The Prophet

By Kahlil Gibran

Originally published in 1923, “The Prophet” is a book containing twenty-six prose fables written by Lebanese-American poet Kahlil Gibran. Al Mustafa, the prophet, is preparing to leave the city he has called home for 12 years when he is stopped by a group of people, who proceed to ask him many questions related to the nature of life and being human. The main contents of this book comprise his answers, which take the form of aphoristic advice and suggestions. Gibran's masterpiece has been translated into more than 100 languages, making it among the most translated books ever written. Gibran Khalil Gibran (1883 – 1931) was a Lebanese-American poet, writer, and artist whose work covers such themes as justice, religion, science, free will, love, happiness, the soul, the body, and death. He is widely considered to have been one of the most important figures in Arabic poetry and literature during the first half of the twentieth century. Other notable works by this author include: “Music” (1905), “Rebellious Spirits” (1908), and “Broken Wings” (1912). Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially-commissioned new biography of the author.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Feb 20, 2020
• ISBN: 9781528788915

Kahlil Gibran

Kahlil Gibran was a Lebanese-American writer, poet, and a philosopher best known for his, The Prophet. Born to a Maronite-Christian family in a village occupied by Ottoman rule, Gibran and his family immigrated to the United States in 1895 in search of a better life. Studying art and literature, and inevitably ensconced in the world of political activism as a young man dealing with the ramifications of having to leave his home-land, Gibran hoped to make his living as an artist. With the weight of political and religious upheaval on his shoulders, Gibran's work aimed to inspire a revolution of free though and artistic expression. Gibran's, The Prophet has become one of the best-selling books of all time, leaving behind a legacy of accolades and establishing him as both a literary rebel and hero in his country of Lebanon. Gibran is considered to be the third best-selling poet of all time, behind Shakespeare and Lao Tzu.

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Kahlil Gibran

Gibran Khalil Gibran was born on 6th January, 1883, in the historical town of Bsharri, in northern Mount Lebanon, then a semi-autonomous part of the Ottoman Empire.

Due to his family's poverty, Gibran had no formal education in his early years except for the Maronite Catholic priests who would visit to teach him about the bible, as well as the Arabic and Syriac languages. His father, who was his mother's third husband, was not a financially successful man, and after racking up gambling debts, was forced to take a position as a local administrator. However, in 1891, he was imprisoned for embezzlement and his family's property was confiscated. This prompted Gibran's mother to leave his father and migrate to the United States with her children in 1895.

They settled in the second-largest Syrian-Lebanese-American community, in Boston's South End, where young Kahlil, enrolled at an art school in a nearby settlement house. He was taken under the wing of the avant-garde artist, photographer, and publisher Fred Holland Day, who encouraged Kahlil's creative flare.

In 1904 he held the first exhibition of his drawings at Day's studio. During the exhibition, he met a respected headmistress ten years his senior, named Mary Elizabeth Haskell, who went on to become his editor. The two of them were well-known to be great friends, but it later emerged that in private they were lovers. In fact, Gibran twice proposed to her but marriage was not possible in the face of her family's conservatism.

Gibran's early works of poetry were in Arabic, but after 1918 he decided to write mainly in English. It was in 1918 that the Alfred A. Knopf publishing company published The Madman, a slim volume of aphorisms and parables written in biblical cadence somewhere between poetry and prose. This style brought him great success with his 1923 work The Prophet. Although it received a cool reception when first published, its notoriety grew and it is now his most famous work, never having been out of print and translated into more than forty languages. In Lebanon, Gibran is still celebrated as a literary hero, which is not surprising as he is actually the third best-selling poet of all time, behind only Shakespeare and Lao-Tzu.

Gibran died at the age of 48 in 1931 from cirrhosis of the liver and tuberculosis. The following year Mary Haskell and her sister Mariana purchased the Mar Sarkis Monastery in Lebanon in which he was buried. This is now the Gibran Museum. Written next to Gibran's grave are the words a word I want to see written on my grave: I am alive like you, and I am standing beside you. Close your eyes and look around, you will see me in front of you.

THE PROPHET

THE COMING OF THE SHIP

Almustafa, the chosen and the beloved, who was a dawn unto his own day, had waited twelve years in the city of Orphalese for his ship that was to return and bear him back to the isle of his birth.

And in the twelfth year, on the seventh day of Ielool, the month of reaping, he climbed the hill without the city walls and looked seaward; and he beheld his ship coming with the mist.

Then the gates of his heart were flung open, and his joy flew far over the sea. And he closed his eyes and prayed in the silences of his soul.

But as he descended the hill, a sadness came upon him, and he thought in his heart:

How shall I go in peace and without sorrow? Nay, not without a wound in the spirit shall I leave this city. Long were the days of pain I have spent within its walls, and long were the nights of aloneness; and who can depart from his pain and his aloneness without regret?

Too many fragments of the spirit have I scattered in these streets, and too many are

Reviews for The Prophet

[danielstj · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a surprisingly good read. The pithy statements are full of wisdom and poetic grace and the entire whole is abounded by a sense of care and compassion towards the reader. Although I am not religious, I found this to be a particularly gripping book that held my attention from start to finish.

Great read. Recommended for poets, scholars, those with religious reasons, and curiosity-seekers.

[hollybdurso · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

An absolutely beautiful little book filled with poetic wisdom that I believe people from every faith and background can draw from.

