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A brilliant man's philosophy on love, marriage, joy and sorrow, time, friendship and much more.
Then said Almitra, "Speak to us of Love."
And he raised his head and looked upon the people, and there fell a stillness upon them. And with a great voice he said: When love beckons to you, follow him, Though his ways are hard and steep. And when his wings enfold you yield to him, though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you believe in him, though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning. Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun, so shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth. Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself. He threshes you to make you naked. He sifts you to free you from your husks. He grinds you to whiteness. He kneads you until you are pliant; and then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.
All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart, and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life's heart.
But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure, then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor, into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself. Love possesses not nor would it be possessed; for love is sufficient unto love.
When you love you should not say, "Godis in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God." And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own understanding of love; and to bleed willingly and joyfully. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving; To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy; to return home at eventide with gratitude; and then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.
Then Almitra spoke again and said, "And what of Marriage, master?"
And he answered saying: You were born together, and together you shall be for evermore. You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days. Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God. But let there be spaces in your togetherness. And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.
Love one another, but make not a bond of love: let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls. Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.
Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf. Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone, even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.
Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping. For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts. And stand together yet not too near together: For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.
And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, "Speak to us of Children."
And he said: Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, and though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, for their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday. You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far. Let your bending in the Archer's hand be for gladness; for even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
Then said a rich man, "Speak to us of Giving."
And he answered: You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them to morrow? And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the over-prudent dog burying bones in the track less sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city? And what is fear of need but need itself? Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, the thirst that is unquenchable? There are those who give little of the much which they have--and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome. And there are those who have little and give it all. These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.
There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward. And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism. And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue; They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space. Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.
It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding; and to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving. And is there aught you would withhold? All you have shall some day be given; therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors'.
You often say, "I would give, but only to the deserving." The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture. They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish. Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights is worthy of all else from you. And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream. And what desert greater shall there be, than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving? And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed? See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving. For in truth it is life that gives unto life--while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.
And you receivers--and you are all receivers--assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives. Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings; for to be overmindful of your debt is to doubt his generosity who has the free-hearted earth for mother, and God for father.
| The Coming of the Ship | 3 | |
| On Love | 12 | |
| On Marriage | 16 | |
| On Children | 18 | |
| On Giving | 20 | |
| On Eating and Drinking | 24 | |
| On Work | 27 | |
| On Joy and Sorrow | 32 | |
| On Houses | 34 | |
| On Clothes | 38 | |
| On Buying and Selling | 40 | |
| On Crime and Punishment | 42 | |
| On Laws | 48 | |
| On Freedom | 51 | |
| On Reason and Passion | 55 | |
| On Pain | 58 | |
| On Self-Knowledge | 60 | |
| On Teaching | 62 | |
| On Friendship | 64 | |
| On Talking | 66 | |
| On Time | 68 | |
| On Good and Evil | 70 | |
| On Prayer | 74 | |
| On Pleasure | 77 | |
| On Beauty | 81 | |
| On Religion | 84 | |
| On Death | 87 | |
| The Farewell | 89 |
When I picked this up, I had no idea what to expect. My mouth stands open. I feel like I've read a map to the entryway of my soul. I keep going back and reading my favorite parts over and over. I am in love with these words. They come off the page in my own voice, like they speak from somewhere I have been already, remember acutely. Gibran himself is a prophet, only a prophet could speak such true words. I want to quote him here to give you a taste, here the prophet is speaking of love:
"For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.
Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.
He threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's sacred feast.
...
But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure,
Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor,
Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears."
-Kahlil Gibran
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Anonymous
Posted January 1, 2007
I remember I had to read this book in high school. I was 16, and quite frankly, hanging out with my friends and partying were much more fun than some silly homework assignment. Fast forward 19 years. I was in B&N a few weeks ago, and I happened to have stumbled on the book. I wanted something to read, so I thought, 'Eh, why not? It looks like a quick read.' So, I bought it. Well, all I can say is, 'Wow! What a disservice I did to myself back then by not reading this book!' Then again, maybe I wasn't prepared for such an awesome piece of work. I think you need to experience life to really appreciate this book. My first time reading it, I was BLOWN AWAY. I actually started crying in a few areas of the book because I could relate so much of it to my own life and experiences. The first time, I read it as a novel. Now, I use it as a reference tool for life. When my son rebels, I turn to the 'Parenting' section. When my heart was broken earlier this year, I went to the 'Love' section. Sometimes, my intensity is too much for daily life, so that's when I flip to the 'Reason vs Passion' section. I have read a lot of books in my time, but I must say that this is probably the most SPECIAL book I have ever had or read. Now, I'm not some super-intellectual who dwells in the World of the Intelligencia. I'm just a regular person who really needed a book like this in her life. Honestly, I think Mr. Gibran wrote this book for people like me. Heck, I was thinking that he wrote it JUST for me :-) Enjoy.
5 out of 5 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 17, 2007
I was recommended this book by a very dear friend of mine. I'm very happy that she did. The Prophet is the closest thing to a bible I've ever embraced. The range of subjects, from Love, to Pain, Children, Work, and Laws and Prayer are written about and sung so beautifully.
