THEBOOKSOFKAHLILGIBRAN
Den
TheMadman.1918TwentyDrawings.
1919TheForerunner.
1920TheProphet.
1923Sand
og
andFoam.1926JesustheSonofMan.
1928TheForthGods.
1931TheWanderer.
1932TheGardenoftheProphet1933ProsePoems.
1934NymphsoftheValley.
THEPROPHET
Almustafa,
den
thechosenandthebeloved,whowasen
adawnuntohisowndag
day,hadwaitedtwelveyearsinden
thecityofOrphaleseforhisshipthatwastovende tilbage
returnandbearhimbacktoden
theisleofhisbirth.Og
Andinthetwelfthyear,ontheseventhdag
dayofIelool,themonthofreaping,heclimbedthehilluden
withoutthecitywallsandkiggede
lookedseaward;andhebeheldhisship
komme
comingwiththemist.Thenthegatesofhis
hjerte
heartwereflungopen,andhisjoyflewlangt
faroverthesea.Andhe
lukkede
closedhiseyesandprayedinthesilencesofhissoul.Men
Butashedescendedthehill,en
asadnesscameuponhim,og
andhethoughtinhishjerte
heart:.HowshallIgoinpeace
og
andwithoutsorrow?Nay,not
uden
withoutawoundinthespiritshallIforlade
leavethiscity.Longwere
de
thedaysofpainIhar
havespentwithinitswalls,og
andlongwerethenightsofaloneness;og
andwhocandepartfromhispainog
andhisalonenesswithoutregret?For
Toomanyfragmentsofthespirithar
haveIscatteredinthesestreets,og
andtoomanyarethebørnene
childrenofmylongingthatgår
walknakedamongthesehills,og
andIcannotwithdrawfromthemuden
withoutaburdenandanache.ItisnotagarmentIcastoffthis
dag
day,butaskinthatItearmed
withmyownhands.Norisita
men
thoughtIleavebehindme,men
butaheartmadesweetwithhungerog
andwiththirst.YetIcannottarrylonger.
Thesea
der
thatcallsallthingsuntoherkalder
callsme,andImustembark.Fortostay,
selv
thoughthehoursburninthenatten
night,istofreezeandcrystallizeog
andbeboundinamould.Fain
vil
wouldItakewithmealt
allthatishere.But
hvordan
howshallI?Avoicecannotcarrythetongue
og
andthelipsthatgaveitwings.Alene
Alonemustitseektheether.Og
Andaloneandwithouthisnestshalltheeagleflyacrossthesun.Now
da
whenhereachedthefootofthehill,heturnedigen
againtowardsthesea,andheså
sawhisshipapproachingtheharbour,og
anduponherprowthemariners,themenofhiseget
ownland.Andhissoulcriedoutto
dem
them,andhesaid:.Sonsofmyancient
mor
mother,youridersofthetides,.Hvor
Howoftenhaveyousailedinmydreams.Og
Andnowyoucomeinmyawakening,som
whichismydeeperdream.Klar
ReadyamItogo,og
andmyeagernesswithsailsfyldt
fullsetawaitsthewind.Kun
OnlyanotherbreathwillIbreatheindenne
thisstillair,onlyanotherlovinglookcastbackward,.Og
AndthenIshallstandamongyou,en
aseafareramongseafarers.Andyou,vastsea,sleepless
mor
mother,.Whoalonearepeace
og
andfreedomtotheriverog
andthestream,.Onlyanotherwinding
vil
willthisstreammake,onlyanothermurmurindenne
thisglade,.AndthenshallI
komme
cometoyou,aboundlessdroptoaboundlessocean.Og
Andashewalkedheså
sawfromafarmenandwomenforlade
leavingtheirfieldsandtheirvineyardsog
andhasteningtowardsthecitygates.Og
Andheheardtheirvoicescallinghisnavn
name,andshoutingfromfieldtofieldfortælle
tellingoneanotherofthecomingofhisship.Og
Andhesaidtohimself:.Shall
den
thedayofpartingbeden
thedayofgathering?Andshallitbesaid
at
thatmyevewasinsandhed
truthmydawn?AndwhatshallI
give
giveuntohimwhohasefterladt
lefthisploughinmidfurrow,eller
ortohimwhohasstoppedthewheelofhiswinepress?Shallmy
hjerte
heartbecomeatreeheavy-ladenmed
withfruitthatImaygatherog
andgiveuntothem?Andshallmydesiresflow
som
likeafountainthatIkan
mayfilltheircups?AmI
en
aharpthatthehandofden
themightymaytouchme,eller
oraflutethathisbreathkan
maypassthroughme?Aseekerofsilencesam
Jeg
I,andwhattreasurehaveIfundet
foundinsilencesthatIkan
maydispensewithconfidence?If
dette
thisismydayofharvest,inwhatfieldshar
haveIsowedtheseed,og
andinwhatunrememberedseasons?Hvis
Ifthisindeedbethetime
hourinwhichIliftupmylantern,itisnotmyflamethatshallburntherein.Empty
og
anddarkshallIraisemylantern,.Og
Andtheguardianofthenightshallfillitmed
withoilandheshalllightitogså
also.Thesethingshesaidinwords.
