THEBOOKSOFKAHLILGIBRAN
Den
TheMadman.1918TwentyDrawings.
1919TheForerunner.
1920TheProphet.
1923Sand
och
andFoam.1926Jesusthe
Son
SonofMan.1928TheForthGods.
1931TheWanderer.
1932TheGardenoftheProphet1933ProsePoems.
1934NymphsoftheValley.
THEPROPHET
Almustafa,
den
thechosenandthebeloved,whowasen
adawnuntohisowndag
day,hadwaitedtwelveyearsinden
thecityofOrphaleseforhisshipthatwastoåtervända
returnandbearhimbacktoden
theisleofhisbirth.Och
Andinthetwelfthyear,ontheseventhdagen
dayofIelool,themonthofreaping,heclimbedthehillwithoutthecitywallsoch
andlookedseaward;andhebeheldhisship
komma
comingwiththemist.Thenthegatesofhis
hjärta
heartwereflungopen,andhisjoyflewlångt
faroverthesea.Andhe
stängde
closedhiseyesandprayedinthesilencesofhissoul.Men
Butashedescendedthehill,en
asadnesscameuponhim,och
andhethoughtinhishjärta
heart:.HowshallIgoinpeace
och
andwithoutsorrow?Nay,not
utan
withoutawoundinthespiritshallIlämna
leavethiscity.Longwere
de
thedaysofpainIhar
havespentwithinitswalls,och
andlongwerethenightsofaloneness;och
andwhocandepartfromhispainoch
andhisalonenesswithoutregret?För
ToomanyfragmentsofthespirithaveIscatteredindessa
thesestreets,andtoomanyarethebarn
childrenofmylongingthatgår
walknakedamongthesehills,och
andIcannotwithdrawfromthemutan
withoutaburdenandanache.ItisnotagarmentIcast
av
offthisday,butaskinsom
thatItearwithmyegna
ownhands.NorisitathoughtI
lämnar
leavebehindme,butahjärta
heartmadesweetwithhungeroch
andwiththirst.YetIcannottarrylonger.
Thesea
som
thatcallsallthingsuntoherkallar
callsme,andImustembark.Forto
stanna
stay,thoughthehoursburninthenatten
night,istofreezeandcrystallizeoch
andbeboundinamould.FainwouldI
ta
takewithmeallthatishär
here.ButhowshallI?
En
Avoicecannotcarrythetongueoch
andthelipsthatgaveitwings.Ensam
Alonemustitseektheether.Och
Andaloneandwithouthisnestshalltheeagleflyacrossthesun.Now
när
whenhereachedthefootofthehill,hevände
turnedagaintowardsthesea,och
andhesawhisshipapproachingtheharbour,och
anduponherprowthemariners,themenofhiseget
ownland.Andhissoulcriedoutto
dem
them,andhesaid:.Sonsofmyancient
mor
mother,youridersofthetides,.Hur
Howoftenhaveyousailedinmydreams.Och
Andnowyoucomeinmyawakening,som
whichismydeeperdream.Redo
ReadyamItogo,och
andmyeagernesswithsailsfullsetawaitsthewind.Bara
OnlyanotherbreathwillIbreatheindenna
thisstillair,onlyanotherlovinglookcastbackward,.Och
AndthenIshallstandamongyou,en
aseafareramongseafarers.Andyou,vastsea,sleepless
mor
mother,.Whoalonearepeace
och
andfreedomtotheriveroch
andthestream,.Onlyanotherwinding
kommer
willthisstreammake,onlyanothermurmurindenna
thisglade,.AndthenshallI
kommer
cometoyou,aboundlessdroptoaboundlessocean.Och
Andashewalkedhesåg
sawfromafarmenandwomenlämnade
leavingtheirfieldsandtheirvineyardsoch
andhasteningtowardsthecitygates.Och
Andheheardtheirvoicescallinghisnamn
name,andshoutingfromfieldtofieldberättade
tellingoneanotherofthecomingofhisship.Och
Andhesaidtohimself:.Shall
den
thedayofpartingbeden
thedayofgathering?Andshallitbesaid
att
thatmyevewasinsanning
truthmydawn?AndwhatshallI
ge
giveuntohimwhohaslämnat
lefthisploughinmidfurrow,eller
ortohimwhohasstoppat
stoppedthewheelofhiswinepress?Shallmy
hjärta
heartbecomeatreeheavy-ladenmed
withfruitthatImaygatheroch
andgiveuntothem?Andshallmydesiresflowlike
en
