O thou at whose great wisdom woman’s folly stares!
The wisdom thou so holdest superior to all,
Not wisdom is; but serpent’s, scorpion’s, deadly gall.
A foe may God prove ever to thy drivelling guile!
So mayst thou turn out weaker than weak woman’s wile!85
Thou art both snake and snake-catcher, in one combined.
A serpent-charming serpent! Arab’s pride enshrined!
Did crows but realise their ugliness supreme,
As white as snow they’d change, through rage and arrant shame.
A charmer sings a charm against a snake, his foe;