On Love (from The Prophet)

Kahlil Gibran

Then it was said， Speak to us of Love.

And the prophet raised his head and looked upon the people，

and there fell a stillness upon them.

And with a great voice he said:

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 easily 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.

Like sheaves of corn he gathers you unto himself.

He sifts you free from your husks.

He grinds you to whiteness and kneads you until you are pliant.

And then he assigns you to his sacred fire， that you may

become bread of the sacred feast.

All these things shall love do unto you that you may know the secrets of your heart， and in that knowledge become a fragment of Life抯 heart.

Think not you can direct the course of love， for love，

if it finds you worthy， directs your course.

Love give naught but of itself， and takes naught but from itself.

Love possesses not， nor would it be possessed;

for love is sufficient unto itself.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.

When you love， 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 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 mediate love抯 ecstasy;

to return home at eventide with gratitude;

and then to sleep with a prayer for your beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

于是愛爾美差說(shuō)：請(qǐng)給我們談愛。

他舉頭望著民眾，他們一時(shí)沉默了。他用洪亮的聲音說(shuō)：

當(dāng)愛向你們召喚的時(shí)候，跟隨著他，

雖然他的路程是艱險(xiǎn)而陡峻。

當(dāng)他的翅翼圍卷你們的時(shí)候，屈服于他，

雖然那藏在羽膈中間的劍刃也許會(huì)傷毀你們。

當(dāng)他對(duì)你說(shuō)話的時(shí)候，信從他，

雖然他的聲音會(huì)把你們的夢(mèng)魂擊碎，如同北風(fēng)吹荒了林園。

愛雖給你加冠，他也把你釘在十字架上。他雖栽培你，他也刈剪你。

他雖升到你的最高處，撫惜你在日中顫動(dòng)的枝葉，

他也要降到你的根下，搖動(dòng)你的根柢的一切關(guān)節(jié)，使之歸土。

如同一捆稻粟，他把你束聚起來(lái)。

他舂打你使你赤裸，

他篩分你使你脫殼，

他磨碾你直至潔白，

他揉搓你直至柔韌。

然后他送你到他的圣火上去，使你成為上帝圣筵上的圣餅。

這些都是愛要給你們做的事情，使你知道自己心中的秘密，

在這知識(shí)中你便成了“生命”心中的一屑。

假如在你的疑懼中，只尋求愛的和平與逸樂，

那不如掩蓋你的裸露而躲過(guò)愛的篩打，

而走入那沒有季候的世界，在那里你將歡笑，卻不是盡情地狂歡，你將哭泣，卻沒有流干眼淚。

愛除自身外無(wú)施與，除自身外無(wú)接受。

愛不占有也不被占有，

因?yàn)閻墼趷壑袧M足了。

當(dāng)你愛的時(shí)候，你不要說(shuō)“上帝在我心中”，卻要說(shuō)“我在上帝的心里”。

不要想你能引導(dǎo)愛的路程，因?yàn)槿羰撬X得你配，他就引導(dǎo)你。

愛沒有別的愿望，只要成全自己。

但若是你愛，就讓以下的作你的愿望吧：

溶化了你自己，像溪流般對(duì)清夜吟唱著歌曲。

要知道過(guò)度溫存的痛苦，

讓你對(duì)于愛的了解毀傷了你自己，

而且甘愿地喜樂地流血。

清晨醒起，以喜揚(yáng)的心來(lái)致謝這愛的又一日；

日中靜息，默念愛的濃歡；

晚潮退時(shí)，感謝地回家；

然后在睡時(shí)祈禱，因?yàn)橛斜粣壅咴谀愕男闹?，有贊美之歌在你的唇上?/p>