afountainthatImayfilltheircups?AmI
en
aharpthatthehandofden
themightymaytouchme,eller
oraflutethathisbreathkan
maypassthroughme?Aseekerofsilencesam
Jag
I,andwhattreasurehaveIfunnit
foundinsilencesthatIkan
maydispensewithconfidence?If
detta
thisismydayofharvest,inwhatfieldshar
haveIsowedtheseed,och
andinwhatunrememberedseasons?Om
Ifthisindeedbethetimme
hourinwhichIliftupp
upmylantern,itisnotmyflamethatshallburntherein.Empty
och
anddarkshallIraisemylantern,.Och
Andtheguardianofthenightshallfillitmed
withoilandheshalltända
lightitalso.Thesethingshe
sa
saidinwords.Butmuchinhis
hjärta
heartremainedunsaid.Forhehimself
kunde
couldnotspeakhisdeepersecret.Och
Andwhenheenteredintothestaden
cityallthepeoplecametomöta
meethim,andtheywerecryingouttohimasmed
withonevoice.Andtheeldersofthecity
stod
stoodforthandsaid:.Gonot
än
yetawayfromus.Anoontide
har
haveyoubeeninourtwilight,och
andyouryouthhasgivenusdreamstodrömma
dream.Nostrangerareyouamong
oss
us,noraguest,butourson
sonandourdearlybeloved.Suffernot
ännu
yetoureyestohungerforyouransikte
face.Andthepriestsandthepriestesses
sade
saiduntohim:.Letnot
de
thewavesoftheseaseparateusnu
now,andtheyearsyouhar
havespentinourmidstbli
becomeamemory.Youhavewalkedamongusaspirit,
och
andyourshadowhasbeenaljus
lightuponourfaces.Much
har
havewelovedyou.Butspeechlesswasour
kärlek
love,andwithveilshasitbeenveiled.Men
Yetnowitcriesalouduntoyou,och
andwouldstandrevealedbeforeyou.Och
Andeverhasitbeenatt
thatloveknowsnotitseget
owndepthuntilthehourofseparation.Och
Andotherscamealsoandentreatedhonom
him.Butheansweredthemnot.
He
bara
onlybenthishead;and
de
thosewhostoodnearsawhistearsföll
fallinguponhisbreast.Andhe
och
andthepeopleproceededtowardsdet
thegreatsquarebeforethetemple.Och
Andtherecameoutofthesanctuaryen
awomanwhosenamewasAlmitra.Och
Andshewasaseeress.Och
Andhelookeduponhermed
withexceedingtenderness,foritwasshesom
whohadfirstsoughtandtrott
believedinhimwhenhehade
hadbeenbutadayintheirstad
city.Andshehailedhim,
sa
saying:.ProphetofGod,inquestof
det
theuttermost,longhaveyousearcheddet
thedistancesforyourship.Och
Andnowyourshiphaskommit
come,andyoumustneedsgå
go.Deepisyourlongingforthelandofyourmemories
och
andthedwellingplaceofyourgreaterdesires;och
andourlovewouldnotbindyounorourneedshålla
holdyou.Yetthiswe
ber
askereyouleaveus,thatyoutalar
speaktousandgiveusofyoursanning
truth.Andwewillgiveituntoour
barn
children,andtheyuntotheirbarn
children,anditshallnotperish.Inyouralonenessyou
har
havewatchedwithourdays,och
andinyourwakefulnessyouhar
havelistenedtotheweepingoch
andthelaughterofoursömn
sleep.Nowthereforediscloseustoourselves,
och
andtellusallthathar
hasbeenshownyouofthatwhichismellan
betweenbirthanddeath.Andhe
svarade
answered,.PeopleofOrphalese,ofwhat
kan
canIspeaksaveofthatwhichisevennu
nowmovingwithinyoursouls?Then
sa
saidAlmitra,SpeaktousofLove.Och
Andheraisedhisheadoch
andlookeduponthepeople,och
andtherefellastillnessupondem
them.Andwithagreatvoicehe
sa
said:.Whenlovebeckonstoyou,
följ
followhim,.Thoughhiswaysare
hårda
hardandsteep.Andwhenhiswingsenfoldyouyieldto
honom
him,.Thoughtheswordhiddenamonghispinions
kan
maywoundyou.Andwhenhe
talar
speakstoyoubelieveinhonom
him,.Thoughhisvoicemayshatteryourdreamsas
den
thenorthwindlayswasteden
thegarden.Forevenaslovecrownsyousoshallhecrucifyyou.
