THEBOOKSOFKAHLILGIBRAN
Den
TheMadman.1918TwentyDrawings.
1919TheForerunner.
1920TheProphet.
1923Sand
og
andFoam.1926JesustheSonofMan.
1928TheForthGods.
1931TheWanderer.
1932TheGardenoftheProphet1933ProsePoems.
1934NymphsoftheValley.
THEPROPHET
Almustafa,
den
thechosenandthebeloved,whowasen
adawnuntohisowndag
day,hadwaitedtwelveyearsinden
thecityofOrphaleseforhisshipthatwastoreturnog
andbearhimbacktoden
theisleofhisbirth.Og
Andinthetwelfthyear,onden
theseventhdayofIelool,den
themonthofreaping,heclimbedden
thehillwithoutthecitywallsog
andlookedseaward;andhebeheldhisship
komme
comingwiththemist.Thenthegatesofhis
hjerte
heartwereflungopen,andhisjoyflewlangt
faroverthesea.Andhe
lukket
closedhiseyesandprayedinthesilencesofhissoul.Men
Butashedescendedthehill,en
asadnesscameuponhim,og
andhethoughtinhishjerte
heart:.HowshallIgoinpeace
og
andwithoutsorrow?Nay,not
uten
withoutawoundinthespiritshallIforlate
leavethiscity.LongwerethedaysofpainI
har
havespentwithinitswalls,og
andlongwerethenightsofaloneness;og
andwhocandepartfromhispainog
andhisalonenesswithoutregret?For
Toomanyfragmentsofthespirithar
haveIscatteredinthesestreets,og
andtoomanyarethebarna
childrenofmylongingthatgår
walknakedamongthesehills,og
andIcannotwithdrawfromthemuten
withoutaburdenandanache.Itisnot
et
agarmentIcastoffthisdag
day,butaskinthatItearmed
withmyownhands.NorisitathoughtI
forlater
leavebehindme,butahjerte
heartmadesweetwithhungerog
andwiththirst.YetIcannottarrylonger.
Thesea
som
thatcallsallthingsuntoherkaller
callsme,andImustembark.Fortostay,
om
thoughthehoursburninthenatten
night,istofreezeandcrystallizeog
andbeboundinamould.Fain
ville
wouldItakewithmealt
allthatishere.But
hvordan
howshallI?Avoicecannotcarrythetongue
og
andthelipsthatgaveitwings.Alene
Alonemustitseektheether.Og
Andaloneandwithouthisnestshalltheeagleflyacrossthesun.Now
da
whenhereachedthefootofden
thehill,heturnedagaintowardsden
thesea,andhesawhisshipapproachingden
theharbour,anduponherprowden
themariners,themenofhiseget
ownland.Andhissoulcriedoutto
dem
them,andhesaid:.Sonsofmyancient
mor
mother,youridersofthetides,.Hvor
Howoftenhaveyousailedinmydreams.Og
Andnowyoucomeinmyawakening,som
whichismydeeperdream.Klar
ReadyamItogo,og
andmyeagernesswithsailsfull
fullsetawaitsthewind.Bare
OnlyanotherbreathwillIbreatheindenne
thisstillair,onlyanotherlovingblikk
lookcastbackward,.AndthenIshall
stå
standamongyou,aseafareramongseafarers.Og
Andyou,vastsea,sleeplessmor
mother,.Whoalonearepeace
og
andfreedomtotheriverog
andthestream,.Onlyanotherwinding
vil
willthisstreammake,onlyanothermurmurindenne
thisglade,.AndthenshallI
komme
cometoyou,aboundlessdroptoaboundlessocean.Og
Andashewalkedheså
sawfromafarmenandwomenforlot
leavingtheirfieldsandtheirvineyardsog
andhasteningtowardsthecitygates.Og
Andheheardtheirvoicescallinghisnavn
name,andshoutingfromfieldtofieldfortalte
tellingoneanotherofthekom
comingofhisship.Andhe
sa
saidtohimself:.Shallthe
dagen
dayofpartingbethedagen
dayofgathering?Andshallitbesaidthatmyevewasin
sannhet
truthmydawn?AndwhatshallI
gi
giveuntohimwhohaslefthisploughinmidfurrow,eller
ortohimwhohasstoppedden
thewheelofhiswinepress?Shallmy
hjerte
heartbecomeatreeheavy-ladenmed
withfruitthatImaygatherog
andgiveuntothem?Andshallmydesiresflowlike
en
afountainthatImayfilltheircups?AmI
en
aharpthatthehandofden
themightymaytouchme,eller
oraflutethathisbreathkan
maypassthroughme?Aseekerofsilencesam
Jeg
I,andwhattreasurehaveIfunnet
foundinsilencesthatIkan
maydispensewithconfidence?If
dette
thisismydayofharvest,inwhatfieldshar
haveIsowedtheseed,og
andinwhatunrememberedseasons?Hvis
IfthisindeedbethehourinwhichIliftupmylantern,itisnotmyflamethatshallburntherein.Empty
og
anddarkshallIraisemylantern,.Og
Andtheguardianofthenightshallfillitmed
withoilandheshalllightitogså
also.Thesethingshesaidinwords.
