An Ancient Guide to Hair Growth

Translated from an excerpt in the Syrian Anatomy Pathology and Therapeutics (1857-1934) by E. A. Wallis Budge.

ܣܢܽܘܢܺܝܬܳ ܩܛܘܽܠ
ܘܰܐܘܩܶܕ ܥܰܡ ܚܽܘܛܪܳܐ ܕܪܳܥܝܳܐ
ܟܰܕ ܝܰܒܝܺܫܝܺܢ ܛܰܖ̈ܦܶܝܗ̇
ܘܰܚܠܘܽܛ ܒܰܬܝܳܢ̈ܶܠ ܕܰܛ̇ܳܝܶܐ
ܕܠܳܐ ܝܳܕܥܺܝܢ ܙܘܽܘܳܓܳܐ
ܘܛܘܽܫ ܘܝܳܥܷܠ ܣܰܥܪܐ
ܘܡܳܪܶܩ ܠܶܗ ܫܰܦܝܺ.

Kill a swallow,
And reduce it to ashes with a shepherd’s crook
Whilst drying some leaves.
Then mix it with the urine of young men
Who are unacquainted with copulation (lit. knowledge of matrimony).
Smear (lit. pollute) it upon the hair (esp. of goats and camels, but sometimes men)
and it [the hair] rejuvenates handsomely.

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