“You may make shields that fit perfectly, and work righteousness. Whatever you do, I am Seer thereof.”
أَنِ اعمَل سٰبِغٰتٍ وَقَدِّر فِى السَّردِ وَاعمَلوا صٰلِحًا إِنّى بِما تَعمَلونَ بَصيرٌ
ani’mal saabighaatinw wa qaddir fis sardi wa’maloo saalihan innee bimaa ta’maloona Baseer
(The First Oil Field)
To Solomon we committed the wind at his disposal, traveling one month coming and one month going. And we caused a spring of oil to gush out for him. Also, the jinns worked for him, by his Lord’s leave. Any one of them who disregarded our commands, we subjected him to a severe retribution.
وَلِسُلَيمٰنَ الرّيحَ غُدُوُّها شَهرٌ وَرَواحُها شَهرٌ وَأَسَلنا لَهُ عَينَ القِطرِ وَمِنَ الجِنِّ مَن يَعمَلُ بَينَ يَدَيهِ بِإِذنِ رَبِّهِ وَمَن يَزِغ مِنهُم عَن أَمرِنا نُذِقهُ مِن عَذابِ السَّعيرِ
wa li-Sulaimaanar reeha ghuduwwuhaa shahrunw wa ra-waahuhaa shahrunw wa asalnaa lahoo ‘ainal qitr; wa minal jinni mai ya’malu baina yadaihi bi izni Rabbih; wa mai yazigh minhum ‘an amrinaa nuziqhu min ‘azaabis sa’eer
They made for him anything he wanted – niches, statues, deep pools, and heavy cooking pots. O family of David, work (righteousness) to show your appreciation. Only a few of My servants are appreciative.
يَعمَلونَ لَهُ ما يَشاءُ مِن مَحٰريبَ وَتَمٰثيلَ وَجِفانٍ كَالجَوابِ وَقُدورٍ راسِيٰتٍ اعمَلوا ءالَ داوۥدَ شُكرًا وَقَليلٌ مِن عِبادِىَ الشَّكورُ
ya’maloona lahoo ma yashaaa’u mim mahaareeba wa tamaaseela wa jifaanin kaljawaabi wa qudoorir raasiyaat; i’maloo aala Daawooda shukraa; wa qaleelum min ‘ibaadiyash shakoor
(Jinns’ Knowledge is Limited)
When the appointed time for his death came, they had no clue that he had died. It was not until one of the animals tried to eat his staff, and he fell down, that the jinns realized that he was dead. They thus realized that if they really knew the unseen, they would have stopped working so hard as soon as he died.
فَلَمّا قَضَينا عَلَيهِ المَوتَ ما دَلَّهُم عَلىٰ مَوتِهِ إِلّا دابَّةُ الأَرضِ تَأكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُ فَلَمّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ الجِنُّ أَن لَو كانوا يَعلَمونَ الغَيبَ ما لَبِثوا فِى العَذابِ المُهينِ
falammaa qadainaa ‘alaihil mawta ma dallahum ‘alaa mawtiheee illaa daaabbatul ardi taakulu minsa atahoo falammaa kharra tabaiyanatil jinnu al law kaanoo ya’lamoonal ghaiba maa labisoo fil ‘azaabil muheen
Sheba’s homeland used to be a marvel, with two gardens on the right and the left. Eat from your Lord’s provisions, and be appreciative of Him – good land, and a forgiving Lord.
لَقَد كانَ لِسَبَإٍ فى مَسكَنِهِم ءايَةٌ جَنَّتانِ عَن يَمينٍ وَشِمالٍ كُلوا مِن رِزقِ رَبِّكُم وَاشكُروا لَهُ بَلدَةٌ طَيِّبَةٌ وَرَبٌّ غَفورٌ
laqad kaana li Saba-in fee maskanihim Aayatun jannataani ‘any yameeninw wa shimaalin kuloo mir rizqi Rabbikum washkuroolah; baldatun taiyibatunw wa Rabbun Ghafoor
They turned away and, consequently, we poured upon them a disastrous flood, and we substituted their two gardens into two gardens of bad tasting fruits, thorny plants, and a skimpy harvest.
فَأَعرَضوا فَأَرسَلنا عَلَيهِم سَيلَ العَرِمِ وَبَدَّلنٰهُم بِجَنَّتَيهِم جَنَّتَينِ ذَواتَى أُكُلٍ خَمطٍ وَأَثلٍ وَشَىءٍ مِن سِدرٍ قَليلٍ
fa a’radoo fa-arsalnaa ‘alaihim Sailal ‘Arimi wa baddalnaahum bijannataihim jannataini zawaatai ukulin khamtinw wa aslinw wa shai’im min sidrin qaleel
We thus requited them for their disbelief. Do we not requite only the disbelievers?
ذٰلِكَ جَزَينٰهُم بِما كَفَروا وَهَل نُجٰزى إِلَّا الكَفورَ
zaalika jazainaahum bimaa kafaroo wa hal nujaazeee illal kafoor
We placed between them and the communities that we blessed other oases, and we secured the journey between them: “Travel therein days and nights in complete security.”
وَجَعَلنا بَينَهُم وَبَينَ القُرَى الَّتى بٰرَكنا فيها قُرًى ظٰهِرَةً وَقَدَّرنا فيهَا السَّيرَ سيروا فيها لَيالِىَ وَأَيّامًا ءامِنينَ
wa ja’alnaa bainahum wa bainal qural latee baaraknaa feehaa quran zaahiratanw wa qaddarnaa feehas sayr; seeroo feehaa la yaaliya wa aiyaaman aamineen
But they (turned unappreciative and) challenged: “Our Lord, we do not care if You increase the distance of our journeys (without any stations).” They thus wronged their own souls. Consequently, we made them history, and scattered them into small communities throughout the land. This should provide lessons for those who are steadfast, appreciative.
فَقالوا رَبَّنا بٰعِد بَينَ أَسفارِنا وَظَلَموا أَنفُسَهُم فَجَعَلنٰهُم أَحاديثَ وَمَزَّقنٰهُم كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ إِنَّ فى ذٰلِكَ لَـٔايٰتٍ لِكُلِّ صَبّارٍ شَكورٍ
faqaaloo Rabbanaa baa’id baina asfaarinaa wa zalamooo anfusahum faja’alnaahum ahaadeesa wa mazzaq naahum kulla mumazzaq; inna fee zaalika la Aayaatil likulli sabbaarin shakoor
(Satan Claims the Majority)
Satan found them readily fulfilling his expectations. They followed him, except a few believers.
وَلَقَد صَدَّقَ عَلَيهِم إِبليسُ ظَنَّهُ فَاتَّبَعوهُ إِلّا فَريقًا مِنَ المُؤمِنينَ
wa laqad saddaq ‘alaihim Ibleesu zannabhoo fattaba’oohu illaa fareeqam minal mu’mineen