Men
Butmuchinhisheartremainedunsaid.Forhehimself
kunne
couldnotspeakhisdeepersecret.Og
Andwhenheenteredintothebyen
cityallthepeoplecametomøde
meethim,andtheywerecryingouttohimasmed
withonevoice.Andtheeldersofthe
byens
citystoodforthandsaid:.Gå
Gonotyetawayfromos
us.Anoontidehaveyoubeeninourtwilight,
og
andyouryouthhasgivenusdreamstodrømme
dream.Nostrangerareyouamong
os
us,noraguest,butoursøn
sonandourdearlybeloved.Suffernotyetoureyestohungerforyour
ansigt
face.Andthepriestsandthepriestesses
sagde
saiduntohim:.Letnot
de
thewavesoftheseaseparateusnu
now,andtheyearsyouhar
havespentinourmidstblive
becomeamemory.Youhavewalkedamongusaspirit,
og
andyourshadowhasbeenalys
lightuponourfaces.Much
har
havewelovedyou.Butspeechlesswasour
kærlighed
love,andwithveilshasitbeenveiled.Men
Yetnowitcriesalouduntoyou,og
andwouldstandrevealedbeforeyou.Og
Andeverhasitbeenat
thatloveknowsnotitsegen
owndepthuntilthehourofseparation.Og
Andotherscamealsoandentreatedham
him.Butheansweredthemnot.
He
kun
onlybenthishead;and
de
thosewhostoodnearsawhistearsfalde
fallinguponhisbreast.Andhe
og
andthepeopleproceededtowardsdet
thegreatsquarebeforethetemple.Og
Andtherecameoutofthesanctuaryen
awomanwhosenamewasAlmitra.Og
Andshewasaseeress.Og
Andhelookeduponhermed
withexceedingtenderness,foritwassheder
whohadfirstsoughtandtroet
believedinhimwhenhehavde
hadbeenbutadayintheirby
city.Andshehailedhim,
sagde
saying:.ProphetofGod,inquestof
det
theuttermost,longhaveyousearcheddet
thedistancesforyourship.Og
Andnowyourshiphaskommet
come,andyoumustneedsgo.Deepisyourlongingforthelandofyourmemories
og
andthedwellingplaceofyourgreaterdesires;og
andourlovewouldnotbindyounorourneedsholde
holdyou.Yetthiswe
beder
askereyouleaveus,thatyoutaler
speaktousandgiveusofyoursandhed
truth.Andwewillgiveituntoour
børn
children,andtheyuntotheirbørn
children,anditshallnotperish.Inyouralonenessyou
har
havewatchedwithourdays,og
andinyourwakefulnessyouhar
havelistenedtotheweepingog
andthelaughterofoursøvn
sleep.Nowthereforediscloseustoourselves,
og
andtellusallthathasbeenshownyouofthatwhichismellem
betweenbirthanddeath.Andhe
svarede
answered,.PeopleofOrphalese,ofwhat
kan
canIspeaksaveofthatwhichisevennu
nowmovingwithinyoursouls?Then
sagde
saidAlmitra,SpeaktousofLove.Og
Andheraisedhisheadog
andlookeduponthepeople,og
andtherefellastillnessupondem
them.Andwithagreatvoicehe
sagde
said:.Whenlovebeckonstoyou,
følg
followhim,.Thoughhiswaysare
hårde
hardandsteep.Andwhenhiswingsenfoldyouyieldto
ham
him,.Thoughtheswordhiddenamonghispinions
kan
maywoundyou.Andwhenhe
taler
speakstoyoubelieveinham
him,.Thoughhisvoicemayshatteryourdreamsasthenorthwindlayswastethegarden.
