4umi Khalil Gibran : The Vision / On Beauty

Beauty

You who roamed distracted in the byways of proliferous religions and roved the valleys of contrary doctrines; you who found the freedom to disbelieve preferable to the chains of submission and the arenas of denial safer than the redoubts of obedience; you adopted beauty as your religion and revered it as your lord. For it is manifest in the perfection of the creatures and is apparent in the conclusions reached by the intellect. Cast aside those who liken godliness to whimsy and who try to combine their greed for wealth with their desire for a happy afterlife. Believe in the divinity of beauty, which is the beginning of your appreciation of life and the origin of your love for joy. Then turn in repentance unto it, for it draws your hearts nigh to the throne of woman, who is the mirror of your feelings; and it is the trainer of your souls in the realm of nature, which is where your lives originated.

You who are lost in the night of idle talk and drowned in the abyss of false imaginings, know that in beauty is a reality that extinguishes doubt and prevents skepticism, a dazzling light that safeguards you from the gloom of falsehood.

Contemplate the wakefulness of spring and the advent of the morn, for beauty is the lot of those who contemplate.

Listen to the melodies of the birds, the rustling of the boughs, the purling of the stream; beauty is the share of listeners. Observe the meekness of the child, the gracefulness of the youth, the power of the mature, and the wisdom of the aged; beauty is the charm of those who watch.

Rhapsodize about the narcissus of the eyes, the rose of the cheeks, the anemones of the lips; beauty is glorified by those who rhapsodize. Praise the tree-limb stature, the night-black hair, the ivory neck; beauty is gladdened by those who praise. Hallow the body as a temple to comeliness and sanctify the heart as a sacrifice to love; love recompenses the adorers.

Sing praises, you to whom the verses of beauty have been revealed, and rejoice; for no fear comes upon you, nor do you sorrow.

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 Khalil Gibran Introductory biography Spirits Rebellious The Broken Wings A Tear and a Smile The Madman The Forerunner The Prophet The New Frontier Sand and Foam Jesus, The Son Of Man The Earth Gods The Wanderer Al-Nay The Garden of the Prophet Lazarus and His Beloved Satan My Countrymen I Believe In You Your Thought And Mine You Have Your Lebanon History and the Nation The Vision Prologue On Rebellion and Liberty On Defeat On Faults On Human Unity On Beauty On Progress On Body and Soul On Giving On Wisdom On Loyalty On Learning On the Next World Visual art