KahlilGibran
ThensaidAlmitra,“SpeaktousofLove.”Andheraisedhishead
andlookeduponthepeople,
Andtherefellastillnessuponthem.
Andwithagreatvoicehesaid:
Whenlovebeckonstoyoufollowhim,
Thoughhiswaysarehardandsteep.
Andwhenhiswingsenfoldyouyieldtohim,
Thoughtheswordhiddenamonghispinionsmaywoundyou.
Andwhenhespeakstoyoubelieveinhim,
Thoughhisvoicemayshatteryourdreamsas
Thenorthwindlayswastethegarden.
Forevenaslovecrownsyousoshallhecrucifyyou.
Evenasheisforyourgrowthsoisheforyourpruning.
Evenasheascendstoyourheightandcaresses
Yourtenderestbranchesthatquiverinthesun,
Soshallhedescendtoyourrootsand
Shakethemintheirclingingtotheearth.
Likesheavesofcornhegathersyouuntohimself.
Hethreshesyoutomakeyounaked.
Hesiftsyoutofreeyoufromyourhusks.
Hegrindsyoutowhiteness.
Hekneadsyouuntilyouarepliant;
Andthenheassignsyoutohissacredfire,
ThatyoumaybecomesacredbreadforGod'ssacredfeast.
Allthesethingsshalllovedountoyou
Thatyoumayknowthesecretsofyourheart,
AndinthatknowledgebecomeafragmentofLife'sheart.
Butifinyourfearyouwouldseek
Onlylove'speaceandlove'spleasure,
Thenitisbetterforyouthatyoucover
Yournakednessandpassoutoflove'sthreshing-floor,
Intotheseasonlessworldwhereyoushalllaugh,
Butnotallofyourlaughter, andweep, butnotallofyourtears.
Lovegivesnaughtbutitselfandtakesnaughtbutfromitself.
Lovepossessesnotnorwoulditbepossessed;
Forloveissufficientuntolove.
Whenyouloveyoushouldnotsay,
“Godisinmyheart,”butrather,“IamintheheartofGod.”
Andthinknotyoucandirectthecourseoflove,
