Quotes from The Prophet
I haven't read a lot of poetry, but this is by far the best book of poetry I have read. And it's a nice quick read. My mom gave it to me the day before my sisters wedding. It's basicly like 30 poems about how to live life to the fullest. A friend of mine compared it to Corinthians in the Bible, although I've only heard part of that too I can agree with what I've heard.
My mom said when she was in college the way you knew your boyfriend was really in love was if he gave you this book and took you to San Fransico to see Hair. I can see why. I probably won't have any following commments afterwords cause I basically feel the verses say it all, that's how good I think this book is. Oh by the way for those interested in tracking it down the author is Kahlil Gibran. Hope you enjoy.


And ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.
p. 8

Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.
p. 13

You give but little when you give of your possessions.
It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
p. 19

All you have shall some day be given;
Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors'.
p. 21

Work is love made visible.
And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy.
p. 28

Your joy is your sorrow unmasked.
And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes filled with your tears.
And how else can it be?
The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.
p. 29

For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion, that is may sing;
And let it direct your passion with reason, that your passion may live through its own daily resurrection, and like the phoenix rise above its own ashes.
p. 50-51

Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.
p. 58

Your friend is your needs answered.
p. 58

And let there be no purpose in friendship save the deepening of the spirit.
p. 59

...yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is today's dream.
p. 62

You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might pray also in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance.
For what is prayer but the expansion of yourself into the living ether?
p. 67

Is not religion all deeds and all reflection,
And that which is neither deed nor reflection, but a wonder and surprise ever springing in the soul, even while the hands hew the stone or tend the loom?
Who can seperate faith from his actions, or his belief from his occupations?
p. 77

And if you would know God be not therefore a solver of riddles.
Rather look about you and you shall see Him playing with your children.
And look into space; you shall see Him walking in the cloud, outstreching His arms in the lightining and descending in rain.
You shall see Him smiling in flowers, then rising and waving His hands in trees.
p. 79

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