"Instruct thy daughter to have water with her when she goes to the
wilderness, as water is adornment for the upper part of the body and
purification for the lower part. She should bear company with her
husband when he is in heat. Good fortune lies in surrender and
union (of spirits). She should not sleep too much with her husband,
as, once the body feels oppressed, so does the heart."
An Arab philosopher advised his daughter, while she was going to the
bridal chamber:
"Be like a slave-girl to your husband, and he shall be like a slave t:o
you. Be soft to him, as softness is more effective than magic. Use
water; water is the chief of all perfumes."
One woman offered the following advice to her daughter:
"Be the bed for thy (husband) so that he becomes the source of
sustenance for thee. When he is in a happy mood, shun pensiveness;
and when he is laden with sorrow, eschew pleasure. He should not
see any evil in thee and should smell pleasant perfumes from thy
body. Never let any of his secrets out, lest thou fall in his eyes. Use
water, oil, and collyrium, as they are good perfumes."
Another woman said to her daughter:
"Keep thy body perfumed and anointed. Be obedient to thy husband, and among perfumes use water most."
Another gave the following advice:
"Cover thyself, be considerate to thy husband, and use water as
perfume."
And yet another said:
"Do not carry out every order given by thy husband nor be so persistently disobedient that he gets disheartened. Be sincere, and make
water thy perfume,"
All that has been said above is necessary. But once man has washed
the face and the orifices of the body and keeps on washing his body with
water he should further adorn the face with colours that are visible in the
light. The body can be adorned with powders and perfumes, especially
when there is a natural or artificial pallor on the face. The teeth can be
cleaned by means of dentifrices and tniswak. The eye and its lids should
be kept clean and decorated by pencilling them with collyrium. As and
when required, the hair can be dyed, trimmed, combed, and taken out,
while the beauty of the nails lies in their being regularly pared.
Now for the things that keep clinging to the body. The most important among these are the clothes as they keep attached to the body.
It is, therefore, essential that the body ought to be kept clean so that
dust does not deposit upon them. The clothes that are suitable to the
season and the time should be dyed with colours suitable to the occasion
so that the shortcomings of the body and apparel are done away with.
