先知国_纪伯伦_-第10章

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when　men　pass　by　and　will　not　drink。

〃would　that　i　were　a　reed　trodden　under　foot；

for　that　were　better　than　to　be　a　lyre　of　silvery　strings

in　a　house　whose　lord　has　no　fingers

and　whose　children　are　deaf。〃

now；　for　seven　days　and　seven　nights　no　man　came　nigh　the　garden；　and　he　was　alone　with　is　memories　and　his　pain；　for　even　those　who　had　heard　his　words　with　love　and　patience　had　turned　away　to　the　pursuits　of　other　days。

only　karima　came；　with　silence　upon　her　face　like　a　veil；　and　with　cup　and　plate　within　her　hand；　drink　and　meat　for　his　aloneness　and　his　hunger。　and　after　setting　these　before　him；　she　walked　her　way。

and　almustafa　came　again　to　the　pany　of　the　white　poplars　within　the　gate；　and　he　sat　looking　upon　the　road。　and　after　a　while　he　beheld　as　it　were　a　cloud　of　dust　blown　above　the　road　and　ing　toward　him。　and　from　out　the　cloud　came　the　nine；　and　before　them　karima　guiding　them。

and　almustafa　advanced　and　met　them　upon　the　road；　and　they　passed　through　the　gate；　and　all　was　well；　as　though　they　had　gone　their　path　but　an　hour　ago。

they　came　in　and　supped　with　him　at　his　frugal　board；　after　that　karima　had　laid　upon　it　the　bread　and　the　fish　and　poured　the　last　of　the　wine　into　the　cups。　and　as　she　poured；　she　besought　the　master　saying：　〃give　me　leave　that　i　go　into　the　city　and　fetch　wine　to　replenish　your　cups；　for　this　is　spent。〃

and　he　looked　upon　her；　and　in　his　eyes　were　a　journey　and　a　far　country；　and　he　said：　〃nay；　for　it　is　sufficient　unto　the　hour。〃

and　they　ate　and　drank　and　were　satisfied。　and　when　it　was　finished；　almustafa　spoke　in　a　vast　voice；　deep　as　the　sea　and　full　as　a　great　tide　under　the　moon；　and　he　said：　〃my　rades　and　my　road…fellows；　we　must　needs　part　this　day。　long　have　we　climbed　the　steepest　mountains　and　we　have　wrestled　with　the　storms。　we　have　known　hunger；　but　we　have　also　sat　at　wedding…feasts。　oftentimes　have　we　been　naked；　but　we　have　also　worn　kingly　raiment。　we　have　indeed　travelled　far；　but　now　we　part。　together　you　shall　go　your　way；　and　alone　must　i　go　mine。

〃and　though　the　seas　and　the　vast　lands　shall　separate　us；　still　we　shall　be　panions　upon　our　journey　to　the　holy　mountain。

〃but　before　we　go　our　severed　roads；　i　would　give　unto　you　the　harvest　and　the　gleaning　of　my　heart：

〃go　you　upon　your　way　with　singing；　but　let　each　song　be　brief；　for　only　the　songs　that　die　young　upon　your　lips　shall　live　in　human　hearts。　〃tell　a　lovely　truth　in　little　words；　but　never　an　ugly　truth　in　any　words。　tell　the　maiden　whose　hair　shines　in　the　sun　that　she　is　the　daughter　of　the　morning。　but　if　you　shall　behold　the　sightless；　say　not　to　him　that　he　is　one　with　night。

〃listen　to　the　flute…player　as　it　were　listening　to　april；　but　if　you　shall　hear　the　critic　and　the　fault…finder　speak；　be　deaf　as　your　own　bones　and　as　distant　as　your　fancy。

〃my　rades　and　my　beloved；　upon　your　way　you　shall　meet　men　with　hoofs；　give　them　your　wings。　and　men　with　horns；　give　them　wreaths　of　laurel。　and　men　with　claws；　give　them　petals　for　fingers。　and　men　with　forked　tongues；　give　them　honey　words。

〃ay；　you　shall　meet　all　these　and　more；　you　shall　meet　the　lame　selling　crutches；　and　the　blind；　mirrors。　and　you　shall　meet　the　rich　men　begging　at　the　gate　of　the　temple。

〃to　the　lame　give　your　swiftness；　to　the　blind　of　your　vision；　and　see　that　you　give　of　yourself　to　the　rich　beggars；　they　are　the　most　needy　of　all；　for　surely　no　man　would　stretch　a　hand　for　alms　unless　he　be　poor　indeed；　though　of　great　possessions。

〃my　rades　and　my　friends；　i　charge　you　by　our　love　that　you　be　countless　paths　which　cross　one　another　in　the　desert；　where　the　lions　and　the　rabbits　walk；　and　also　the　wolves　and　the　sheep。

〃and　remember　this　of　me：　i　teach　you　not　giving；　but　receiving；　not　denial；　but　fulfilment；　and　not　yielding；　but　understanding；　with　the　smile　upon　the　lips。

