زُر مَضجَعاً حَلَّ يَوحنّا بِظُلمَتِهِ

فَناحَ آلُ فُريجٍ هَولَ مَصرَعِهِ

Visit a bed where John lay in darkness

So the nobles of Freij lamented his death

خطبٌ تَصَدَّعَ قَلبُ المُكرَماتِ بِهِ

وَطالَ نَوحُ المَعالي عِندَ مَوقِعِهِ

A sermon that made the hearts of the honoured crack

And the grieving of the eminent was prolonged at his place

تَبكِي عَلَيهِ مَهمّاتُ الأُمورِ كَما

يَسقي ثَراهُ أَخو البُؤسى بِمدمَعِهِ

The responsibilities of matters weep for him as

A brother of the bereaved waters his grave with his tears

رُكنٌ تَزَعزَعَ في بَيروتَ منهَدِماً

فَاِهتَزَّ رُبعُ دمشقٍ مِن تَزعزُعِهِ

A pillar in Beirut collapsed and crumbled

So a quarter of Damascus shook from its collapse

وَباتَ في تُربةٍ نادَى مُؤرِّخُها

يا رَحمةَ اللَهِ حِلِّي فَوقَ مَضجَعِهِ

And he rests in a tomb whose historian called out

"Oh God's mercy, settle over his resting place."