Born into a Christian family near Mount Lebanon, Kahlil Gibran became better known for his style of mystical poetry. The
distinguished Arab-American writer published “The Prophet” (considered to be his masterpiece) in English. In it, he speaks eloquently about human life and humanity. The work is accompanied by his inspirational drawings.
Kahlil Gibran says that our children are not ours alone, they are the sons and daughters of the earth. They come through us, but they do not belong to us.
For they are entitled to lead their own lives and think their own thoughts. We can set them upon the path, but it is upto them how far they go.
Kahlil Gibran says that we do not really give when we part with our possessions.
It is only when we give of ourselves that we truly give. It is good to give when asked, but it is better to give when unasked. The author says that giving and receiving are connected, we cannot have one without the other. In truth, we are the mere instruments of giving – we are mistaken if we take undue pride in our giving.
Kahlil Gibran says that to be idle is to be out of step with the march of life. Work is not a misfortune thrust upon man, but a fulfillment of the earth’s desire and the individual’s destiny. Work is empty without work, we should love the work we do. And if we cannot love the work we do, it would be better for us to leave that work and subsist on alms. For the produce of forced labor is bitter, bitter is the bread and bitter are the fruits.
Kahlil Gibran says that neither is joy greater that sorrow, nor is sorrow greater than joy. They are inseperable, for they come together.
Kahlil Gibran says that when you commit a wrong upon others, you have really wronged yourself. The wrong-doer is not a stranger to us, an intruder in our world. For he cannot do wrong unless we allow him to do so. It is not always easy to separate the just from the unjust, the good from the wicked. Before pronouncing judgement on others, we would do well to consider whether they are remorseful for their deeds.
Kahlil Gibran says that we can be truly free only when we are free of desire; when our days are without a care and our nights are without grief. How can we be truly free unless we break the chains that bind us. If it is an external tyranny we seek to overthrow, we must first destroy the tyranny within.
Kahlil Gibran says that we should be passionate in ourreasoning, and reasoned in our passions.
Kahlil Gibran says that we should not say that we have found the truth, we should rather say that we have found a truth. For knowledge is boundless, and cannot be measured.
The teacher who is truly wise does not invite you to his own house, he only shows you the way to your own house.
Kahlil Gibran says that we should embrace the past with remembrance, and the future with longing.
Kahlil Gibran says that we are good when we are true to ourselves. We are good when we give of ourselves. We are good when we are fully awake in what we say and what we do. We are good when we are firm in our purpose, for a ship without a rudder may wander aimlessly. But that is not to say that we are evil otherise.
Asked to speak about religion, Kahlil Gibran asks whether he has been speaking of anything else ? He says we should not separate our faith from our actions, or our beliefs from our occupation. Our life is our temple, our life is our faith.