The Prophet

By Kahlil Gibran

“The Prophet”, by Lebanese-American poet and artist Kahlil Gibran, is one of the world’s most famous books. Published in 1923, it has been translated into over one hundred languages and has sold nearly ten million copies in the United States. Gibran was born to a poor, Christian family in Lebanon in 1883 and emigrated to America with his mother and siblings at age 12. While he received little education as a child, he became a serious art student as a young adult and studied at the Académie Julian in Paris. Gibran began working on “The Prophet” in 1912 and continued perfecting his most well-known work for over a decade. Gibran was greatly influenced by his Catholic upbringing, as well as Islam, Sufi mystics, Western Classicism and Romanticism, surrealism, and the Bahai Faith. These varied religions are evident in the wisdom that the main character, Al Mustafa, shares with his fellow shipmates in “The Prophet”. The diverse topics he discusses include love, marriage, laws, freedom, pain, friendship, religion, death, and most every important aspect of the human condition. This masterpiece of spiritual wisdom, told in 26 prose and poetry fables, is widely considered one of the most beautiful books ever written.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Digireads.com Publishing
• Release date: Jan 16, 2020
• ISBN: 9781420972566

Kahlil Gibran

Khalil Gibran (1883 – 1931) was a Lebanese-American writer, poet, and visual artist, best known for his debut novel “The Prophet”. Born in the Ottoman Empire, Gibran emigrated with his family to the United States, where he studied art and began writing in both English and Arabic. His romantic style of writing was ground-breaking and constituted a change away from traditional classical Arabic literature. Gibran is the third-best-selling poet of all time, behind Shakespeare and Lao Tzu.

Book preview

cover.jpg

THE PROPHET

By KAHLIL GIBRAN

The Prophet

By Kahlil Gibran

eBook ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-7256-6

This edition copyright © 2021. Digireads.com Publishing.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Please visit www.digireads.com

CONTENTS

THE COMING OF THE SHIP

ON LOVE

ON MARRIAGE

ON CHILDREN

ON GIVING

ON EATING AND DRINKING

ON WORK

ON JOY AND SORROW

ON HOUSES

ON CLOTHES

ON BUYING AND SELLING

ON CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

ON LAWS

ON FREEDOM

ON REASON AND PASSION

ON PAIN

ON SELF-KNOWLEDGE

ON TEACHING

ON FRIENDSHIP

ON TALKING

ON TIME

ON GOOD AND EVIL

ON PRAYER

ON PLEASURE

ON BEAUTY

ON RELIGION

ON DEATH

THE FAREWELL

img1.png

THE PROPHET

The twelve illustrations in this volume are reproduced from original drawings by the author

THE COMING OF THE SHIP

Almustafa, the chosen and the beloved, who was a dawn unto his own day, had waited twelve years in the city of Orphalese for his ship that was to return and bear him back to the isle of his birth.

And in the twelfth year, on the seventh day of Ielool, the month of reaping, he climbed the hill without the city walls and looked seaward; and he beheld his ship coming with the mist.

Then the gates of his heart were flung open, and his joy flew far over the sea. And he closed his eyes and prayed in the silences of his soul.

But as he descended the hill, a sadness came upon him, and he thought in his heart:

How shall I go in peace and without sorrow? Nay, not without a wound in the spirit shall I leave this city. Long were the days of pain I have spent within its walls, and long were the nights of aloneness; and who can depart from his pain and his aloneness without regret?

Too many fragments of the spirit have I scattered in these streets, and too many are the children of my longing that walk naked among these hills, and I cannot withdraw from them without a burden and an ache.

It is not a garment I cast off this day, but a skin that I tear with my own hands.

Nor is it a thought I leave behind me, but a heart made sweet with hunger and with thirst.

Yet I cannot tarry longer.

The sea that calls all things unto her calls me, and I must embark.

For to stay, though the hours burn in the night, is to freeze and crystallize and be bound in a mould.

Fain would I take with me all that is here. But how shall I?

A voice cannot carry the tongue and the lips that gave it wings. Alone must it seek the ether.

And alone and without his nest shall the eagle fly across the sun.

Now when he reached the foot of the hill, he turned again towards the sea, and he saw his ship approaching the harbour, and upon her prow the mariners, the men of his own land.

And his soul cried out to them, and he said:

Sons of my ancient mother, you riders of the tides,

How often have you sailed in my dreams. And now you come in my awakening, which is my deeper dream.

Ready am I to go, and my eagerness with sails full set awaits the wind.

Only another

Reviews for The Prophet

[danielstj · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a surprisingly good read. The pithy statements are full of wisdom and poetic grace and the entire whole is abounded by a sense of care and compassion towards the reader. Although I am not religious, I found this to be a particularly gripping book that held my attention from start to finish.

Great read. Recommended for poets, scholars, those with religious reasons, and curiosity-seekers.

[hollybdurso · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An absolutely beautiful little book filled with poetic wisdom that I believe people from every faith and background can draw from.

[bookwyrmm_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

his is a very interesting listen. The Prophet is not so much a story as treatise on Gibran's understanding of philosphy and religion. There are some beautiful points made, but others that seem confusing. The narration was rather odd. Paul Sparer has an amazing voice, but it would work better in an epic fantasy, and therefore gave the whole work a feel of the fantastic.

[hvg-13 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's ok, not earth shattering or anything. May require re-reading.

[pdxwoman_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In the seventh grade I learned teachers didn't know as much as they led us to believe. I'd read The Prophet and wanted to talk about it with my Tag English teacher. He had no idea who Kahlil Gibran was. It took me at least a week to wrap my brain around that fact.More years later than I'd care to admit, I still remember the impact the book had on me and, while I've never read it a second time, several passages and the overall impact stick with me.

[stevenjohntait · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read this years ago. I'm not a religious person in the slightest. I might consider myself spiritual. This book was to me what I suppose the Bible or Koran, or Torah or whatever is to people of religion. It's a go-to book for learning how to be a better person. Provides insight into emotions, and ideas about work and life.

[mfassold_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my favorite books of inspiration. I gave my Friday crew the book before they left for college. One of my favorite memories will always be sharing the book at Starbucks this summer.

[eldang-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I feel like I'm supposed to love this book, but it just didn't do much for me. At its best the writing is quite lyrical and there are some wonderfully quotable passages, but taken as a whole it felt like Gibran had tried to find universals among world religions and that road had just led him to rather obvious truisms.

[goofyocean110 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read The Prophet perhaps way way too quickly - its short enough to be read in a few hours, but deep enough to take years to digest. There's lots in there that would be good quotes to remember. It reminded me a little bit of the song 'Best of all possible worlds' in Candide(?) where this one know-it-all explains his unrelenting optimism.

[marqpdx_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is priceless. If you haven't done so, read it soon. So much wisdom so sweetly and lovingly put forth.

[barblibrarian_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I originally read this book in high school over 30 years ago and found it beautiful. Today I find it enlightening, calming, and a constant source of re-examination. I actually keep a copy with me at all times to read whenever I need to wait somewhere and want a quick reminder. Very thought provoking and very new age.

[jennifersalderson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful, amazing, spiritually-lifting little book that I have been flipping through for 25+ years! I highly recommend it - to everyone!!!

[spiritedtruthseeke-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

another MUST read for EVERYONE

[mariosantamaria_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The author creates a prophet to deliver their wisdom to an audience. Talks many subjects full of wisdom. They are not attached to any specific religion. It is short lenght but you need some time to digest any chapter. It is a great reading.

[sitaraa_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

a treasure.. i keep going back to it

[dms02 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

a great look at life. a spiritual read on all topics of life. it has taken on a new meaning every time I read it.

[5hrdrive · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sometimes you read a book, sometimes a book reads you.

[anietzerck · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

 I read this to complete a reading challenge. I'm not usually one for poetry but I did find this book to be pretty captivating for the most part. There were definitely areas that were harder for me to read than others, but over all I enjoyed it. I'd say that I enjoyed it more than I expected to.

[bayardus-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

"Yesterday we obeyed kings and bent our necks before emperors. But today we kneel only to truth."

What a great line! Little did I know it was far and away the high-point of a book that is otherwise filled with platitudes and skin-deep truths.

[motjebben · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful book! The poetry is exquisite and often quoted for its beauty and profound insight. A MUST-READ! Gibran's prophet speaks eloquently on the topics of everyone's life: Love, Marriage, Children, Work, Joy and Sorrow, ... Time, ... Religion...This timeless work will have you thinking deeply and THAT is its greatest gift!

[haidji-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you have ever questioned time, life, freedom, pain, friendship, love, marriage or pleasure I recommend this book.The lessons in this book can positively impact your life. Very simply written, this book speaks to everyone.

[noonaut · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The translation I read makes it seem as if Gibran were trying to condense "Thus Spake Zarathustra." I'm not sure whether this is a fault of the specific translation

[kotwcs · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one book in which, as I came to the last few pages, I subconsciously began to read slower and slower: trying to make it last as I savored every word. There is real poetry in this book...the best kind that is full of wisdom and deep things said in the simplest way. A beautiful, gently philosophical read.

[sarathena1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Always a good, quick read. Each time I read this text, I find new gems inside it. The pictures are a bit disturbing at times, but beautiful nonetheless. The story revolves around a man ('The Prophet') who is leaving his adopted country to finally return to his native land. He speaks to a large crowd who has gathered to see him depart, on such things as love, marriage, children, material objects, and death. Spiritual and inspiring.

[erickibler · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

A useful work. That is, if you want to learn how to write a book that impresses millions with its apparent depth while saying nothing.

[john5918 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What can one say? Wisdom and beauty combined.

[cathy_donnelly-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful and inspiring.

[janemarieprice · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This small and beautiful collection of poems is wonderful. They cover any range of topics of life such as marriage and childhood. They are a great pick you up.

[hollowtaction · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

These short sections on various topics are completely insightful. Reading the prophet's wisdom, I felt as though he were telling me things from my own mind that I only had not put down into words, and Gibran wrote his prose with such an artfulness that this novel is nothing short of inspirational. He has written the poetry of my soul.

[becky221_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

(Read in 2002.) Favorite quotes:“And ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.”“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.”“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.”