“A fair one to idolaters if she herself should show, They’d leave their idols and her face for only Lord would know.
If in the Eastward she appeared unto a monk, for once He’d cease from turning to the West and to the East bend low;
And into the briny sea one day she chanced to spit, Assuredly the salt sea’s floods straight fresh and sweet would grow.”
Hereupon quoth Al-Hajjaj, “Thou hast said well and hast spoken fair, O young man; and now what canst thou declare concerning a maiden of ten years told?” Quoth the youth, “She is a joy to behold.” (¿) “And a damsel of twenty years old?”—“A coolth to eyes manifold.” (¿) “And a woman thirty of age?”—“One who the hearts of enjoyers can engage.” (¿) “And in her fortieth year?”—“Fat, fresh and fair doth she appear.” (¿) “And of the half century?”—“The mother of men and maids in plenty.” (¿) “And a crone of three score?”—“Men ask of her never more.” (¿) “And when three score and ten?”—“An old trot and remnant of men.” (¿) “And one who reacheth four score?” “Unfit for the world and for the faith forlore.” (¿) “And one of ninety?”—“Ask not of whoso in Jahím be”[[94]] (¿) “And a woman who to an hundred hath owned?”—“I take refuge with Allah from Satan the Stoned.” Then Al-Hajjaj laughed aloud and said, “O young man, I desire of thee even as thou describedst womankind in prose so thou show me their conditions in verse;” and the Sayyid, having answered, “Hearkening and obedience, O Hajjaj,” fell to improvising these couplets[[95]]:—
“When a maid owns to ten her new breasts arise ✿ And like diver’s pearl with fair neck she hies:
The damsel of twenty defies compare ✿ ’Tis she whose disport we desire and prize:
She of thirty hath healing on cheeks of her; ✿ She’s a pleasure, a plant whose sap never dries:
If on her in the forties thou happily hap ✿ She’s best of her sex, hail to him with her lies!
She of fifty (pray Allah be copious to her!) ✿ With wit, craft and wisdom her children supplies.
The dame of sixty hath lost some force ✿ Whose remnants are easy to ravenous eyes: