"The Prophet" Khalil Gibran: On Giving

This audio file is a reading of a chapter from the book "The Prophet" - on giving. The rich man asks the prophet to talk about the power of giving, and the prophet brings awareness on what kind of giving exists in our lives and what is truly giving means.

Transcript

On giving. Then said a rich man speak to us of giving and he answered you give but little when you give of your possessions it is when you give of yourself that you truly give for what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow and tomorrow what shall tomorrow bring to the overprudent dog burying bones in the treckles and as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city and what is fear of need but need itself is not dread of thirst when your well is full the thirst that is unquenchable there are those who give little of the much which they have and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome and there are those who have little and give it all these are believers in life and the bounty of life and their coffer is never empty there are those who give with joy and the joy is their reward and there are those who give with pain and that pain is their baptism and there are those who give and know not pain in giving nor do they seek joy nor give with mindfulness of virtue they give as in yonder valley the Myrtle breaths its fragrance into space through the hands of such as these God speaks and from behind their eyes he smiles upon the earth it is well to give when asked but it's better to give unasked through understanding and to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive his joy greater than giving and is there ought you would withhold all you have shall someday be given therefore give now that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors you often say I would give but only to the deserving the trees in your orchard say not so no the flocks in your pasture they give that they may live for to withhold is to perish surely he who is worth to receive his days and his nights is worthy of all else from you and he who has deserved to dream from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream and what deserved greater shall there be then that which lies in the courage and the confidence neither charity of receiving and who are that man should rend their bosom and unveil their pride that you may see their worth naked and their pride and bashed see first that yourself deserve to be a giver and an instrument of giving for in truth it is life that gives unto life while you who deem yourself a giver are but a witness and you receivers and you are all receivers assume no weight of gratitude lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings for to be over mindful of your debt is to doubt his generosity who has the free-hearted earth for mother and God for father