On Love (from The Prophet)
　　Kahlil Gibran
　　
　　Then it was said, Speak to us of Love.
　　And the prophet 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 easily 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 sifts you free from your husks.
　　He grinds you to whiteness and kneads you until you are pliant.
　　And then he assigns you to his sacred fire, that you may
　　become bread of the 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抯 heart.
　　
　　Think not you can direct the course of love, for love,
　　if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
　　Love give naught but of itself, and takes naught but from itself.
　　Love possesses not, nor would it be possessed;
　　for love is sufficient unto itself.
　　Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
　　
　　When you love, let these be your desires:
　　to melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody, to the night.
　　to know the pain of too much tenderness.
　　to be wounded by your own understanding of love; and bleed willingly and joyfully;
　　to wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;
　　to rest at the noon hour and mediate love抯 ecstasy;
　　to return home at eventide with gratitude;
　　and then to sleep with a prayer for your beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.
　　
　　于是爱尔美差说：请给我们谈爱。
　　他举头望着民众，他们一时沉默了。他用洪亮的声音说：
　　当爱向你们召唤的时候，跟随着他，
　　虽然他的路程是艰险而陡峻。
　　当他的翅翼围卷你们的时候，屈服于他，
　　虽然那藏在羽膈中间的剑刃也许会伤毁你们。
　　当他对你说话的时候，信从他，
　　虽然他的声音会把你们的梦魂击碎，如同北风吹荒了林园。
　　
　　爱虽给你加冠，他也把你钉在十字架上。他虽栽培你，他也刈剪你。
　　他虽升到你的最高处，抚惜你在日中颤动的枝叶，
　　他也要降到你的根下，摇动你的根柢的一切关节，使之归土。
　　如同一捆稻粟，他把你束聚起来。
　　他舂打你使你赤裸，
　　他筛分你使你脱壳，
　　他磨碾你直至洁白，
　　他揉搓你直至柔韧。
　　然后他送你到他的圣火上去，使你成为上帝圣筵上的圣饼。
　　这些都是爱要给你们做的事情，使你知道自己心中的秘密，
　　在这知识中你便成了“生命”心中的一屑。
　　
　　假如在你的疑惧中，只寻求爱的和平与逸乐，
　　那不如掩盖你的裸露而躲过爱的筛打，
　　而走入那没有季候的世界，在那里你将欢笑，却不是尽情地狂欢，你将哭泣，却没有流干眼泪。
　　爱除自身外无施与，除自身外无接受。
　　爱不占有也不被占有，
　　因为爱在爱中满足了。
　　当你爱的时候，你不要说“上帝在我心中”，却要说“我在上帝的心里”。
　　不要想你能引导爱的路程，因为若是他觉得你配，他就引导你。
　　爱没有别的愿望，只要成全自己。
　　
　　但若是你爱，就让以下的作你的愿望吧：
　　溶化了你自己，像溪流般对清夜吟唱着歌曲。
　　要知道过度温存的痛苦，
　　让你对于爱的了解毁伤了你自己，
　　而且甘愿地喜乐地流血。
　　清晨醒起，以喜扬的心来致谢这爱的又一日；
　　日中静息，默念爱的浓欢；
　　晚潮退时，感谢地回家；
　　然后在睡时祈祷，因为有被爱者在你的心中，有赞美之歌在你的唇上。