Evenasheisforyourgrowthsoisheforyourpruning.
Även
Evenasheascendstoyourheightoch
andcaressesyourtenderestbranchesthatquiverinthesun,.Soshallhedescendtoyourroots
och
andshakethemintheirclingingtothejorden
earth.Likesheavesofcornhegathersyouuntohimself.
Hethreshesyouto
göra
makeyounaked.Hesiftsyouto
befria
freeyoufromyourhusks.Hegrindsyoutowhiteness.
Hekneadsyou
tills
untilyouarepliant;.Andthenheassignsyoutohissacred
eld
fire,thatyoumaybecomesacredbreadforGod’ssacredfeast.Alla
Allthesethingsshalllovegöra
dountoyouthatyoukan
mayknowthesecretsofyourhjärta
heart,andinthatknowledgebli
becomeafragmentofLife’shjärta
heart.Butifinyourfearyouwouldseek
bara
onlylove’speaceandlove’spleasure,.Thenitis
bättre
betterforyouthatyoucoveryournakednessoch
andpassoutoflove’sthreshing-floor,.Into
den
theseasonlessworldwhereyoushalllaugh,men
butnotallofyourlaughter,och
andweep,butnotallofyourtears.Love
ger
givesnaughtbutitselfandtar
takesnaughtbutfromitself.Lovepossessesnotnorwoulditbepossessed;.
For
kärlek
loveissufficientuntolove.När
Whenyouloveyoushouldnotsäga
say,“Godisinmyheart,”utan
butrather,“IamintheheartofGod.”Och
Andthinknotyoucandirectthecourseofkärlek
love,forlove,ifitfindsyouworthy,directsyourcourse.Love
har
hasnootherdesirebuttofulfilitself.Men
Butifyouloveandmustmåste
needshavedesires,letthesebeyourdesires:.Tomelt
och
andbelikearunningbrookthatsjunger
singsitsmelodytothenatten
night.Toknowthepainof
för
toomuchtenderness.Tobewoundedbyyour
egen
ownunderstandingoflove;.Andtobleedwillingly
och
andjoyfully.Towakeatdawn
med
withawingedheartandgivetacka
thanksforanotherdayofloving;.To
vila
restatthenoonhouroch
andmeditatelove’secstacy;.To
återvända
returnhomeateventidewithgratitude;.Och
Andthentosleepwithen
aprayerforthebelovedinyourhjärta
heartandasongofpraiseuponyourlips.ThenAlmitraspoke
igen
againandsaid,AndwhatofMarriagemaster?Och
Andheansweredsaying:.Youwereborn
tillsammans
together,andtogetheryoushallbeforevermore.Youshallbe
tillsammans
togetherwhenthewhitewingsofdeathscatteryourdays.Aye,youshallbe
tillsammans
togethereveninthesilentmemoryofGuds
God.Butlettherebespacesinyourtogetherness,.
Och
Andletthewindsoftheheavensdansa
dancebetweenyou.Loveoneanother,
men
butmakenotabondofälska
love:.Letitratherbe
ett
amovingseabetweentheshoresofyoursouls.Filleachother’scup
men
butdrinknotfromonecup.Ge
Giveoneanotherofyourbreadmen
buteatnotfromthesamma
sameloaf.Singanddance
tillsammans
togetherandbejoyous,butlåt
leteachoneofyoubeensam
alone,.Evenasthestringsof
en
alutearealonethoughtheyquivermed
withthesamemusic.Giveyourhearts,
men
butnotintoeachother’skeeping.For
bara
onlythehandofLifekan
cancontainyourhearts.And
stå
standtogetheryetnottooneartillsammans
together:.Forthepillarsofthetemple
står
standapart,.Andtheoaktree
och
andthecypressgrownotineachother’sshadow.Och
Andawomanwhoheldababemot
againstherbosomsaid,SpeaktousofBarn
Children.Andhesaid:.