〃i　teach　you　not　silence；　but　rather　a　song　not　over…loud。

〃i　teach　you　your　larger　self；　which　contains　all　men。〃

and　he　rose　from　the　board　and　went　out　straightway　into　the　garden　and　walked　under　the　shadow　of　the　cypress…trees　as　the　day　waned。　and　they　followed　him；　at　a　little　distance；　for　their　heart　was　heavy；　and　their　tongue　clave　to　the　roof　of　their　mouth。

only　karima；　after　she　had　put　by　the　fragments；　came　unto　him　and　said：　〃master；　i　would　that　you　suffer　me　to　prepare　food　against　the　morrow　and　your　journey。〃

and　he　looked　upon　her　with　eyes　that　saw　other　worlds　that　this；　and　he　said：　〃my　sister；　and　my　beloved；　it　is　done；　even　from　the　beginning　of　time。　the　food　and　the　drink　is　ready；　for　the　morrow；　even　as　for　our　yesterday　and　our　today。

〃i　go；　but　if　i　go　with　a　truth　not　yet　voiced；　that　very　truth　will　again　seek　me　and　gather　me；　though　my　elements　be　scattered　throughout　the　silences　of　eternity；　and　again　shall　i　e　before　you　that　i　may　speak　with　a　voice　born　anew　out　of　the　heart　of　those　boundless　silences。

〃and　if　there　be　aught　of　beauty　that　i　have　declared　not　unto　you；　then　once　again　shall　i　be　called；　ay；　even　by　mine　own　name；　almustafa；　and　i　shall　give　you　a　sign；　that　you　may　know　i　have　e　back　to　speak　all　that　is　lacking；　for　god　will　not　suffer　himself　to　be　hidden　from　man；　nor　his　word　to　lie　covered　in　the　abyss　of　the　heart　of　man。

〃i　shall　live　beyond　death；　and　i　shall　sing　in　your　ears

even　after　the　vast　sea…wave　carries　me　back

to　the　vast　sea…depth。

i　shall　sit　at　your　board　though　without　a　body；

and　i　shall　go　with　you　to　your　fields；　a　spirit　invisible。

i　shall　e　to　you　at　your　fireside；　a　guest　unseen。

death　changes　nothing　but　the　masks　that　cover　our　faces。

the　woodsman　shall　be　still　a　woodsman；

the　ploughman；　a　ploughman；

and　he　who　sang　his　song　to　the　wind　shall　sing　it　also　to　the　moving　spheres。〃

and　the　disciples　were　as　still　as　stones；　and　grieved　in　their　heart　for　that　he　had　said：　〃i　go。〃　but　no　man　put　out　his　hand　to　stay　the　master；　nor　did　any　follow　after　his　footsteps。

and　almustafa　went　out　from　the　garden　of　his　mother；　and　his　feet　were　swift　and　they　were　soundless；　and　in　a　moment；　like　a　blown　leaf　in　a　strong　wind；　he　was　far　gone　from　them；　and　they　saw；　as　it　were；　a　pale　light　moving　up　to　the　heights。

and　the　nine　walked　their　ways　down　the　road。　but　the　woman　still　stood　in　the　gathering　night；　and　she　beheld　how　the　light　and　the　twilight　were　bee　one；　and　she　forted　her　desolation　and　her　aloneness　with　his　words：　〃i　go；　but　if　i　go　with　a　truth　not　yet　voiced；　that　very　truth　will　seek　me　and　gather　me；　and　again　shall　i　e。〃

and　now　it　was　eventide。

and　he　had　reached　the　hills。　his　steps　had　led　him　to　the　mist；　and　he　stood　among　the　rocks　and　the　white　cypress…trees　hidden　from　all　things；　and　he　spoke　and　said：

〃o　mist；　my　sister；　white　breath　not　yet　held　in　a　mould；

i　return　to　you；　a　breath　white　and　voiceless；

a　word　not　yet　uttered。

〃o　mist；　my　winged　sister　mist；　we　are　together　now；

and　together　we　shall　be　till　lifes　second　day；

whose　dawn　shall　lay　you；　dewdrops　in　a　garden；

and　me　a　babe　upon　the　breast　of　a　woman；

and　we　shall　remember。

〃o　mist；　my　sister；　i　e　back；　a　heart　listening　in　its　depths；

even　as　your　heart；

a　desire　throbbing　and　aimless　even　as　your　desire；

a　thought　not　yet　gathered；　even　as　your　thought。

〃o　mist；　my　sister；　first…born　of　my　mother；

my　hands　still　hold　the　green　seeds　you　bade　me　scatter；

and　my　lips　are　sealed　upon　the　song　you　bade　me　sing；

and　i　bring　you　no　fruit；　and　i　bring　you　no　echoes

for　my　hands　were　blind；　and　my　lips　unyielding。

〃o　mist；　my　sister；　much　did　i　love　the　world；　and　the　world　loved　me；

for　all　my　smiles　were　upon　her　lips；　and　all　her　tears　were　in　my　eyes。

yet　there　was　between　us　a　gulf　of　silence　which　she　would　not　abridge

and　i　could　not　overstep。

〃o　mist；　my　sister；　my　deathless　sister　mist；

i　sang　the　ancient　songs　unto　my　little　children；

and　they　listened；　and　there　was　wondering　upon　their　face；

but　tomorrow　perchance　they　will　forget　the　song；

and　i　know　not　to　whom　the　wind　will　carry　the　song。

and　though　it　was　not　mine　own；　yet　it　came　to　my　heart

and　dwel