وهَتَكْنَand they tore open ثِنْيَthe fold of الليلnight عنfrom
وهَتَكْنَ ثِنْيَ الليل عن
بيضwhite السَّوالفِthe sides of the neck والصّفاحِand cheeks
بيض السَّوالفِ والصّفاحِ
And they tore back the fold of night to reveal
White necks and cheeks.
فكأنماso it was as though ضَحِكتْsmiled سجوcurtains (first part of سجوف)
فكأنما ضَحِكتْ سجو
فcompletion of سجوف: curtains الليلnight عنrevealing بَيْضِeggs الأداحيostrich nests
ف الليل عن بَيْضِ الأداحي
So it was as though there smiled the cur-
tains of night, revealing eggs in ostrich nests.
فَضحِكْنَso they smiled فيin وجهthe face of الدّجَىdarkness
فَضحِكْنَ في وجه الدّجَى
وَبَكَيْنَand they wept فيin وجهthe face of الصَّباحِdawn
وَبَكَيْنَ في وجه الصَّباحِ
So they smiled in the face of darkness
And wept in the face of dawn.