THEBOOKSOFKAHLILGIBRAN
TheMadman.
1918TwentyDrawings.
1919
Il
TheForerunner.1920TheProphet.
1923Sand
e
andFoam.1926Jesusthe
Figlio
SonofMan.1928TheForthGods.
1931
Il
TheWanderer.1932TheGardenof
il
theProphet1933ProsePoems.1934NymphsoftheValley.
Il
THEPROPHETAlmustafa,thechosen
e
andthebeloved,whowasun
adawnuntohisowngiorno
day,hadwaitedtwelveyearsinla
thecityofOrphaleseforhisshipthatwastotornare
returnandbearhimbacktola
theisleofhisbirth.E
Andinthetwelfthyear,onil
theseventhdayofIelool,il
themonthofreaping,heclimbedil
thehillwithoutthecitywallse
andlookedseaward;andhebeheldhisship
venire
comingwiththemist.Thenthegatesofhis
cuore
heartwereflungopen,andhisjoyflewlontano
faroverthesea.Andhe
chiuse
closedhiseyesandprayedinthesilencesofhissoul.Ma
Butashedescendedthehill,una
asadnesscameuponhim,e
andhethoughtinhiscuore
heart:.HowshallIgoinpeace
e
andwithoutsorrow?Nay,not
senza
withoutawoundinthespiritshallIlascerò
leavethiscity.LongwerethedaysofpainI
ho
havespentwithinitswalls,e
andlongwerethenightsofaloneness;e
andwhocandepartfromhispaine
andhisalonenesswithoutregret?Toomanyfragmentsof
i
thespirithaveIscatteredinthesestreets,e
andtoomanyarethefigli
childrenofmylongingthatcamminano
walknakedamongthesehills,e
andIcannotwithdrawfromthemsenza
withoutaburdenandanache.ItisnotagarmentIcast
via
offthisday,butaskinche
thatItearwithmyownhands.Norisit
un
athoughtIleavebehindme
me,butaheartmadedolce
sweetwithhungerandwiththirst.YetIcannottarrylonger.
Thesea
che
thatcallsallthingsuntoherchiama
callsme,andImustembark.Fortostay,
anche se
thoughthehoursburninle
thenight,istofreezee
andcrystallizeandbeboundinamould.Fain
vorrei
wouldItakewithmetutto
allthatishere.But
come
howshallI?Avoicecannotcarrythetongue
e
andthelipsthatgaveitwings.Solo
Alonemustitseektheether.E
Andaloneandwithouthisnestshallil
theeagleflyacrossthesun.Now
quando
whenhereachedthefootofthehill,heturneddi nuovo
againtowardsthesea,andhevide
sawhisshipapproachingtheharbour,e
anduponherprowthemariners,themenofhisownland.E
Andhissoulcriedouttoloro
them,andhesaid:.Sonsofmyancient
madre
mother,youridersofthetides,.Howoften
hai
haveyousailedinmydreams.E
Andnowyoucomeinmyawakening,che
whichismydeeperdream.Pronto
ReadyamItogo,e
andmyeagernesswithsailsfullsetawaitsthewind.Solo
OnlyanotherbreathwillIbreatheinquesta
thisstillair,onlyanotherlovingsguardo
lookcastbackward,.AndthenIshallstandamongyou,
un
aseafareramongseafarers.Andyou,vastsea,sleepless
madre
mother,.Whoalonearepeace
e
andfreedomtotherivere
andthestream,.Onlyanotherwindingwillthisstream
farà
make,onlyanothermurmurinthisglade,.E
AndthenshallIcometoyou,aboundlessdroptoaboundlessocean.E
Andashewalkedhevide
sawfromafarmenandwomenlasciavano
leavingtheirfieldsandtheirvineyardse
andhasteningtowardsthecitygates.E
Andheheardtheirvoiceschiamavano
callinghisname,andshoutingfromfieldtofielddicendo
tellingoneanotherofthecomingofhisship.E
Andhesaidtohimself:.Shall
il
thedayofpartingbeil
thedayofgathering?Andshallitbe
dirà
saidthatmyevewasinverità
truthmydawn?AndwhatshallI
darò
giveuntohimwhohaslasciato
lefthisploughinmidfurrow,o
ortohimwhohasfermato
stoppedthewheelofhiswinepress?Shallmy
cuore
heartbecomeatreeheavy-ladendi
withfruitthatImaygathere
andgiveuntothem?Andshallmydesiresflow
come
likeafountainthatImayfilltheircups?AmI
un
aharpthatthehandofthemightymaytocchi
touchme,orafluteche
thathisbreathmaypassattraverso
throughme?Aseekerofsilencesam
Ho
I,andwhattreasurehaveItrovato
foundinsilencesthatImaydispensewithconfidence?Se
Ifthisismydayofharvest,inwhatfieldsho
haveIsowedtheseed,e
andinwhatunrememberedseasons?Se
IfthisindeedbethehourinwhichIliftupmylantern,itisnotmyflamethatshallburntherein.Empty
e
anddarkshallIraisemylantern,.E
Andtheguardianofthenotte
nightshallfillitwithoile
andheshalllightitalso.Thesethingshe
detto
saidinwords.Butmuchinhis
cuore
heartremainedunsaid.Forhehimselfcouldnotspeakhisdeepersecret.
