On Love
Kahlil Gibran

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.

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.

When you love you should not say, "God is in my heart," but rather, "I am in the heart of God."
And think not you can direct the course of love, for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, 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 to 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 meditate love's ecstasy;
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

论爱

纪伯伦著 长风译

当爱呼唤你，请跟随祂，

虽然祂的道路陡峭漫长。

当爱的翅膀环抱着你，请顺从祂，

虽然羽翼的利刃可能让你受伤。

当爱向你开口，请相信祂，

虽然祂的声音可能粉碎你的梦想

就像北风让园子里的花草凋零一样。

爱可以给你带上皇冠，也可以钉你在十字架上。祂让你成长，同时也磨平你的棱角。

如果你是棵树，祂可以轻抚在阳光下摇曳的树枝，也可以撼动你深植土壤的根系。

你像祂收获的一捆捆庄稼。

祂去掉你的外衣，

用筛子滤掉你的麸皮，

把你磨成精粉，

和成柔软的面团；

然后祂把你放在神圣的火炉里，烤成圣餐中使用的面饼。

爱用这些经历让你明白人性的奥秘，也让你成为祂生命乐章中的一曲。

如果你害怕考验而只想追求爱中的平静与快乐，请掩饰好自己，离开爱的磨炼场而进入波澜不惊的世界。在那里，你笑，不能开怀大笑， 你哭，不能嚎啕大哭。

爱是完全的付出和无偿的支取。

爱不占有也不被占有；

因为爱本身就足够。

在爱中，你不应该说“上帝在我心中。”，而应该说“我在上帝的心中。”

不要以为你可以左右爱的进程，如果爱拣选你，祂会指引你。

爱要圆满，别无他求。

如果你在爱中有渴望，请这样渴望：

软化你的心，让它像流动的小溪一样昼夜歌唱。

明白过分软弱带来的痛苦。

经历爱带来的伤害。

心甘情愿地奉献。

清晨醒来舒展心灵的翅膀，为崭新而充满爱的一天感恩；

在中午休息时冥想爱中的极乐；

晚上以感恩的心回家；

在你用心为你爱的人祈祷和用嘴轻唱赞美的诗歌中入眠。

用贝多芬《致爱丽丝》伴奏：