Black was my hair, the color of bees, curled at the ends;
with aging it's likened to fibers of hemp —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's[2] words.
Fragrant was my hair, full of flowers like a perfume box;
with aging it possesses the smell of dog's fur —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
Thick as a well-planted grove and comely with comb, pin and parting;
with aging it's thin here and there —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
Braided well, adorned, black masses beautified by gold;
with aging has the head become quite bald —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
My eyebrows then as though by artists were well-drawn;
with aging they are wrinkled, hanging down —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
Flashing and brilliant as jewels, black and long were my eyes;
by aging overwhelmed no longer beautiful —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
Long, beautiful and delicate my nose in the bloom of my youth;
with aging has become quite pendulous —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
Fair my earlobes, formerly as bracelets well and truly crafted;
with aging they are wrinkled, hanging down —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
Then were my teeth beautiful, the hue of plantain buds;
with aging they have broken and yellowed —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
Sweet was my singing voice as cuckoo in the forest grove;
with aging it is broken now and then —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
Formerly my throat was beautiful, polished like a conch;
with aging decayed it is and twisted —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
Round as door-bars then were my arms beautiful;
with aging they are weak as the trumpet-creeper —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
Adorned with gold and delicate signet rings my hands were beautiful;
with aging just like knotted and twisted roots —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
Full and round were my breasts, close together, lovely and lofty;
pendulous they hang now as water-skins without water —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
Fair was my body then as a well-burnished tablet of gold;
now it is covered all over with very fine wrinkles —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
Lovely both my thighs as the trunks of elephants;
with aging they are as a bamboo's stems —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
Fair were my legs adorned with fine golden anklets;
with aging stick-like as the sesame —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
As though filled out with down my feet so lovely;
with aging they are cracked and wrinkled —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.
So was this congeries; decrepit now, abode of dukkha;
old house with its plaster falling off —
not other than this are the Truth-speaker's words.