Men
Butmuchinhisheartremainedunsaid.Forhehimself
kunne
couldnotspeakhisdeepersecret.Og
Andwhenheenteredintothebyen
cityallthepeoplecametomøte
meethim,andtheywerecryingouttohimasmed
withonevoice.Andtheeldersof
de
thecitystoodforthandsa
said:.Gonotyetawayfrom
oss
us.Anoontidehaveyoubeeninourtwilight,
og
andyouryouthhasgivenusdreamstodrømme
dream.Nostrangerareyouamong
oss
us,noraguest,butoursønn
sonandourdearlybeloved.Suffernot
ennå
yetoureyestohungerforyouransikt
face.Andthepriestsandthepriestesses
sa
saiduntohim:.Letnotthewavesoftheseaseparateus
nå
now,andtheyearsyouhar
havespentinourmidstbli
becomeamemory.Youhavewalkedamongusaspirit,
og
andyourshadowhasbeenalys
lightuponourfaces.Much
har
havewelovedyou.Butspeechlesswasour
kjærlighet
love,andwithveilshasitbeenveiled.Men
Yetnowitcriesalouduntoyou,og
andwouldstandrevealedbeforeyou.Og
Andeverhasitbeenthatlovekjenner
knowsnotitsowndepthfør
untilthehourofseparation.Og
Andotherscamealsoandentreatedham
him.Butheansweredthemnot.
He
bare
onlybenthishead;and
de
thosewhostoodnearsawhistearsfalle
fallinguponhisbreast.Andhe
og
andthepeopleproceededtowardsthestore
greatsquarebeforethetemple.Og
Andtherecameoutofthesanctuaryen
awomanwhosenamewasAlmitra.Og
Andshewasaseeress.Og
Andhelookeduponhermed
withexceedingtenderness,foritwasshesom
whohadfirstsoughtandtrodd
believedinhimwhenhehadde
hadbeenbutadayintheirby
city.Andshehailedhim,
sa
saying:.ProphetofGod,inquestoftheuttermost,
lenge
longhaveyousearchedthedistancesforyourship.Og
Andnowyourshiphaskommet
come,andyoumustneedsgå
go.Deepisyourlongingforthelandofyourmemories
og
andthedwellingplaceofyourgreaterdesires;og
andourlovewouldnotbindyounorourneedsholde
holdyou.Yetthiswe
ber
askereyouleaveus,at
thatyouspeaktousog
andgiveusofyoursannhet
truth.Andwewillgiveituntoour
barn
children,andtheyuntotheirbarn
children,anditshallnotperish.Inyouralonenessyou
har
havewatchedwithourdays,og
andinyourwakefulnessyouhar
havelistenedtotheweepingog
andthelaughterofoursøvn
sleep.Nowthereforediscloseustoourselves,
og
andtellusallthathar
hasbeenshownyouofthatwhichismellom
betweenbirthanddeath.Andhe
svarte
answered,.PeopleofOrphalese,ofwhat
kan
canIspeaksaveofthatwhichisselv
evennowmovingwithinyoursouls?Then
sa
saidAlmitra,SpeaktousofKjærlighet
Love.Andheraisedhis
hodet
headandlookeduponthepeople,og
andtherefellastillnessupondem
them.Andwithagreatvoicehe
sa
said:.Whenlovebeckonstoyou,
følg
followhim,.Thoughhiswaysare
harde
hardandsteep.Andwhenhiswingsenfoldyouyieldto
ham
him,.Thoughtheswordhiddenamonghispinions
kan
maywoundyou.Andwhenhe
snakker
speakstoyoubelieveinham
him,.Thoughhisvoicemayshatteryourdreamsasthenorthwindlayswastethegarden.
