Clothes

And the weaver said, Speak to us of Clothes.

And the weaver said, Tell us about Clothes.

And he answered:

And he answered:

Your clothes conceal much of your beauty, yet they hide not the unbeautiful.

Your clothes hide much of your beauty, but they do not hide what is unbeautiful.

And though you seek in garments the freedom of privacy you may find in them a harness and a chain.

And though you seek the freedom of privacy in clothing, you may find a harness and a chain instead.

Would that you could meet the sun and the wind with more of your skin and less of your raiment,

I wish you could greet the sun and wind with more of your skin and less of your clothing,

For the breath of life is in the sunlight and the hand of life is in the wind.

For the breath of life is in the sunlight, and the hand of life is in the wind.

Some of you say, “It is the north wind who has woven the clothes we wear.”

Some of you say, “The north wind has woven the clothes we wear.”

And I say, Ay, it was the north wind,

And I say, yes, it was the north wind,

But shame was his loom, and the softening of the sinews was his thread.

But shame was his loom, and the softening of your muscles was his thread.

And when his work was done he laughed in the forest. Forget not that modesty is for a shield against the eye of the unclean.

When his work was done, he laughed in the forest. Remember that modesty is a shield against the gaze of the impure.

And when the unclean shall be no more, what were modesty but a fetter and a fouling of the mind?

And when nothing unclean remains, what would modesty be but a chain and a stain on the mind?

And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.

And remember that the earth loves to feel your bare feet, and the winds long to play with your hair.