سَأَقطَعُ ما بَيني وَبَينَ اِبنَ عامِرٍ

سَأَقطَعُ ما بَيني وَبَينَ اِبنَ عامِرٍ

قَطيعَةُ وَصلٍ لَستُ أَقطَعُ جافِيا

قَطيعَةُ وَصلٍ لَستُ أَقطَعُ جافِيا

I shall sever the bond between me and Ibn ʿĀmir—

I will sever what lies between me and the son of Aamir

a parting in affection; I do not part out of coldness.

A severance of connection, I do not sever uncivilly

فَتى يَتبَعُ النَعمى بِنَعمي تُربُها

فَتى يَتبَعُ النَعمى بِنَعمي تُربُها

وَلا يَتبَع الأُخوانَ بِالذِمِّ زارِيا

وَلا يَتبَع الأُخوانَ بِالذِمِّ زارِيا

A young man who follows one favor with another, its equal,

A lad who reciprocates kindness with my kindness fostering it

and does not pursue brothers with blame, disparaging them.

And does not reciprocate brothers with blaming, hurtful

إِذا كانَ شُكري دونَ فيضَ بنانِهِ

إِذا كانَ شُكري دونَ فيضَ بنانِهِ

وَطاوِلني جوداً فَكَيفَ اِحتِياليا

وَطاوِلني جوداً فَكَيفَ اِحتِياليا

If my gratitude falls short of the outpouring of his fingertips,

If my gratitude falls short of the bounty of his fingertips

and he outdoes me in generosity, what recourse have I?

And he excels me in generosity, how can I be grudging?