رعى اللَه ديراً كنتُ فيه مُسلِّماً

على مَن عليها قَبلُ جبريلُ سَلَّما

May God watch over the monastery where once I lived as a devout Muslim

At whose doors, before me, Gabriel himself once came to call

فمن صيدنايا كان مطلعُ نوره

فأحسن ببدرٍ طلَّ من ذلكَ الحمى

So whoever comes to Siddnaiya, source of his light,

Let blessings rain down upon him like the full moon over that fevered desert

فإن سَما شاغورِ طاقةِ صورةٍ

مُجَسَّمَةٍ تُبدي شموساً وأنجُما

For though his likeness rose to the pinnacle of heavenly spheres

Giving form to the formless, suns to the infinite stars

فكنتُ بعقلٍ ناطق متعجِّباً

وكان لساني عن بيانيَ أبكما

I was amazed, though wit and wisdom filled me utterly

That my tongue grew silent, all speech now beyond me

فلم تر قبلي ناطقاً متبكِّماً

ولم تر بعدي صامتاً متكلِّما

Never before have you seen one as talkative fall quiet

Never after one as silent find voice again