E
Andwhenheenteredintoil
thecityallthepeoplevenne
cametomeethim,andtheywerecryingouttohimaswithuna
onevoice.Andtheeldersofthe
città
citystoodforthandsaid:.Gonot
ancora
yetawayfromus.Anoontide
ha
haveyoubeeninourtwilight,e
andyouryouthhasgivenusdreamstodream.Non
Nostrangerareyouamongus,norun
aguest,butoursone
andourdearlybeloved.Suffernot
ancora
yetoureyestohungerforyourface.E
Andthepriestsandthepriestessesdissero
saiduntohim:.Letnot
le
thewavesoftheseaseparateusora
now,andtheyearsyouavete
havespentinourmidstdiventino
becomeamemory.Youhave
camminato
walkedamongusaspirit,e
andyourshadowhasbeenuna
alightuponourfaces.Much
abbiamo
havewelovedyou.Butspeechlesswasour
amore
love,andwithveilshasitbeenveiled.Yet
ora
nowitcriesalouduntoyou,e
andwouldstandrevealedbeforeyou.E
Andeverhasitbeenche
thatloveknowsnotitsowndepthuntilthehourofseparation.E
Andotherscamealsoandentreatedlo
him.Butheansweredthemnot.
He
solo
onlybenthishead;andthose
che
whostoodnearsawhistearscadere
fallinguponhisbreast.Andhe
e
andthepeopleproceededtowardsthegrande
greatsquarebeforethetemple.E
Andtherecameoutofthesanctuaryuna
awomanwhosenamewasAlmitra.E
Andshewasaseeress.E
Andhelookeduponherwithexceedingtenderness,foritwassheche
whohadfirstsoughtandcreduto
believedinhimwhenheaveva
hadbeenbutadayintheircittà
city.Andshehailedhim,
dicendo
saying:.ProphetofGod,inquestoftheuttermost,
lungo
longhaveyousearchedthedistancesforyourship.E
Andnowyourshiphascome,e
andyoumustneedsgo.Deepisyourlongingforthelandofyourmemories
e
andthedwellingplaceofyourgreaterdesires;e
andourlovewouldnotbindyounorourneedstrattenuto
holdyou.Yetthiswe
chiediamo
askereyouleaveus,che
thatyouspeaktouse
andgiveusofyourverità
truth.Andwewillgiveituntoour
figli
children,andtheyuntotheirfigli
children,anditshallnotperish.Inyouralonenessyou
hai
havewatchedwithourdays,e
andinyourwakefulnessyouhai
havelistenedtotheweepinge
andthelaughterofoursonno
sleep.Nowthereforediscloseustoourselves,
e
andtellusallthathasbeenshownyouofthatwhichistra
betweenbirthanddeath.Andhe
rispose
answered,.PeopleofOrphalese,ofwhatcanI
parlare
speaksaveofthatwhichisevenora
nowmovingwithinyoursouls?Then
disse
saidAlmitra,SpeaktousofLove.E
Andheraisedhisheade
andlookeduponthepeople,e
andtherefellastillnessuponloro
them.Andwithagreatvoicehe
disse
said:.Whenlovebeckonstoyou,followhim,.
Anche se
Thoughhiswaysareharde
andsteep.Andwhenhiswingsenfoldyouyieldto
lui
him,.Thoughtheswordhiddenamonghispinionsmaywoundyou.
E
Andwhenhespeakstoyoucredete
believeinhim,.Thoughhisvoicemayshatteryourdreamsasthenorthwindlayswastethegarden.
Forevenaslovecrownsyousoshallhecrucifyyou.
Evenasheisforyourgrowthsoisheforyourpruning.
Evenasheascendstoyourheight
e
andcaressesyourtenderestbranchesche
thatquiverinthesun,.Soshallhedescendtoyourroots
e
andshakethemintheirclingingtole
theearth.Likesheavesofcornhegathersyouuntohimself.
Hethreshesyoutomakeyounaked.
Hesiftsyoutofreeyoufromyourhusks.
Hegrindsyoutowhiteness.
Hekneadsyouuntilyouarepliant;.
E
Andthenheassignsyoutohissacredfuoco
fire,thatyoumaybecomesacredbreadforGod’ssacredfeast.Tutte
Allthesethingsshalllovefarà
dountoyouthatyoumayknowi
thesecretsofyourheart,e
andinthatknowledgebecomeun
afragmentofLife’sheart.Ma
Butifinyourfearyouwouldseeksolo
onlylove’speaceandlove’spleasure,.Thenitis
meglio
betterforyouthatyoucoveryournakednesse
andpassoutoflove’sthreshing-floor,.Into
le
theseasonlessworldwhereyoushalllaugh,ma
butnotallofyourlaughter,e
andweep,butnotallofyourtears.Love
dà
givesnaughtbutitselfandprende
takesnaughtbutfromitself.Lovepossessesnotnorwoulditbepossessed;.
Forloveissufficientuntolove.
Quando
Whenyouloveyoushouldnotdire
say,“Godisinmyheart,”ma
butrather,“Iaminthecuore
heartofGod.”Andthinknotyoucandirect
il
thecourseoflove,forlove,se
ifitfindsyouworthy,directsyourcorso
course.Lovehasnootherdesirebuttofulfilitself.
Ma
Butifyouloveanddovete
mustneedshavedesires,letthesebeyourdesires:.Tomeltandbe
come
likearunningbrookthatsingsitsmelodytola
thenight.Toknowthepainoftoomuchtenderness.
Tobewoundedbyyourownunderstandingoflove;.
E
Andtobleedwillinglyandjoyfully.To
svegliarsi
wakeatdawnwithawingedcuore
heartandgivethanksforanothergiorno
dayofloving;.Torestatthenoonhour
e
andmeditatelove’secstacy;.To
tornare
returnhomeateventidewithgratitude;.E
Andthentosleepwithuna
aprayerforthebelovedinyourcuore
heartandasongofpraiseuponyourlips.ThenAlmitra
parlò
spokeagainandsaid,AndwhatofMarriagemaestro
master?Andheansweredsaying:.
Youwereborn
insieme
together,andtogetheryoushallbeforevermore.Youshallbe
insieme
togetherwhenthewhitewingsofmorte
deathscatteryourdays.Aye,youshallbe
insieme
togethereveninthesilentmemoryofDio
God.Butlettherebespacesinyourtogetherness,.
E
Andletthewindsofi
theheavensdancebetweenyou.Amore
Loveoneanother,butmakenotabondofamore
love:.Letitratherbe
un
amovingseabetweentheshoresofyoursouls.Filleachother’scup
ma
butdrinknotfromonecup.Giveoneanotherofyourbread
ma
buteatnotfromthestesso
sameloaf.Singanddance
insieme
togetherandbejoyous,butlasciate
leteachoneofyoubesolo
alone,.Evenasthestringsof
un
alutearealonethoughtheyquiverwiththesamemusica
music.Giveyourhearts,butnotintoeachother’skeeping.
