先知国_纪伯伦_-第5章

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〃i　know　not　where　they　have　spent　their　flight；　but　this　i　know：　they　have　made　their　curve　in　the　sky。

〃even　so；　loves　hand　is　still　upon　me；　and　you；　my　mariners；　still　sail　my　vision；　and　i　shall　not　be　dumb。　i　shall　cry　out　when　the　hand　of　the　seasons　is　upon　my　throat；　and　i　shall　sing　my　words　when　my　lips　are　burned　with　flames。〃

and　they　were　troubled　in　their　hearts　because　he　spoke　of　these　things。　and　one　said：　〃master；　teach　us　all；　and　mayhap　because　your　blood　flows　in　our　veins；　and　our　breath　is　of　your　fragrance；　we　shall　understand。〃

the　he　answered　them；　and　the　wind　was　in　his　voice；　and　he　said：　〃brought　you　me　to　the　isle　of　my　birth　to　be　a　teacher？　not　yet　have　i　been　caged　by　wisdom。　too　young　am　i　and　too　verdant　to　speak　of　aught　but　self；　which　is　for　ever　the　deep　calling　upon　the　deep。

〃let　him　who　would　have　wisdom　seek　it　in　the　buttercup　or　in　a　pinch　of　red　clay。　i　am　still　the　singer。　still　i　shall　sing　the　earth；　and　i　shall　sing　your　lost　dreaming　that　walks　the　day　between　sleep　and　sleep。　but　i　shall　gaze　upon　the　sea。〃

and　now　the　ship　entered　the　harbour　and　reached　the　sea…wall；　and　he　came　thus　to　the　isle　of　his　birth　and　stood　once　more　amongst　his　own　people。　and　a　great　cry　arose　from　their　hearts　so　that　the　loneliness　of　his　home…ing　was　shaken　within　him。

and　they　were　silent　awaiting　his　word；　but　he　answered　them　not；　for　the　sadness　of　memory　was　upon　him；　and　he　said　in　his　heart：　〃have　i　said　that　i　shall　sing？　nay；　i　can　but　open　my　lips　that　the　voice　of　life　may　e　forth　and　go　out　to　the　wind　for　joy　and　support。〃

then　karima；　she　who　had　played　with　him；　a　child；　in　the　garden　of　his　mother；　spoke　and　said：　〃twelve　years　have　you　hidden　your　face　from　us；　and　for　twelve　years　have　we　hungered　and　thirsted　for　your　voice。〃

and　he　looked　upon　her　with　exceeding　tenderness；　for　it　was　she　who　had　closed　the　eyes　of　his　mother　when　the　white　wings　of　death　had　gathered　her。

and　he　answered　and　said：　〃twelve　years？　said　you　twelve　years；　karima？　i　measured　not　my　longing　with　the　starry　rod；　nor　did　i　sound　the　depth　thereof。　for　love　when　love　is　homesick　exhausts　times　measurements　and　times　soundings。

〃there　are　moments　that　hold　aeons　of　separation。　yet　parting　is　naught　but　an　exhaustion　of　the　mind。　perhaps　we　have　not　parted。〃

and　almustafa　looked　upon　the　people；　and　he　saw　them　all；　the　youth　and　the　aged；　the　stalwart　and　the　puny；　those　who　were　ruddy　with　the　touch　of　wind　and　sun；　and　those　who　were　of　pallid　countenance；　and　upon　their　face　a　light　of　longing　and　of　questioning。　and　one　spoke　and　said：　〃master；　life　has　dealt　bitterly　with　our　hopes　and　our　desires。　our　hearts　are　troubled；　and　we　do　not　understand。　i　pray　you；　fort　us；　and　open　to　us　the　meanings　of　our　sorrows。〃

and　his　heart　was　moved　with　passion；　and　he　said：　〃life　is　older　than　all　things　living；　even　as　beauty　was　winged　ere　the　beautiful　was　born　on　earth；　and　even　as　truth　was　truth　ere　it　was　uttered。

