1. A church became a mosque
A gift from lord to lord

2. It was Jesus' sanctuary, but ended up
With Ahmed's victory and the Spirit's support

3. The Romans built it, and their masters
In the image of the eternal pyramid

4. It tells of might, sublimity
And passion for the religion that never fades

5. Its ruby galleries are filled
With its overflowing light

6. And the treasures it contained
Were housed nowhere else, nor amassed

7. In it was the Virgin of silver
And the Spirit of God of chrysolite

8. Jesus by the halo of his mother
And the mother by the bed of her son

9. The skillful Roman artist immortalized them
And embedded in the walls from his art

10. Unique works from his singular craft
So an angel in the darkness coming

11. To an angel in the light trespassing
And a plant that lived like a parrot

12. Green and fresh on the wall
Say to whoever rivaled the powers

13. Of the tired, exhausted laborer
As if he were Pharaoh when he built

14. A house for his Lord but did not intend
Is God worshipped with the toil of people

15. When the camel's litter cannot pass through the eye of a needle?
A church like an imposing citadel

16. And a mosque like a palace of the hunt
But God is needless of this and that

17. If man understands or is guided
The conqueror came with a band

18. Of kneeling, bowing lions
They battered its structure like

19. Two rocks colliding
They glorified God in it, and the enemies prayed

20. And the spectacle mingled with the spectacle
The Romans did not hesitate to ransom it

21. While the sword was upon the ransomer and the ransomed
But their Caesar disappointed them

22. While the more fortunate Caesar supported it
With a conqueror who sheathed his sword

23. Who bore no malice or transgressed
Who gave amnesty to those who surrendered

24. And secured safety for the defectors
He turned away from the ornaments

25. The majesty of the Worshipped in His temple
So what a vengeance between us after him

26. He established, neither coming close nor going far
Remaining like the vengeance of Jerusalem before him

27. We never end it nor does it begin
So do not be fooled by the calm water

28. For evil encircles the sheathed, drawn sword
The Romans will not abandon their worship

29. Nor will the Turks descend from the highlands
This, for them, is a house upon their house

30. How similar the mosque is to the mosque!
If they come back for its keys

31. What a black day it will be for all people!
On it the infant will grow gray in his cradle

32. And the dead will be disturbed from their graves
So oh God, be for us in our past

33. And be for us today and be for us tomorrow
If not for preceding misguidance, the people

34. Would not have stood up or sat down
So every evil or harm between them

35. You are innocent of it, Most Pure of Hands