Forevenas
kærlighed
lovecrownsyousoshallhecrucifyyou.Evenasheisforyourgrowthsoisheforyourpruning.
Selv
Evenasheascendstoyourheightog
andcaressesyourtenderestbranchesder
thatquiverinthesun,.Soshallhedescendtoyourroots
og
andshakethemintheirclingingtothejorden
earth.Likesheavesofcornhegathersyouuntohimself.
Hethreshesyouto
gøre
makeyounaked.Hesiftsyouto
befri
freeyoufromyourhusks.Hegrindsyoutowhiteness.
Hekneadsyou
indtil
untilyouarepliant;.Andthenheassignsyoutohissacred
ild
fire,thatyoumaybecomesacredbreadforGod’ssacredfeast.Alle
Allthesethingsshalllovegøre
dountoyouthatyoukan
mayknowthesecretsofyourhjerte
heart,andinthatknowledgeblive
becomeafragmentofLife’shjerte
heart.Butifinyourfearyou
vil
wouldseekonlylove’speaceog
andlove’spleasure,.Thenitis
bedre
betterforyouthatyoucoveryournakednessog
andpassoutoflove’sthreshing-floor,.Into
den
theseasonlessworldwhereyoushalllaugh,men
butnotallofyourlaughter,og
andweep,butnotallofyourtears.Kærlighed
Lovegivesnaughtbutitselfog
andtakesnaughtbutfromitself.Kærlighed
Lovepossessesnotnorwoulditbepossessed;.For
kærlighed
loveissufficientuntolove.Når
Whenyouloveyoushouldnotsige
say,“Godisinmyheart,”men
butrather,“IamintheheartofGod.”Og
Andthinknotyoucandirectthecourseofkærlighed
love,forlove,ifitfinder
findsyouworthy,directsyourcourse.Kærlighed
Lovehasnootherdesirebuttofulfilitself.Men
Butifyouloveandmå
mustneedshavedesires,letdisse
thesebeyourdesires:.Tomelt
og
andbelikearunningbrookthatsynger
singsitsmelodytothenatten
night.Toknowthepainof
for
toomuchtenderness.Tobewoundedbyyour
egen
ownunderstandingoflove;.Andtobleedwillingly
og
andjoyfully.Towakeatdawn
med
withawingedheartandgivetakke
thanksforanotherdayofloving;.To
hvile
restatthenoonhourog
andmeditatelove’secstacy;.Toreturn
hjem
homeateventidewithgratitude;.Og
Andthentosleepwithen
aprayerforthebelovedinyourhjerte
heartandasongofpraiseuponyourlips.ThenAlmitraspoke
igen
againandsaid,AndwhatofMarriagemaster?Og
Andheansweredsaying:.Youwereborn
sammen
together,andtogetheryoushallbeforevermore.Youshallbe
sammen
togetherwhenthewhitewingsofdeathscatteryourdays.Aye,youshallbe
sammen
togethereveninthesilentmemoryofGuds
God.Butlettherebespacesinyourtogetherness,.
