Surah An-Naml (The Ant) in English

1. إني وجدت امرأة تملكهم وأوتيت من كل شيء ولها عرش عظيم

   23

   I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given everything, and she has a great throne.

   ʾinnī wajadtu mraʾatan tamlikuhum wa-ʾūtiyat min kulli shayʾin wa-lahā ʿarshun ʿaẓīmun

2. وجدتها وقومها يسجدون للشمس من دون الله وزين لهم الشيطان أعمالهم فصدهم عن السبيل فهم لا يهتدون

   24

   I found her and her people prostrating to the sun instead of Allah, and Satan has made their deeds seem decorous to them—thus he has barred them from the way [of Allah], so they are not guided—

   wajadtuhā wa-qawmahā yasjudūna li-sh-shamsi min dūni llāhi wa-zayyana lahumu sh-shayṭānu ʾaʿmālahum fa-ṣaddahum ʿani s-sabīli fa-hum lā yahtadūna

3. ألا يسجدوا لله الذي يخرج الخبء في السماوات والأرض ويعلم ما تخفون وما تعلنون

   25

   so that they do not prostrate themselves to Allah, who brings forth the hidden in the heavens and the earth, and He knows whatever you hide and whatever you disclose.

   ʾallā yasjudū li-llāhi lladhī yukhriju l-khabʾa fī s-samāwāti wa-l-ʾarḍi wa-yaʿlamu mā tukhfūna wa-mā tuʿlinūna

4. Recommended prostration

   الله لا إله إلا هو رب العرش العظيم

   26

   Allah—there is no god except Him—is the Lord of the Great Throne.’

   allāhu lā ʾilāha ʾillā huwa rabbu l-ʿarshi l-ʿaẓīmi

5. قال سننظر أصدقت أم كنت من الكاذبين

   27

   He said, ‘We shall see whether you are truthful, or if you are one of the liars.

   qāla sa-nanẓuru ʾa-ṣadaqta ʾam kunta mina l-kādhibīna

6. اذهب بكتابي هذا فألقه إليهم ثم تول عنهم فانظر ماذا يرجعون

   28

   Take this letter of mine and deliver it to them. Then draw away from them and observe what [response] they return.’

   idhhab bi-kitābī hādhā fa-ʾalqih ʾilayhim thumma tawalla ʿanhum fa-nẓur mādhā yarjiʿūna

7. قالت يا أيها الملأ إني ألقي إلي كتاب كريم

   29

   She said, ‘O [members of the] elite! Indeed a noble letter has been delivered to me.

   qālat yā-ʾayyuhā l-malaʾu ʾinnī ʾulqiya ʾilayya kitābun karīmun

8. إنه من سليمان وإنه

   30

   It is from Solomon, and it begins in the name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.

   ʾinnahū min sulaymāna wa-ʾinnahū bi-smi llāhi r-raḥmāni r-raḥīmi

9. ألا تعلوا علي وأتوني مسلمين

   31

   [It states,] ‘‘Do not defy me, and come to me in submission.’’ ’

   ʾallā taʿlū ʿalayya wa-ʾtūnī muslimīna

10. قالت يا أيها الملأ أفتوني في أمري ما كنت قاطعة أمرا حتى تشهدون

    32

    She said, ‘O [members of the] elite! Give me your opinion concerning my matter. I do not decide any matter until you are present.’

    qālat yā-ʾayyuhā l-malaʾu ʾaftūnī fī ʾamrī mā kuntu qāṭiʿatan ʾamran ḥattā tashhadūni

11. قالوا نحن أولو قوة وأولو بأس شديد والأمر إليك فانظري ماذا تأمرين

    33

    They said, ‘We are powerful and possess a great might. But it is up to you to command. So consider what orders you will give.’

    qālū naḥnu ʾulū quwwatin wa-ʾulū baʾsin shadīdin wa-l-ʾamru ʾilayki fa-nẓurī mādhā taʾmurīna

12. قالت إن الملوك إذا دخلوا قرية أفسدوها وجعلوا أعزة أهلها أذلة وكذلك يفعلون

    34

    She said, ‘Indeed when kings enter a town, they devastate it, and make the mightiest of its people the weakest. That is how they act.

    qālat ʾinna l-mulūka ʾidhā dakhalū qaryatan ʾafsadūhā wa-jaʿalū ʾaʿizzata ʾahlihā ʾadhillatan wa-ka-dhālika yafʿalūna

13. وإني مرسلة إليهم بهدية فناظرة بم يرجع المرسلون

    35

    I will send them a gift, and see what the envoys bring back.’

    wa-ʾinnī mursilatun ʾilayhim bi-hadiyyatin fa-nāẓiratun bi-ma yarjiʿu l-mursalūna