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...and behold, it was a lady of tall figure, some five feet high; a model of beauty and loveliness, brilliance and symmetry and perfect grace. Her forehead was flower white; her cheeks like the anemone ruddy bright; her eyes were those of the wild heifer or the gazelle, with eyebrows like the crescent moon which ends Sha'aban and begins Ramazan; her mouth was the ring of Sulayman, her lips coral red, and her teeth like a line of strung pearls or of camomile petals. Her throat recalled the antelope's, and her breasts, like two pomegranates of even size, stood at bay as it were, her body rose and fell in waves below her dress like the rolls of a piece of brocade, and her navel would hold an ounce of benzoin ointment.
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Thereupon sat a lady bright of blee, with brow beaming brilliancy, the dream of philosophy, whose eyes were fraught with Babel's gramarye and her eye brows were arched as for archery; her breath breathed ambergris and perfumery and her lips were sugar to taste and carnelian to see. Her stature was straight as the letter I and her face shamed the noon sun's radiancy; and she was even as a galaxy, or a dome with golden marquetry or a bride displayed in choicest finery or a noble maid of Araby.

... And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

http://www.wollamshram.ca/1001/Vol_1/vol1.htm

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Most, if not all, major religions wisely provide a process for the absolution of past sins. Generally, believers regularly get a chance to ask for and receive forgiveness, which encourages social renewal. Also, a sinner could move from one community to another and, for better or worse, try to rebuild their reputation. [Niche construction]. By contrast, the modern American culture doesn't offer forgiveness for old transgressions. Moreover, it barely offers forgiveness for past actions that might have turned into sin only recently, after the emergence of new moral standards. In a way, the new moral law seems to be applied randomly, retroactively and without much mercy. This is not a good recipe for building public trust in difficult times.