Surat An-Naml Verse No. 20: Reading and listening
Translation of the verse 20 from Surah An-Naml : Number of verses 93 - - page 378 - Part 19.
﴾وَتَفَقَّدَ ٱلطَّيۡرَ فَقَالَ مَالِيَ لَآ أَرَى ٱلۡهُدۡهُدَ أَمۡ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلۡغَآئِبِينَ ﴿
[ النمل: 20]
He inspected the birds, and said: "What is the matter that I see not the hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees?
English - Sahih International
And he took attendance of the birds and said, "Why do I not see the hoopoe - or is he among the absent?
Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi
(27:20) (On another occasion) Solomon reviewed his birds *27 and said, "How is it that 1 do not see the hoopoe? Has he disappeared somewhere?
Tafheem-ul-Quran by Syed Abu-al-A'la Maududi
*27) That is, the birds whose troops, as mentioned above, were included in the armies of Prophet Solomon like the troops of the men and jinns. It is just possible that the Prophet Solomon had employed them for communicating messages, hunting and performing other such services.