[bookwyrmm_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

his is a very interesting listen. The Prophet is not so much a story as treatise on Gibran's understanding of philosphy and religion. There are some beautiful points made, but others that seem confusing. The narration was rather odd. Paul Sparer has an amazing voice, but it would work better in an epic fantasy, and therefore gave the whole work a feel of the fantastic.

[hvg-13 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It's ok, not earth shattering or anything. May require re-reading.

[pdxwoman_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In the seventh grade I learned teachers didn't know as much as they led us to believe. I'd read The Prophet and wanted to talk about it with my Tag English teacher. He had no idea who Kahlil Gibran was. It took me at least a week to wrap my brain around that fact.More years later than I'd care to admit, I still remember the impact the book had on me and, while I've never read it a second time, several passages and the overall impact stick with me.

[stevenjohntait · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I read this years ago. I'm not a religious person in the slightest. I might consider myself spiritual. This book was to me what I suppose the Bible or Koran, or Torah or whatever is to people of religion. It's a go-to book for learning how to be a better person. Provides insight into emotions, and ideas about work and life.

[mfassold_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my favorite books of inspiration. I gave my Friday crew the book before they left for college. One of my favorite memories will always be sharing the book at Starbucks this summer.

[eldang-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I feel like I'm supposed to love this book, but it just didn't do much for me. At its best the writing is quite lyrical and there are some wonderfully quotable passages, but taken as a whole it felt like Gibran had tried to find universals among world religions and that road had just led him to rather obvious truisms.

[goofyocean110 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read The Prophet perhaps way way too quickly - its short enough to be read in a few hours, but deep enough to take years to digest. There's lots in there that would be good quotes to remember. It reminded me a little bit of the song 'Best of all possible worlds' in Candide(?) where this one know-it-all explains his unrelenting optimism.

[marqpdx_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is priceless. If you haven't done so, read it soon. So much wisdom so sweetly and lovingly put forth.

[barblibrarian_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I originally read this book in high school over 30 years ago and found it beautiful. Today I find it enlightening, calming, and a constant source of re-examination. I actually keep a copy with me at all times to read whenever I need to wait somewhere and want a quick reminder. Very thought provoking and very new age.

[jennifersalderson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful, amazing, spiritually-lifting little book that I have been flipping through for 25+ years! I highly recommend it - to everyone!!!

[spiritedtruthseeke-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

another MUST read for EVERYONE

[mariosantamaria_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The author creates a prophet to deliver their wisdom to an audience. Talks many subjects full of wisdom. They are not attached to any specific religion. It is short lenght but you need some time to digest any chapter. It is a great reading.

[sitaraa_2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

a treasure.. i keep going back to it

[dms02 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

a great look at life. a spiritual read on all topics of life. it has taken on a new meaning every time I read it.

[5hrdrive · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Sometimes you read a book, sometimes a book reads you.

[anietzerck · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

 I read this to complete a reading challenge. I'm not usually one for poetry but I did find this book to be pretty captivating for the most part. There were definitely areas that were harder for me to read than others, but over all I enjoyed it. I'd say that I enjoyed it more than I expected to.

[bayardus-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

"Yesterday we obeyed kings and bent our necks before emperors. But today we kneel only to truth."

What a great line! Little did I know it was far and away the high-point of a book that is otherwise filled with platitudes and skin-deep truths.

[motjebben · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A beautiful book! The poetry is exquisite and often quoted for its beauty and profound insight. A MUST-READ! Gibran's prophet speaks eloquently on the topics of everyone's life: Love, Marriage, Children, Work, Joy and Sorrow, ... Time, ... Religion...This timeless work will have you thinking deeply and THAT is its greatest gift!

[haidji-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

If you have ever questioned time, life, freedom, pain, friendship, love, marriage or pleasure I recommend this book.The lessons in this book can positively impact your life. Very simply written, this book speaks to everyone.

[noonaut · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

The translation I read makes it seem as if Gibran were trying to condense "Thus Spake Zarathustra." I'm not sure whether this is a fault of the specific translation

[kotwcs · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one book in which, as I came to the last few pages, I subconsciously began to read slower and slower: trying to make it last as I savored every word. There is real poetry in this book...the best kind that is full of wisdom and deep things said in the simplest way. A beautiful, gently philosophical read.

[sarathena1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Always a good, quick read. Each time I read this text, I find new gems inside it. The pictures are a bit disturbing at times, but beautiful nonetheless. The story revolves around a man ('The Prophet') who is leaving his adopted country to finally return to his native land. He speaks to a large crowd who has gathered to see him depart, on such things as love, marriage, children, material objects, and death. Spiritual and inspiring.

[erickibler · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

A useful work. That is, if you want to learn how to write a book that impresses millions with its apparent depth while saying nothing.

[john5918 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

What can one say? Wisdom and beauty combined.

[cathy_donnelly-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Beautiful and inspiring.

[janemarieprice · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This small and beautiful collection of poems is wonderful. They cover any range of topics of life such as marriage and childhood. They are a great pick you up.

[hollowtaction · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

These short sections on various topics are completely insightful. Reading the prophet's wisdom, I felt as though he were telling me things from my own mind that I only had not put down into words, and Gibran wrote his prose with such an artfulness that this novel is nothing short of inspirational. He has written the poetry of my soul.

[becky221_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

(Read in 2002.) Favorite quotes:“And ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.”“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.”“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.”