〃life　sings　in　our　silences；　and　dreams　in　our　slumber。　even　when　we　are　beaten　and　low；　life　is　enthroned　and　high。　and　when　we　weep；　life　smiles　upon　the　day；　and　is　free　even　when　we　drag　our　chains。

〃oftentimes　we　call　life　bitter　names；　but　only　when　we　ourselves　are　bitter　and　dark。　and　we　deem　her　empty　and　unprofitable；　but　only　when　the　soul　goes　wandering　in　desolate　places；　and　the　heart　is　drunken　with　over…mindfulness　of　self。

〃life　is　deep　and　high　and　distant；　and　though　only　your　vast　vision　can　reach　even　her　feet；　yet　she　is　near；　and　though　only　the　breath　of　your　breath　reaches　her　heart；　the　shadow　of　your　shadow　crosses　her　face；　and　the　echo　of　your　faintest　cry　bees　a　spring　and　an　autumn　in　her　breast。

〃and　life　is　veiled　and　hidden；　even　as　your　greater　self　is　hidden　and　veiled。　yet　when　life　speaks；　all　the　winds　bee　words；　and　when　she　speaks　again；　the　smiles　upon　your　lips　and　the　tears　in　your　eyes　turn　also　into　words。　when　she　sings；　the　deaf　hear　and　are　held；　and　when　she　es　walking；　the　sightless　behold　her　and　are　amazed　and　follow　her　in　wonder　and　astonishment。〃

and　he　ceased　from　speaking；　and　a　vast　silence　enfolded　the　people；　and　in　the　silence　there　was　an　unheard　song；　and　they　were　forted　of　their　loneliness　and　their　aching。

and　he　left　them　straightway　and　followed　the　path　which　led　to　his　garden；　which　was　the　garden　of　his　mother　and　his　father；　wherein　they　lay　asleep；　they　and　their　forefathers。

and　there　were　those　who　would　have　followed　after　him；　seeing　that　it　was　a　home…ing；　and　he　was　alone；　for　there　was　not　one　left　of　all　his　kin　to　spread　the　feast　of　wele；　after　the　manner　of　his　people。

but　the　captain　of　his　ship　counselled　them　saying：　〃suffer　him　to　go　upon　his　way。　for　his　bread　is　the　bread　of　aloneness；　and　in　his　cup　is　the　wine　of　remembrance；　which　he　would　drink　alone。〃

and　his　mariners　held　their　steps；　for　they　knew　it　was　even　as　the　captain　of　the　ship　had　told　them。　and　all　those　who　gathered　upon　the　sea…wall　restrained　the　feet　of　their　desire。

only　karima　went　after　him；　a　little　way；　yearning　over　his　aloneness　and　his　memories。　and　she　spoke　not；　but　turned　and　went　unto　her　own　house；　and　in　the　garden　under　the　almond…tree　she　wept；　yet　she　knew　not　wherefore。

and　almustafa　came　and　found　the　garden　of　his　mother　and　his　father；　and　he　entered　in；　and　closed　the　gate　that　no　man　might　e　after　him。

and　for　forty　days　and　forty　nights　he　dwelt　alone　in　that　house　and　that　garden；　and　none　came；　not　even　unto　the　gate；　for　it　was　closed；　and　all　the　people　knew　that　he　would　be　alone。

and　when　the　forty　days　and　nights　were　ended；　almustafa　opened　the　gate　that　they　might　e　in。

and　there　came　nine　men　to　be　with　him　in　the　garden；　three　mariners　from　his　own　ship；　three　who　had　been　his　rades　in　play　when　they　were　but　children　together。　and　these　were　his　disciples。

and　on　a　morning　his　disciples　sat　around　him；　and　there　were　distances　and　remembrances　in　his　eyes。　and　that　disciple　who　was　called　hafiz　said　unto　him：　〃master；　tell　us　of　the　city　of　orphalese；　and　of　that　land　wherein　you　tarried　those　twelve　years。〃

and　almustafa　was　silent；　and　he　looked　away　towards　the　hills　and　toward　the　vast　ether；　and　there　was　a　battle　in　his　silence。

then　he　said：　〃my　friends　and　my　road…fellows；　pity　the　nation　that　is　full　of　beliefs　and　empty　of　religion。

