Gibran Khalil Gibran

[Eriol]

I'd like to share that with you... it was hard to find a suitable English version.

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.


The Prophet by Gibran Kahlil Gibran

[Mindy_O_Lluin]

That is so very beautiful!

[Lantarion]

That was beautiful, Eriol.. I'm speechless.
What language is that in originally?

[Idril]

*madly rumaging bookcase for her old copy*

Kahlil Gibran was Lebanese but moved to the US when he was about 12 I think - so The Prophet was probably written in English. But The Prophet has in turn been translated into many other languages - Eriol might be translating from a Portuguese version. Check out this online version:

The Prophet (http://www.columbia.edu/~gm84/gibtable.html)

He also did some beautiful artwork to accompany the book. drawings (http://impact.civil.columbia.edu/~fawaz/g-gallery.html)

[Eriol]

Yes, Idril is probably right. I don't know in what language he wrote, I got that in an e-mail in Portuguese. Though I could not translate it :o .

[Kailita]

Ohhh...

That was...

All I can do is stand in awe and echo Mindy and Lantarion. That was beautiful, Eriol. Thanks for posting it.

[Eriol]

Another sample from Gibran Khalil Gibran:

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself
But if your 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.

[Helcaraxë]

Yes, that was gorgeous. I am also curious as to the language it was written in.:confused: