شَهَد اللَّهُ وهو عدلٌ رضيُّ

أنَّ عبدَ القويِّ عبدٌ قويُّ

God witnessed, and He is just and pleased,

that the servant of the Strong is strong.

آخَذُ الناسِ كلهم لكتَابٍ

أَخْذَ يَحيى لكنَّ يحيى نبيُّ

Taking all people to account for a book,

as John took them - but John was a prophet,

وهو يحيى لولا النجاسةُ والجهْ

لُ وإن لم يَجِئْ به زكريُّ

and he was John; were it not for impurity and ignorance,

he'd have come, even had Zechariah not.