[黎巴嫩]卡里·纪伯伦/Kahlil Gibran
卡里·纪伯伦（1883-1931），黎巴嫩诗人。阿拉伯现代文学复兴运动的先驱之一，阿拉伯现代小说和散文的主要奠基者。他的作品蕴涵了丰富的社会性和深刻的东方精神，不以情节取胜，重在抒发丰富情感。从20世纪20年代起，纪伯伦的创作重心由小说转向散文和散文诗，从用阿拉伯语写作变为用英语写作为主。《先知》是纪伯伦的顶峰之作。本文即选自《先知》。
Then said Almitra, Speak to us of Love.
And he 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 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 threshes you to make you naked.
He sifts you to free you from your husks.
He grinds you to whiteness.
He kneads you until you are pliant;
And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may become sacred bread for God's 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's heart.
But if in your fear you would seek only love's peace and love's pleasure, then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love's threshing-floor, into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears.