلَیۡمَـٰنُ وَجُنُودُهُۥ وَهُمۡ لَا یَشۡعُرُونَ ۝١٨ ḥattā idhā ataw ʿalā wādi l-namli qālat namlatun yāayyuhā l-namlu ud'khulū masākinakum lā yaḥṭimannakum sulaymānu wajunūduhu wahum lā yashʿurūn and when they came to the Valley of the Ants, one ant said, ‘Ants! Go into your homes, in case Solomon and his hosts unwittingly crush you.’ 19 فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكࣰا مِّن قَوۡلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوۡزِعۡنِیۤ أَنۡ أَشۡكُرَ نِعۡمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِیۤ أَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَیَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَ ٰلِدَیَّ وَأَنۡ أَعۡمَلَ صَـٰلِحࣰا تَرۡضَىٰهُ وَأَدۡخِلۡنِی بِرَحۡمَتِكَ فِی عِبَادِكَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحِینَ ۝١٩ fatabassama ḍāḥikan min qawlihā waqāla rabbi awziʿ'nī an ashkura niʿ'mataka allatī anʿamta ʿalayya waʿalā wālidayya wa-an aʿmala ṣāliḥan tarḍāhu wa-adkhil'nī biraḥmatika fī ʿibādika l-ṣāliḥīn Solomon smiled broadly at her words and said, ‘Lord, inspire me to be thankful for the blessings You have granted me and my parents, and to do good deeds that please You; admit me by Your grace into the ranks of Your righteous servants.’ 20 وَتَفَقَّدَ ٱلطَّیۡرَ فَقَالَ مَا لِیَ لَاۤ أَرَى ٱلۡهُدۡهُدَ أَمۡ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَاۤىِٕبِینَ ۝٢٠ watafaqqada l-ṭayra faqāla mā liya lā arā l-hud'huda am kāna mina l-ghāibīn Solomon inspected the birds and said, ‘Why do I not see the hoopoe? Is he absent 21 لَأُعَذِّبَنَّهُۥ عَذَابࣰا شَدِیدًا أَوۡ لَأَا۟ذۡبَحَنَّهُۥۤ أَوۡ لَیَأۡتِیَنِّی بِسُلۡطَـٰنࣲ مُّبِینࣲ ۝٢١ la-uʿadhibannahu ʿadhāban shadīdan aw laādh'baḥannahu aw layatiyannī bisul'ṭānin mubīni I will punish him severely, or kill him, unless he brings me a convincing excuse for his absence.’