Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of The Glorious Koran. An Explanatory Translation (1930)

said: My Lord, arouse me to be thankful for Thy favour wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and to do good that shall be pleasing unto Thee, and include me in (the number of) Thy righteous slaves.

20. And he sought among the birds and said: How is it that I see not the hoopoe, or is he among the absent?

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

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.

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

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;

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,

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

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

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

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

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