For
solo
onlythehandofLifecancontainyourhearts.E
Andstandtogetheryetnottoonearinsieme
together:.Forthepillarsof
le
thetemplestandapart,.Andtheoaktree
e
andthecypressgrownotineachother’sshadow.E
Andawomanwhoheldababeagainstherbosomdisse
said,SpeaktousofChildren.E
Andhesaid:.Yourchildrenarenotyour
figli
children.Theyarethesons
e
anddaughtersofLife’slongingforitself.They
vengono
comethroughyoubutnotfromyou,.E
Andthoughtheyarewithyouyettheybelongnottoyou.Youmaygivethemyour
amore
lovebutnotyourthoughts,.Forthey
hanno
havetheirownthoughts.Youmayhousetheirbodies
ma
butnottheirsouls,.Fortheirsoulsdwellin
le
thehouseoftomorrow,whichyoucannotvisit,notnemmeno
eveninyourdreams.Youmaystrivetobelike
loro
them,butseeknottomakethemlikeyou.For
vita
lifegoesnotbackwardnortarrieswithyesterday.Youare
i
thebowsfromwhichyourfigli
childrenaslivingarrowsaresentforth.Thearcher
vede
seesthemarkuponthepathoftheinfinite,e
andHebendsyouwithHispossano
mightthatHisarrowsmayandare
goswiftandfar.Letyourbendingin
la
theArcher’shandbeforgladness;.Forevenashe
ama
lovesthearrowthatflies,soHeama
lovesalsothebowthatisstable.Then
disse
saidarichman,SpeaktousofGiving.E
Andheanswered:.Yougivebut
poco
littlewhenyougiveofyourpossessions.Itis
quando
whenyougiveofyourselfche
thatyoutrulygive.Forwhatareyourpossessionsbutthingsyou
conservate
keepandguardforfearyoumaybisogno
needthemtomorrow?Andtomorrow,whatshall
domani
tomorrowbringtotheoverprudentcane
dogburyingbonesinthetracklesssandashesegue
followsthepilgrimstotheholycittà
city?Andwhatisfearof
bisogno
needbutneeditself?Isnotdreadofthirst
quando
whenyourwellisfull,thethirstche
thatisunquenchable?Therearethosewhogive
poco
littleofthemuchwhichtheyhave—andtheygiveitforrecognitione
andtheirhiddendesiremakestheirgiftsunwholesome.E
Andtherearethosewhohanno
havelittleandgiveittutto
all.Thesearethebelieversin
vita
lifeandthebountyofvita
life,andtheircofferisneverempty.Ci
Therearethosewhogivewithjoy,e
andthatjoyistheirreward.E
Andtherearethosewhogivewithpain,e
andthatpainistheirbaptism.E
Andtherearethosewhodare
giveandknownotpainindare
giving,nordotheyseekjoy,nordare
givewithmindfulnessofvirtue;.Theygiveasinyondervalleythemyrtlebreathesitsfragranceintospace.
Attraverso
ThroughthehandsofsuchastheseDio
Godspeaks,andfrombehindtheireyesHesmilesupontheterra
earth.Itiswellto
dare
givewhenasked,butitismeglio
bettertogiveunasked,throughunderstanding;.E
Andtotheopen-handedthesearchforuna
onewhoshallreceiveisjoygreaterthandare
giving.Andisthereaughtyou
vorresti
wouldwithhold?Allyouhaveshallsome
giorno
daybegiven;.Thereforegive
ora
now,thattheseasonofgivingmaybeyourse
andnotyourinheritors’.Youoften
dici
say,“Iwouldgive,butsolo
onlytothedeserving.”Thetreesinyourorchard
dicono
saynotso,northeflocksinyourpasture.Theygivethattheymay
vivere
live,fortowithholdistoperish.Surelyhe
che
whoisworthytoreceivehisdayse
andhisnights,isworthyoftutto
allelsefromyou.Andhe
chi
whohasdeservedtodrinkfromla
theoceanoflifedeservestofillhiscupfromyourpiccolo
littlestream.Andwhatdesertgreatershall
ci
therebe,thanthatwhichliesinla
thecourageandtheconfidence,nayla
thecharity,ofreceiving?Andwhoareyouthatmenshouldrendtheirbosom
e
andunveiltheirpride,thatyoumayvedere
seetheirworthnakedandtheirprideunabashed?Vedi
Seefirstthatyouyourselfdeservetobeagiver,e
andaninstrumentofgiving.Forin
verità
truthitislifethatdà
givesuntolife—whileyou,whodeemyourselfun
agiver,arebutawitness.E
Andyoureceivers—andyouaretutti
allreceivers—assumenoweightofgratitude,lestyoulayun
ayokeuponyourselfanduponhimche
whogives.Ratherrisetogetherwiththegiveronhisgiftsasonwings;.
Fortobeovermindfulofyourdebt,isitodoubthisgenerosity
che
whohasthefreeheartedearthformadre
mother,andGodforfather.Thenan
vecchio
oldman,akeeperofaninn,disse
said,SpeaktousofMangiare
EatingandDrinking.