Forevenaslovecrownsyousoshallhecrucifyyou.
Evenasheisforyourgrowthsoisheforyourpruning.
Selv
Evenasheascendstoyourheightog
andcaressesyourtenderestbranchesthatquiverinthesun,.Soshallhedescendtoyourroots
og
andshakethemintheirclingingtothejorden
earth.Likesheavesofcornhegathersyouuntohimself.
Hethreshesyouto
gjøre
makeyounaked.Hesiftsyoutofreeyoufromyourhusks.
Hegrindsyoutowhiteness.
Hekneadsyou
til
untilyouarepliant;.Andthenheassignsyoutohissacred
ild
fire,thatyoumaybecomesacredbreadforGod’ssacredfeast.Alle
Allthesethingsshalllovegjøre
dountoyouthatyoukan
mayknowthesecretsofyourhjerte
heart,andinthatknowledgebli
becomeafragmentofLife’shjerte
heart.Butifinyourfearyou
vil
wouldseekonlylove’speaceog
andlove’spleasure,.Thenitis
bedre
betterforyouthatyoucoveryournakednessog
andpassoutoflove’sthreshing-floor,.Into
den
theseasonlessworldwhereyoushalllaugh,men
butnotallofyourlaughter,og
andweep,butnotallofyourtears.Kjærlighet
Lovegivesnaughtbutitselfog
andtakesnaughtbutfromitself.Kjærlighet
Lovepossessesnotnorwoulditbepossessed;.For
kjærlighet
loveissufficientuntolove.Når
Whenyouloveyoushouldnotsi
say,“Godisinmyheart,”men
butrather,“IamintheheartofGod.”Og
Andthinknotyoucandirectthekurs
courseoflove,forlove,hvis
ifitfindsyouworthy,directsyourkurs
course.Lovehasnootherdesirebuttofulfilitself.
Men
Butifyouloveandmustneedshavedesires,la
letthesebeyourdesires:.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
aprayerforthebelovedinyourhjertet
heartandasongofpraiseuponyourlips.ThenAlmitraspoke
igjen
againandsaid,AndwhatofMarriagemester
master?Andheansweredsaying:.
Youwereborn
sammen
together,andtogetheryoushallbeforevermore.Youshallbe
sammen
togetherwhenthewhitewingsofdeathscatteryourdays.Aye,youshallbe
sammen
togethereveninthesilentmemoryofGud
God.Butlettherebespacesinyourtogetherness,.
Og
Andletthewindsoftheheavensdanse
dancebetweenyou.Loveoneanother,
men
butmakenotabondofkjærlighet
love:.Letitratherbe
et
amovingseabetweentheshoresofyoursouls.Filleachother’scup
men
butdrinknotfromonecup.Gi
Giveoneanotherofyourbreadmen
buteatnotfromthesamme
sameloaf.Singanddance
sammen
togetherandbejoyous,butla
leteachoneofyoubealene
alone,.Evenasthestringsof
en
alutearealonethoughtheyquivermed
withthesamemusic.Giveyourhearts,
men
butnotintoeachother’skeeping.For
bare
onlythehandofLifekan
cancontainyourhearts.And
stå
standtogetheryetnottoonearsammen
together:.Forthepillarsofthetemple
står
standapart,.Andtheoaktree
og
andthecypressgrownotineachother’sshadow.Og
Andawomanwhoheldababemot
againstherbosomsaid,SpeaktousofBarn
Children.Andhesaid:.