〃pity　the　nation　that　wears　a　cloth　it　does　not　weave；　eats　a　bread　it　does　not　harvest；　and　drinks　a　wine　that　flows　not　from　its　own　winepress。

〃pity　the　nation　that　acclaims　the　bully　as　hero；　and　that　deems　the　glittering　conqueror　bountiful。

〃pity　the　nation　that　despises　a　passion　in　its　dream；　yet　submits　in　its　awakening。

〃pity　the　nation　that　raises　not　its　voice　save　when　it　walks　in　a　funeral；　boasts　not　except　when　its　neck　is　laid　between　the　sword　and　the　block。

〃pity　the　nation　whose　statesman　is　a　fox；　whose　philosopher　is　a　juggle；　and　whose　art　is　the　art　of　patching　and　mimicking。

〃pity　the　nation　that　weles　its　new　ruler　with　trumpetings；　and　farewells　him　with　hootings；　only　to　wele　another　with　trumpetings　again。

〃pity　the　nation　whose　sages　are　dumb　with　years　and　whose　strong　men　are　yet　in　the　cradle。

〃pity　the　nation　divided　into　fragments；　each　fragment　deeming　itself　a　nation。〃

wＷ　w。xia　oshuotxＴ。



The　Garden　Of　The　Prophet　（2）

．小．说．．t．xt．天．堂．
the　garden　of　the　prophet　（2）　

and　one　said：　〃speak　to　us　of　that　which　is　moving　in　your　own　heart　even　now。〃

and　he　looked　upon　that　one；　and　there　was　in　his　voice　a　sound　like　a　star　singing；　and　he　said：　〃in　your　waking　dream；　when　you　are　hushed　and　listening　to　your　deeper　self；　your　thoughts；　like　snow…　flakes；　fall　and　flutter　and　garment　all　the　sounds　of　your　spaces　with　white　silence。

〃and　what　are　waking　dreams　but　clouds　that　bud　and　blossom　on　the　sky…tree　of　your　heart？　and　what　are　your　thoughts　but　the　petals　which　the　winds　of　your　heart　scatter　upon　the　hills　and　its　fields？

〃and　even　as　you　wait　for　peace　until　the　formless　within　you　takes　form；　so　shall　the　cloud　gather　and　drift　until　the　blessed　fingers　shape　its　grey　desire　to　little　crystal　suns　and　moons　and　stars。〃

then　sarkis；　he　who　was　the　half…doubter；　spoke　and　said：　〃but　spring　shall　e；　and　all　the　snows　of　our　dreams　and　our　thoughts　shall　melt　and　be　no　more。〃

and　he　answered　saying：　〃when　spring　es　to　seek　his　beloved　amongst　the　slumbering　groves　and　vineyards；　the　snows　shall　indeed　melt　and　shall　run　in　streams　to　seek　the　river　in　the　valley；　to　be　the　cup…bearer　to　the　myrtle…trees　and　laurel。

〃so　shall　the　snow　of　your　heart　melt　when　your　spring　is　e；　and　thus　shall　your　secret　run　in　streams　to　seek　the　river　of　life　in　the　valley。　and　the　river　shall　enfold　your　secret　and　carry　it　to　the　great　sea。

〃all　things　shall　melt　and　turn　into　songs　when　spring　es。　even　the　stars；　the　vast　snow…flakes　that　fall　slowly　upon　the　larger　fields；　shall　melt　into　singing　streams。　when　the　sun　of　his　face　shall　rise　above　the　wider　horizon；　then　what　frozen　symmetry　would　not　turn　into　liquid　melody？　and　who　among　you　would　not　be　the　cup…bearer　to　the　myr