Overall meaning : For the people of Sheba there was indeed a clear sign of Allah’s power in their dwelling place: two gardens, one on their right and the other on their left. We said to them, ‘Eat of what your Lord has provided for you and give thanks to Him for His favours. Good is your land and All-Forgiving is your Lord.’ But they paid no heed at all. They stubbornly disobeyed Our commands and refused to give due thanks, and so We let loose upon them a rushing torrent that devastated their lovely gardens, which We then replaced with two others yielding bitter fruit, tamarisks and a few lote trees! Thus did We punish them for their ingratitude. We inflict such severe punishment only on the ungrateful.
Before this happened, We had also bestowed other favours upon the people of Sheba: We had placed between them and the cities of Greater Syria which We have blessed towns within sight of one another, and We fixed easy, measured journey stages so that they could travel between them with ease. We said, ‘Travel safely between them by night or by day.’ But they said, ‘Lord, make our journeys longer.’ They wronged themselves by denying Our favours, and so We punished them to such extent that We reduced them to a mere tale that people told in their gatherings, and We scattered them throughout the land after their land became barren! Surely there is a sign in this for every steadfast, thankful person.