Og
Andletthewindsoftheheavensdanse
dancebetweenyou.Loveoneanother,
men
butmakenotabondofkærlighed
love:.Letitratherbe
et
amovingseabetweentheshoresofyoursouls.Filleachother’scup
men
butdrinknotfromonecup.Giv
Giveoneanotherofyourbreadmen
buteatnotfromthesamme
sameloaf.Singanddance
sammen
togetherandbejoyous,butlad
leteachoneofyoubealene
alone,.Evenasthestringsof
en
alutearealonethoughtheyquivermed
withthesamemusic.Giveyourhearts,
men
butnotintoeachother’skeeping.For
kun
onlythehandofLifekan
cancontainyourhearts.And
stå
standtogetheryetnottoonearsammen
together:.Forthepillarsofthetemple
står
standapart,.Andtheoaktree
og
andthecypressgrownotineachother’sshadow.Og
Andawomanwhoheldababemod
againstherbosomsaid,SpeaktousofChildren.Og
Andhesaid:.Yourchildrenarenotyour
børn
children.Theyarethesons
og
anddaughtersofLife’slongingforitself.They
kommer
comethroughyoubutnotfromyou,.Og
Andthoughtheyarewithyouyettheybelongnottoyou.You
kan
maygivethemyourlovemen
butnotyourthoughts,.Forthey
har
havetheirownthoughts.You
kan
mayhousetheirbodiesbutnottheirsouls,.Fortheirsoulsdwellinthe
hus
houseoftomorrow,whichyoucannotvisit,notengang
eveninyourdreams.You
kan
maystrivetobelikedem
them,butseeknottogøre
makethemlikeyou.Forlife
går
goesnotbackwardnortarriesmed
withyesterday.Youarethebowsfromwhichyour
børn
childrenaslivingarrowsaresentforth.Den
Thearcherseesthemarkuponden
thepathoftheinfinite,og
andHebendsyouwithHiskan
mightthatHisarrowsmaygå
goswiftandfar.LetyourbendingintheArcher’s
hånd
handbeforgladness;.Forevenashe
elsker
lovesthearrowthatflies,soHeelsker
lovesalsothebowthatisstable.Then
sagde
saidarichman,SpeaktousofGiving.Og
Andheanswered:.Yougivebut
lidt
littlewhenyougiveofyourpossessions.Itis
når
whenyougiveofyourselfthatyoutrulygiver
give.Forwhatareyourpossessionsbutthingsyoukeep
og
andguardforfearyoumayneedthemtomorrow?Og
Andtomorrow,whatshalltomorrowbringe
bringtotheoverprudentdogburyingbonesinthetracklesssandashefølger
followsthepilgrimstotheholyby
city?Andwhatisfearof
behov
needbutneeditself?Isnotdreadofthirst
når
whenyourwellisfull,thethirstder
thatisunquenchable?Therearethosewho
giver
givelittleofthemuchwhichtheyhave—andtheygiver
giveitforrecognitionandtheirhiddendesiregør
makestheirgiftsunwholesome.Andthereare
dem
thosewhohavelittleandgiver
giveitall.Theseare
det
thebelieversinlifeanddet
thebountyoflife,andtheircofferisaldrig
neverempty.Therearethosewho
giver
givewithjoy,andthatjoyistheirreward.Og
Andtherearethosewhogiver
givewithpain,andthatpainistheirbaptism.Og
Andtherearethosewhogive
giveandknownotpainingiving,nordotheyseekjoy,norgive
givewithmindfulnessofvirtue;.They
giver
giveasinyondervalleythemyrtlebreathesitsfragranceintospace.Gennem
ThroughthehandsofsuchastheseGud
Godspeaks,andfrombehindtheireyesHesmilesuponthejorden
earth.Itiswellto
give
givewhenasked,butitisbedre
bettertogiveunasked,throughunderstanding;.Og
Andtotheopen-handedthesearchforen
onewhoshallreceiveisjoygreaterend
thangiving.Andisthereaughtyou
vil
wouldwithhold?Allyouhaveshallsome
dag
daybegiven;.Thereforegive
nu
now,thattheseasonofgivingmaybeyoursog
andnotyourinheritors’.Youoften
siger
say,“Iwouldgive,butkun
onlytothedeserving.”Thetreesinyourorchard
siger
saynotso,northeflocksinyourpasture.They
giver
givethattheymaylive,fortowithholdistoperish.Surelyhe
der
whoisworthytoreceivehisdaysog
andhisnights,isworthyofalt
allelsefromyou.Andhe
der
whohasdeservedtodrinkfromtheoceanoflifedeservestofillhiscupfromyourlille
littlestream.Andwhatdesertgreatershalltherebe,
end
thanthatwhichliesinden
thecourageandtheconfidence,nayden
thecharity,ofreceiving?And
hvem
whoareyouthatmenskulle
shouldrendtheirbosomandunveiltheirpride,at
thatyoumayseetheirworthnakedog
andtheirprideunabashed?See
først
firstthatyouyourselfdeservetobeagiver,og
andaninstrumentofgiving.Forin
sandhed
truthitislifethatgiver
givesuntolife—whileyou,whodeemyourselfagiver,arebutawitness.Og
Andyoureceivers—andyouarealle
allreceivers—assumenoweightofgratitude,lestyoulayet
ayokeuponyourselfanduponhimder
whogives.Ratherrisetogether
med
withthegiveronhisgiftsasonwings;.Fortobeovermindfulofyourdebt,isitodoubthisgenerosity
der
whohasthefreeheartedearthformor
mother,andGodforfather.Thenan
gammel
oldman,akeeperofaninn,sagde
said,SpeaktousofEatingog
andDrinking.