On Self-Knowledge

From The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran (1923)

And a man said, Speak to us on self-knowledge.

And he answered, saying:

Your hearts know in silence the secrets of

the days and nights.

But your ears thirst for the sound

of your hearts’ knowledge.

You would know in words that which

you have always known

in thought.

You would touch with your fingers

the naked body of your dreams.

And it is well you should.

The hidden well-spring of your soul must

needs rise and run

murmuring to the sea;

And the treasure of your infinite depths

would be revealed to your eyes.

But let there be no scales to weigh your

unknown treasure;

And seek not the depths of your knowledge with staff or

sounding line.

For self is a sea boundless and measureless.

Say not, “I have found the truth,” but rather,

“I have found a truth.”

Say not, “I have found the path of the soul.”

Say rather, “I have met the soul walking

upon my path.”

For the soul walks upon all paths.

The soul walks not upon a line, neither does

it grow like a reed.

The soul unfolds itself, like a lotus of

countless petals.

 

 

(home)