Your
barn
childrenarenotyourchildren.Theyarethesons
och
anddaughtersofLife’slongingforitself.They
kommer
comethroughyoubutnotfromyou,.Och
Andthoughtheyarewithyouyettheybelongnottoyou.You
kan
maygivethemyourlovemen
butnotyourthoughts,.Forthey
har
havetheirownthoughts.You
kan
mayhousetheirbodiesbutnottheirsouls,.Fortheirsoulsdwellinthe
hus
houseoftomorrow,whichyoucannotvisit,notens
eveninyourdreams.You
kan
maystrivetobelikedem
them,butseeknottogöra
makethemlikeyou.Forlife
går
goesnotbackwardnortarriesmed
withyesterday.Youarethebowsfromwhichyour
barn
childrenaslivingarrowsaresentforth.Den
Thearcherseesthemarkuponden
thepathoftheinfinite,och
andHebendsyouwithHiskan
mightthatHisarrowsmaygå
goswiftandfar.LetyourbendingintheArcher’s
hand
handbeforgladness;.Forevenashe
älskar
lovesthearrowthatflies,soHeälskar
lovesalsothebowthatisstable.Then
sade
saidarichman,SpeaktousofGiving.Och
Andheanswered:.Yougivebut
lite
littlewhenyougiveofyourpossessions.Itis
när
whenyougiveofyourselfsom
thatyoutrulygive.Forwhatareyourpossessionsbutthingsyou
håller
keepandguardforfearyoukanske
mayneedthemtomorrow?And
imorgon
tomorrow,whatshalltomorrowbringtoden
theoverprudentdogburyingbonesinden
thetracklesssandasheföljer
followsthepilgrimstotheholystaden
city?Andwhatisfearof
behov
needbutneeditself?Isnotdreadofthirst
när
whenyourwellisfull,den
thethirstthatisunquenchable?Therearethosewho
ger
givelittleofthemuchwhichtheyhave—andtheyger
giveitforrecognitionandtheirhiddendesiregör
makestheirgiftsunwholesome.Andthereare
de
thosewhohavelittleandger
giveitall.Theseare
de
thebelieversinlifeandde
thebountyoflife,andtheircofferisaldrig
neverempty.Therearethosewho
ger
givewithjoy,andthatjoyistheirreward.Och
Andtherearethosewhoger
givewithpain,andthatpainistheirbaptism.Och
Andtherearethosewhogiveoch
andknownotpainingiving,nordotheyseekjoy,norgivemed
withmindfulnessofvirtue;.They
ger
giveasinyondervalleythemyrtlebreathesitsfragranceintospace.Genom
Throughthehandsofsuchasdessa
theseGodspeaks,andfrombakom
behindtheireyesHesmilesuponthejorden
earth.Itiswellto
ge
givewhenasked,butitisbättre
bettertogiveunasked,throughunderstanding;.Och
Andtotheopen-handedthesearchforonesom
whoshallreceiveisjoygreaterän
thangiving.Andisthereaughtyou
vill
wouldwithhold?Allyouhaveshallsome
dag
daybegiven;.Thereforegive
nu
now,thattheseasonofge
givingmaybeyoursandnotyourinheritors’.Youoften
säger
say,“Iwouldgive,butbara
onlytothedeserving.”Thetreesinyourorchard
säger
saynotso,northeflocksinyourpasture.They
ger
givethattheymaylive,fortowithholdistoperish.Surelyhe
som
whoisworthytoreceivehisdaysoch
andhisnights,isworthyofallt
allelsefromyou.Andhe
som
whohasdeservedtodrinkfromtheoceanoflifedeservestofillhiscupfromyourlilla
littlestream.Andwhatdesertgreatershalltherebe,
än
thanthatwhichliesinthecourageoch
andtheconfidence,naythecharity,ofreceiving?Och
Andwhoareyouthatmenshouldrendtheirbosomoch
andunveiltheirpride,thatyoukan
mayseetheirworthnakedoch
andtheirprideunabashed?See
först
firstthatyouyourselfdeservetobeagiver,och
andaninstrumentofgiving.Forin
sanning
truthitislifethatger
givesuntolife—whileyou,whodeemyourselfagiver,arebutawitness.Och
Andyoureceivers—andyouarealla
allreceivers—assumenoweightofgratitude,lestyoulayett
ayokeuponyourselfanduponhimsom
whogives.Ratherrisetogether
med
withthegiveronhisgiftsasonwings;.Fortobeovermindfulofyourdebt,isitodoubthisgenerosity
som
whohasthefreeheartedearthformor
mother,andGodforfather.Thenan
gammal
oldman,akeeperofaninn,sade
said,SpeaktousofÄta
EatingandDrinking.