On Love
论爱
卡里·纪伯伦
纪伯伦是阿拉伯近代文学史上个使用散文诗体的作家，为发展阿拉伯新文学做出过重大贡献。他的主要作品蕴含了丰富的社会性和东方精神，旨在抒发丰富的情感，例如，他多以“爱”和“美”为主题，通过大胆的想象和象征的手法，表达深沉的感情和远大的理想。
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.
当爱召唤你时，跟随它，虽然这条道路艰险又崎岖；当爱用羽翼拥抱你时，顺从它，虽然羽翼中的剑刃可能会将你刺伤；当爱开口向你说话时，相信它，虽然它的话可能会让你梦想破碎，就像北风荒芜了花园。爱会为你加冕，也会将你钉上十字架；爱会教会你成长，也会让你学会如何受教。
爱会攀升到枝头，轻抚你阳光下颤动的柔嫩枝条；也会降至你的根底，摇动你紧抓泥土的根须。
像聚集麦捆一样，爱把你拢到它身边。如打谷般使你赤裸；如筛糠般去掉你的麦皮；如石磨般磨出你的洁白；揉捏你使你柔顺，后爱便把你交于圣火，让你成为上帝圣宴上的圣餐。
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.
爱做这些事情将你成全，使你能洞悉自己内心的秘密，因为这样，你才可以成为生命之心的一部分。
如果你害怕了，如果你只是追求爱的平和与快乐，那么，请掩盖你的赤裸，离开爱的打谷场，去到那个没有季节更替的世界，在那里，你可以大笑，但不会尽兴；你也可以大哭，但绝不会尽情。
爱，除了它自身，别无所予更无所取。爱不占有，也不被占有；因为爱有爱已足够。
当你爱了，你要说“我已在上帝心中”而不是“上帝已在我心中”。不要认为你可以指引爱的行程，因为，若你值得，爱会指引你的前行之路。除了完成自己的使命外，爱别无他求。若你爱了，必定有所渴求，就让下面这些成为你的渴求吧：
将自己融化，成为潺潺溪流，欢快吟唱着入夜。
感触太多温情带来的苦痛。
因自己对爱的理解而受伤，
情愿且幸福地流着血。
黎明时分，带着雀跃的心醒来，感谢这又是满怀爱意的一天。
午休时刻，沉思在爱的狂喜中。
傍晚归家，心中满怀感激之情。
临睡之时，为你心中至爱之人事真心祈祷，唇边吟诵着赞美诗入眠。