Surah An-Naml (The Ant) in English

1. وجحدوا بها واستيقنتها أنفسهم ظلما وعلوا فانظر كيف كان عاقبة المفسدين

   14

   They impugned them, wrongfully and out of arrogance, though they were convinced in their hearts [of their veracity]. So observe how the fate of the agents of corruption was!

   wa-jaḥadū bihā wa-stayqanathā ʾanfusuhum ẓulman wa-ʿuluwwan fa-nẓur kayfa kāna ʿāqibatu l-mufsidīna

2. ولقد آتينا داوود وسليمان علما وقالا الحمد لله الذي فضلنا على كثير من عباده المؤمنين

   15

   Certainly, We gave knowledge to David and Solomon, and they said, ‘All praise belongs to Allah, who granted us an advantage over many of His faithful servants.’

   wa-la-qad ʾātaynā dāwūda wa-sulaymāna ʿilman wa-qālā l-ḥamdu li-llāhi lladhī faḍḍalanā ʿalā kathīrin min ʿibādihi l-muʾminīna

3. وورث سليمان داوود وقال يا أيها الناس علمنا منطق الطير وأوتينا من كل شيء إن هذا لهو الفضل المبين

   16

   Solomon inherited from David, and he said, ‘O people! We have been taught the speech of the birds, and we have been given out of everything. Indeed this is a manifest advantage.’

   wa-waritha sulaymānu dāwūda wa-qāla yā-ʾayyuhā n-nāsu ʿullimnāmanṭiqa ṭ-ṭayri wa-ʾūtīnā min kulli shayʾin ʾinna hādhā la-huwa l-faḍlu l-mubīnu

4. وحشر لسليمان جنوده من الجن والإنس والطير فهم يوزعون

   17

   [Once] Solomon’s hosts were marched out for him, comprising jinn, humans and birds, and they were held in check.

   wa-ḥushira li-sulaymāna junūduhū mina l-jinni wa-l-ʾinsi wa-ṭ-ṭayri fa-hum yūzaʿūna

5. حتى إذا أتوا على واد النمل قالت نملة يا أيها النمل ادخلوا مساكنكم لا يحطمنكم سليمان وجنوده وهم لا يشعرون

   18

   When they came to the Valley of Ants, an ant said, ‘O ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Solomon and his hosts should trample on you while they are unaware.’

   ḥattā ʾidhā ʾataw ʿalā wādi n-namli qālat namlatun yā-ʾayyuhā n-namlu dkhulū masākinakum lā yaḥṭimannakum sulaymānu wa-junūduhū wa-hum lā yashʿurūna

6. فتبسم ضاحكا من قولها وقال رب أوزعني أن أشكر نعمتك التي أنعمت علي وعلى والدي وأن أعمل صالحا ترضاه وأدخلني برحمتك في عبادك الصالحين

   19

   Whereat he smiled, amused at its words, and he said, ‘My Lord! Inspire me to give thanks for Your blessing with which You have blessed me and my parents, and that I may do righteous deeds which please You, and admit me, by Your mercy, among Your righteous servants.’

   fa-tabassama ḍāḥikan min qawlihā wa-qāla rabbi ʾawziʿnī ʾan ʾashkura niʿmataka llatī ʾanʿamta ʿalayya wa-ʿalā wālidayya wa-ʾan ʾaʿmala ṣāliḥan tarḍāhu wa-ʾadkhilnī bi-raḥmatika fī ʿibādika ṣ-ṣāliḥīna

7. وتفقد الطير فقال ما لي لا أرى الهدهد أم كان من الغائبين

   20

   [One day] he reviewed the birds, and said, ‘Why do I not see the hoopoe? Or is he absent?’

   wa-tafaqqada ṭ-ṭayra fa-qāla mā liya lā ʾarā l-hudhuda ʾam kāna mina l-ghāʾibīna

8. لأعذبنه عذابا شديدا أو لأذبحنه أو ليأتيني بسلطان مبين

   21

   ‘I will punish him with a severe punishment, or I will behead him, unless he brings me a credible excuse.’

   la-ʾuʿadhdhibannahū ʿadhāban shadīdan ʾaw la-ʾadhbaḥannahū ʾaw la-yaʾtiyannī bi-sulṭānin mubīnin

9. فمكث غير بعيد فقال أحطت بما لم تحط به وجئتك من سبإ بنبإ يقين

   22

   He did not stay for long [before he turned up] and said, ‘I have alighted on something which you have not alighted on, and I have brought you from Sheba a definite report.

   fa-makatha ghayra baʿīdin fa-qāla ʾaḥaṭtu bi-mā lam tuḥiṭ bihī wa-jiʾtuka min sabaʾin bi-nabaʾin yaqīnin