[1123] There dwelt among the Kaliṅgas a brahmin, Jūjaka by name;
and he had a young wife, Amittatāpanā by name.
The women who had gone there to fetch water from the river said to her —
the women, gathered together in noisy excitement, reviled her:
"Surely your mother is an enemy, surely your father is an enemy,
in that they gave you, so young as you are, to an old man.
Harmful indeed was the counsel your kinsmen took, gone apart in secret,
in that they gave you, so young as you are, to an old man.
Ill-done indeed was the counsel your kinsmen took, gone apart in secret,
in that they gave you, so young as you are, to an old man.
Evil indeed was the counsel your kinsmen took, gone apart in secret,
in that they gave you, so young as you are, to an old man.
Disagreeable indeed was the counsel your kinsmen took, gone apart in secret,
in that they gave you, so young as you are, to an old man.
In a disagreeable dwelling you live with an aged husband;
for you who live with an old man, death were better than life.
Surely, O fair one, O lovely one, your father and your mother
could find no other husband for you,
in that they gave you, so young as you are, to an old man.
Ill-offered, surely, was your sacrifice on the ninth day,
and unperformed your fire oblation (aggihuttaka),
in that they gave you, so young as you are, to an old man.
Surely you must have reviled, here in the world, ascetics (samaṇa) and brahmins,
intent upon the holy life, virtuous and of great learning,
seeing that you, so young as you are, live with an old man.
To be bitten by a snake is no suffering (dukkha); to be struck by a spear is no suffering;
but this is suffering, and grievous too — that one should look upon an aged husband.
With an aged husband there is no play, there is no delight;
there is no friendly converse; even laughter is unbecoming.
But when a young man and a young woman converse together, gone apart in secret,
then all the sorrows perish, whatever lie lodged in the heart.
You are young and beautiful, longed for by men;
go, stay in your kinsmen's family! How shall an old man give you delight?"
English translation from the Pali (Siam Raṭṭha edition) — under review, not for citation.