You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth. For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons, and to step out of life's procession, that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite. When you work you are a flute through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music. Which of you would be a reed, dumb and silent, when all else sings together in unison? Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune. But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth's furthest dream, assigned to you when that dream was born, And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life, And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life's inmost secret. But if you in your pain call birth an affliction and the support of the flesh a curse written upon your brow, then I answer that naught but the sweat of your brow shall wash away that which is written. You have been told also that life is darkness, and in your weariness you echo what was said by the weary. And I say that life is indeed darkness save when there is urge, And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge, And all knowledge is vain save when there is work, And all work is empty save when there is love; And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God. And what is it to work with love? It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart, even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth. It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house. It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy, even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit. It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit, And to know that all the blessed dead are standing about you and watching. Often have I heard you say, as if speaking in sleep, "He who works in marble, and finds the shape of his own soul in the stone, is nobler than he who ploughs the soil. And he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth in the likeness of man, is more than he who makes the sandals for our feet." But I say, not in sleep but in the overwakefulness of noontide, that the wind speaks not more sweetly to the giant oaks than to the least of all the blades of grass; And he alone is great who turns the voice of the wind into a song made sweeter by his own loving. Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy. For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man's hunger. And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distils a poison in the wine. And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man's ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.
《先知》是纪伯伦享誉世界的作品。在这部哲理性很强的诗集里，他借先知之口，向世人讲述对很多人生重大问题的看法，爱、婚姻、孩子、工作，等等。这部作品他酝酿了十几年，是他创作的顶峰，读来引人深思。 下面选取《欢乐与悲哀》，与大家一起分享。以下译文出自冰心先生之手。 Joy and Sorrow 欢乐与悲哀 Then a woman said. Speak to us of Joy and Sorrow. 于是一个妇人说：请给我们讲欢乐与悲哀。 And he answered: 他回答说： Your joy is your sorrow unmasked. 你的欢乐，就是你的去了面具的悲哀。 And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was oftentimes 连你那涌溢欢乐的井泉，也常是 filled with your tears. 充满了你的眼泪。 And how else can it be? 不然又怎样呢？ The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain. 悲哀的创痕在你身上刻得越深，你越能容受更多的欢乐。 Is not the cup that hold your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter's oven? 你的盛酒的杯，不就是那曾在陶工的窑中燃烧的坯子吗？ And is not the lute that soothes your spirit，the very wood that was hollowed with knives? 那感悦你的心神的笛子，不就是曾受尖刀挖刻的木管吗？ When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy. 当你欢乐的时候，深深地内顾你的心中，你就知道只不过是曾使你悲哀的，又在使你欢乐。 When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. 当你悲哀的时候，再内顾你的心中，你就看出实在是那曾使你喜悦的，又在使你哭泣。 Some of you say, Joy is greater than sorrow, and others say, Nay, sorrow is the greater. 你们有些人说：欢乐大于悲哀。也有人说：不，悲哀是更大的。 But I say unto you, they are inseparable. 我却要对你们说，它们是不可分开的。 Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed. 它们一同来到，当这一个和你同席的时候，要记住那一个正在你的床上酣眠。 Verily you are suspended like scales between your sorrow and your joy. 真的，你是天平般悬在悲哀与欢乐之间。 Only when you are empty are you at standstill and balanced. 只有在盘空的时候，你才能静止，持平。 When the treasure-keeper lifts you to weigh his gold and his silver, needs must your joy or your sorrow rise of fall. 当守库者把你提起来称它的金银的时候，你的哀乐就必须升降了。
纪伯伦 《先知》中的三段诗，他真是中国现实的先知！东方有圣人，西方有圣人，此心同，此理同。 《居室》 告诉我，奥法利斯城的人们，你们房屋中有些什么？你们用紧闭的门守护什么呢？ 你们可有安宁，那显示你们力量的平静的冲动？ 你们可有回忆，那连接心灵峰峦的隐约闪现的桥梁？ 你们可有美，那将心灵从木石之所引向圣山的向导？ 告诉我，你们的居室可拥有这些？ 莫非其中只有安逸和追求安逸的欲望这鬼祟之物入室做客，却变为主人，进而成为一家之长？ 可叹啊，它竟又化作驯师，以诱饵和皮鞭使你们更大的愿望变作玩偶。 尽管它的手如丝，但它的心如铁。 它诱你们人睡，只为站在你们睡榻边嘲弄你们肉体的尊严。 它嘲笑你们健全的意识，把它们像脆弱的器皿般置于蓟绒下。 的确，贪图安逸的欲望扼杀了灵魂的情感，而它还在葬礼上例嘴嬉笑。 但你们，宇宙之子，静中之动，你们不应被捕陷，不应被驯服。 你们的居室不应是锚，而应是桅。 它不应是遮掩伤口的闪亮的薄膜，而应是保护眼睛的眼睑。 你们不应为穿过房门而收敛翅膀，不应为防止撞到天花板而俯身低头，也不应因担心墙壁开裂坍塌而屏住呼吸。 你们不应居住在死者为生者建造的坟墓中。 纵然你们的宅邸金碧辉煌，它们也无法隐藏你们的秘密，掩盖你们的愿望。 因为你们内在的无穷性居住在天宫里，它以晨雾为门，以夜的歌声和寂静为窗。 《致孩子》 你们可以给他们爱，却不可以给他们思想。 因为他们有自己的思想。你们可以荫庇他们的身体，却不能荫庇他们的灵魂。 因为他们的灵魂，是住在明日的宅中，那是你们在梦中也不能想见的。 你们可以努力去模仿他们，却不能使他们来像你们。 因为生命是不倒行的，也不与昨日一同停留。 你们是弓，你们的孩子是从弦上发出的生命的箭矢。 结语： 我也说生活的确是黑暗的，除非是有了希翼； 一切的希翼都是盲目的，除非是有了知识； 一切的知识都是徒然的，除非是有了行动； 一切的行动都是虚空的，除非是有了爱 And I say that life is indeed darkness save when there is urge, And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge, And all knowledge is vain save when there is work, And all work is empty save when there is love; And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself, and to one another, and to God.
标签: 先知
