ما ترى النار كيف اسقمها القر

ما ترى النار كيف اسقمها القر

فأضحت تخبو وحينا تسعر

فأضحت تخبو وحينا تسعر

Do you not see the fire—how the bitter cold has sickened it?

Do you not see the fire—how the cold has sickened it?

So it has begun to die down, then at times blaze up;

So it now dies down, and at times blazes;

وغدا الجمر والرماد عليه

وغدا الجمر والرماد عليه

في قميصين مذهب ومعنبر

في قميصين مذهب ومعنبر

and the embers and ash upon it have become

And the embers, with ashes upon them, have come to be

two robes: one gilded, the other perfumed with ambergris.

In two shirts—one gilded, one scented with ambergris.