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.The Prophet proved to be one of the most inspiring books I have read so far. Being only 19, I found the book to be interesting and highly important. I believe everyone should read this book and learn it. I hope you'll get a chance to read this great book because it will be well worth it!
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted June 7, 2006
This book serves you best when you read it slowly, revisiting the topics when needed. Gibran's work is ideal for those who enjoy the wisdom genre and welcome introspection.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
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Posted December 30, 2005
no words are eneogh in praise of the book. One who is fond of reading and even the one who is not fond of reading must read this book. it provides true insight to the problems which arise while understanding the life, complications of emotions&relations.Reading this arouse the curiosity of reader to read the other books of the Great Writer.Moreover the drawings by Gibran are also amazing
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.I first read this book as a teenager. It has remained on my bookshelf, being read many, many times. I have given it as a gift to several people, over the years. It is one of my favourite books.
The Prophet is a classic, and is considered to be Kahlil Gibran's masterpiece. Gibran himself considered it his "greatest achievement". Originally published in 1923, it has been translated into 28 languages, and is still a popular piece of literature today.
The book is a beautiful blend of poetry and philosophy. Each chapter takes on a particular topic, or aspect of life. "The Prophet" speaks on love, work, law, freedom, pain, time, and many other important issues we all deal with as we journey through life. Each beautifully written chapter is also illustrated by Gibran.
The importance and beauty of this book is immeasurable and timeless. This book should be on every bookshelf of those who truly enjoy the beauty of poetry and classic literature, to be enjoyed and appreciated by every generation. The life lessons offered by Kahlil Gibran are timeless in essence and belief.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.An amazing Oriental (Oriental in the academic sense, meaning Middle Eastern spiritualist) Christian book. The mixture of prose and poetry fits the mood of the spiritual explorer. The artwork is thought provoking adding a visual richness to the intellectual pursuit of truth seekers. This book is not a "self-help" Joel Osteen easy read. Be ready to invest time and effort, if you so do you, will not be disappointed.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 18, 2007
One of the best books i have ever read. It is very simple and covers most of the issues we face daily. It shows you the beauty in every thing and a realistic view based on Gibran's experience in life. Simply a MASTERPIECE...
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted November 22, 2006
I found out about this book from a guest editor piece by Hilary Duff in Seventeen magazine. She had included some excerpts from the book in her piece. They were hard-hitting and deep, so I decided to take on the challenge of reading the book for myself. The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran is probably one of the deepest books that anyone could ever read. It was originally published in 1923. Interspersed among the proverbs in the book are pages of the author¿s own drawings. The drawings do not really add anything to the meaning of the book though, and they feature nudity. The book has twenty-eight sections, two of which are basically an introduction and a closing. The other twenty-six cover a wide range of topics from love, children, clothes, friendship, beauty and death to work, houses, laws, pain and time. I like this book because of its many wonderful insights about some topics to which I can actually relate. I was amazed at how something written in the early 1900s can transcend the ages and still hold some relevance to the early 2000s. Some of Gibran¿s proverbs are toe-stompers: ¿But if in your fear you would seek only love¿s peace and love¿s pleasure, Then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love¿s threshing-floor, Into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears. Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself. Love possesses not nor would it be possessed For love is sufficient unto love.¿ Still others of Gibran¿s proverbs are full of wisdom: ¿Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life¿s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, and thought they are with you yet they belong not to you. You may give them your love buy not your thoughts, For they have their own thoughts. You may house their bodies but not their souls, For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you. For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.¿ I found the book to be uplifting overall, although I cannot pull any one individual uplifting proverb because the book, through its depth of wisdom and insight, lightens any bad day. I would definitely recommend that everyone read this book at some point in their lives.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.
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Posted April 19, 2013
A classic
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Posted January 18, 2013
This book should be required reading for high school children lol. It's my favorite book and many of my most favorite quotes of all time are in it. Very inspiring and enlightening.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.Smartlady53
Posted November 27, 2012
This book has been on my book shelf (and now my nook) since the 1960s. It's stood the test of time still ringing true - wise and wonderful. A passage was read at my wedding and more recently when we scattered by Dad's ashes on his beloved lake. This is a MUST HAVE for every book lover!
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Posted November 10, 2012
this has been the guide to my path and lighthouse to return from further afield. I have quoted nothing more often than this quiet jewel and have always been comforted by the feelings gained.
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Posted October 3, 2012
It is one giant poem, which will probably say something new to you each time you read it.
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Posted September 7, 2012
With so many deep questions about relationships, life and love, The Prophet opens minds and hearts to deep and timeless answers.
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Posted July 26, 2012
This is one of my all-time favorite reads. I have a traditional hard back copy, but enjoy the convenience of being able to tap into it's inspiration any time, any where thanks to my Nook app. The format for this particular version is just text...no frills, but because I have the book in hard back, the format is adequate to my needs.
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Posted July 2, 2012
I read this book in arabic and i swear it changed my life
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Posted June 11, 2012
This book really changed my outlook on life.
Was this review helpful? Yes NoThank you for your feedback. Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.CBus
Posted March 31, 2012
A beautiful book - everyone should have this - easy to read yet profound.
Brings great sadness to see this son of Lebanon, now that we experience the devstation to his country in recent years becaue of hard-line fundamentalists
Overview
A brilliant man's philosophy on love, marriage, joy and sorrow, time, friendship and much more.