The Prophet:
And one of the elders of the city said, Speak to us of Good and Evil.
"Of the good in you I can speak, but not of the evil. For what is evil but good tortured by its own hunger and thirst? Verily when good is hungry it seeks food even in dark caves, and when it thirsts it drinks even of dead waters.
"You are good when you are one with yourself. Yet when you are not one with yourself you are not evil. For a divided house is not a den of thieves; it is only a divided house. And a ship without rudder may wander aimlessly among perilous isles yet sink not to the bottom.
"You are good when you strive to give of yourself. Yet you are not evil when you seek gain for yourself. For when you strive for gain you are but a root that clings to the earth and sucks at her breast. Surely the fruit cannot say to the root, 'Be like me, ripe and full and ever giving of your abundance'. For to the fruit giving is a need, as receiving is a need to the root.
"You are good when you are fully awake in your speech, yet you are not evil when you sleep while your tongue staggers without purpose. And even stumbling speech may strengthen a weak tongue.
"You are good when you walk to your goal firmly and with bold steps. Yet you are not evil when you go thither limping. Even those who limp go not backward. But you who are strong and swift, see that you do not limp before the lame, deeming it kindness.
"You are good in countless ways, and you are not evil when you are not good, you are only loitering and sluggard. Pity that the stags cannot teach swiftness to the turtles.
"In your longing for your giant self lies your goodness: and that longing is in all of you. But in some of you that longing is a torrent rushing with might to the sea, carrying the secrets of the hillsides and the songs of the forest. And in others it is a flat stream that loses itself in angles and bends and lingers before it reaches the shore. But let not him who longs much say to him who long little, 'wherefore are you slow and halting?' For the truly good ask not the naked, 'where is your garment?' nor the houseless, 'what has befallen your house?'
Peace
"Of the good in you I can speak, but not of the evil. For what is evil but good tortured by its own hunger and thirst? Verily when good is hungry it seeks food even in dark caves, and when it thirsts it drinks even of dead waters.
"You are good when you are one with yourself. Yet when you are not one with yourself you are not evil. For a divided house is not a den of thieves; it is only a divided house. And a ship without rudder may wander aimlessly among perilous isles yet sink not to the bottom.
"You are good when you strive to give of yourself. Yet you are not evil when you seek gain for yourself. For when you strive for gain you are but a root that clings to the earth and sucks at her breast. Surely the fruit cannot say to the root, 'Be like me, ripe and full and ever giving of your abundance'. For to the fruit giving is a need, as receiving is a need to the root.
"You are good when you are fully awake in your speech, yet you are not evil when you sleep while your tongue staggers without purpose. And even stumbling speech may strengthen a weak tongue.
"You are good when you walk to your goal firmly and with bold steps. Yet you are not evil when you go thither limping. Even those who limp go not backward. But you who are strong and swift, see that you do not limp before the lame, deeming it kindness.
"You are good in countless ways, and you are not evil when you are not good, you are only loitering and sluggard. Pity that the stags cannot teach swiftness to the turtles.
"In your longing for your giant self lies your goodness: and that longing is in all of you. But in some of you that longing is a torrent rushing with might to the sea, carrying the secrets of the hillsides and the songs of the forest. And in others it is a flat stream that loses itself in angles and bends and lingers before it reaches the shore. But let not him who longs much say to him who long little, 'wherefore are you slow and halting?' For the truly good ask not the naked, 'where is your garment?' nor the houseless, 'what has befallen your house?'
~~ Kahlil Gibran
Peace
upma
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
This is one of my favourite speeches from the book.
Very recently I had discovered that I had lost my copy of this masterpiece. Getting a new on is on my list of things to do, it is surrendipitous that my fingers guided me here today, to read what I needed to read, most. Sheer joy that you had posted it - knowing(?).
Lilla...
head for threads
Harmony's Forum For You
Harmony's Forum For You
Since I don't believe in coincidence, on some level it was knowingly.
Also, it looks like I've decided to print each section from the book. It starts back October 14 or 15 with Self Knowledge. Maybe that'll cover you until you get another copy.
HR