Your
barn
childrenarenotyourchildren.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,butseeknottogjøre
makethemlikeyou.For
livet
lifegoesnotbackwardnortarriesmed
withyesterday.Youarethebowsfromwhichyour
barn
childrenaslivingarrowsaresendt
sentforth.Thearcherseesthemarkuponthepathoftheinfinite,
og
andHebendsyouwithHiskan
mightthatHisarrowsmaygå
goswiftandfar.LetyourbendingintheArcher’s
hånd
handbeforgladness;.Forevenashe
elsker
lovesthearrowthatflies,soHeelsker
lovesalsothebowthatisstable.Then
sa
saidarichman,SpeaktousofGi
Giving.Andheanswered:.
You
gir
givebutlittlewhenyougir
giveofyourpossessions.Itis
når
whenyougiveofyourselfthatyoutrulygir
give.Forwhatareyourpossessions
men
butthingsyoukeepandguardforfearyoukan
mayneedthemtomorrow?Andtomorrow,whatshalltomorrow
bringe
bringtotheoverprudentdogburyingbonesinden
thetracklesssandashefølger
followsthepilgrimstotheholybyen
city?Andwhatisfearof
behov
needbutneeditself?Isnotdreadofthirst
når
whenyourwellisfull,thethirstsom
thatisunquenchable?Therearethosewho
gir
givelittleofthemuchwhichtheyhave—andtheygir
giveitforrecognitionandtheirhiddendesiregjør
makestheirgiftsunwholesome.Andthereare
de
thosewhohavelittleandgir
giveitall.Theseare
de
thebelieversinlifeandde
thebountyoflife,andtheircofferisaldri
neverempty.Therearethosewho
gir
givewithjoy,andthatjoyistheirreward.Og
Andtherearethosewhogir
givewithpain,andthatpainistheirbaptism.Og
Andtherearethosewhogiveog
andknownotpainingiving,nordotheyseekjoy,norgivemed
withmindfulnessofvirtue;.They
gir
giveasinyondervalleythemyrtlebreathesitsfragranceintospace.Gjennom
Throughthehandsofsuchasdisse
theseGodspeaks,andfrombak
behindtheireyesHesmilesuponthejorden
earth.Itiswellto
gi
givewhenasked,butitisbedre
bettertogiveunasked,throughunderstanding;.Og
Andtotheopen-handedthesearchforen
onewhoshallreceiveisjoygreaterenn
thangiving.Andisthereaughtyou
vil
wouldwithhold?Allyouhaveshallsome
dag
daybegiven;.Thereforegive
nå
now,thattheseasonofgi
givingmaybeyoursandnotyourinheritors’.Youoften
sier
say,“Iwouldgive,butbare
onlytothedeserving.”Thetreesinyourorchard
sier
saynotso,northeflocksinyourpasture.They
gir
givethattheymaylive,fortowithholdistoperish.Surelyhe
som
whoisworthytoreceivehisdaysog
andhisnights,isworthyofalt
allelsefromyou.Andhe
som
whohasdeservedtodrinkfromtheoceanoflifedeservestofillhiscupfromyourlille
littlestream.Andwhatdesertgreatershalltherebe,
enn
thanthatwhichliesinthecourageog
andtheconfidence,naythecharity,ofreceiving?Og
Andwhoareyouthatmenskal
shouldrendtheirbosomandunveiltheirpride,at
thatyoumayseetheirworthnakedog
andtheirprideunabashed?See
først
firstthatyouyourselfdeservetobeagiver,og
andaninstrumentofgiving.Forin
sannhet
truthitislifethatgir
givesuntolife—whileyou,whodeemyourselfagiver,arebutawitness.Og
Andyoureceivers—andyouarealle
allreceivers—assumenoweightofgratitude,lestyoulayet
ayokeuponyourselfanduponhimsom
whogives.Ratherrisetogether
med
withthegiveronhisgiftsasonwings;.Fortobeovermindfulofyourdebt,isitodoubthisgenerosity
som
whohasthefreeheartedearthformor
mother,andGodforfather.Thenan
gammel
oldman,akeeperofaninn,sa
said,SpeaktousofSpise
EatingandDrinking.