◎ Kahlil Gibran

When love beckons to you, follow him, though his ways are hard and steep. And when his wings enfold you, yield to him, though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you. And when he speaks to you, believe in him, though his voice may shatter your dreams as the north wind lays waste the garden.

For even as love crowns you, so shall he crucify you. Even as he is for your growth, so is he for your pruning. Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun, so shall he descend to our roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.

But if, in your fear, you would seek only love’s peace and love’s pleasure, then it is better for you that you cover your nakedness and pass out of love’s threshing-floor, into the seasonless world where you shall laugh, but not all of your laughter, and weep, but not all of your tears. Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself. Love possesses not, nor would it be possessed, for love is sufficient unto love.

Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself. But if you love and must have desires, let these be your desires:

To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love;

And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;

To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;

To return home at eventide with gratitude;

And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

当爱召唤你时，请追随他，尽管爱的道路艰难险峻。当爱的羽翼拥抱你时，请顺从他，尽管羽翼之下隐藏的剑可能会刺伤你。当爱向你诉说时，请相信他，尽管他的言语可能会打破你的梦想，如同北风吹落满园的花瓣。

爱会给你戴上桂冠，也会给你无尽折磨。爱会助你成长，也会给你修枝。爱会上升到枝头，轻抚你在阳光下微微颤动的嫩枝，也会下潜至根部，撼动你在泥土下紧紧依附的根须。

但是，如果你在恐惧中，你若只想寻求爱的平和与快乐，那你就最好掩盖真实的自我，躲避爱的考验，躲进那不分季节的世界，在那里你会开怀，但不是尽情大笑，你会哭泣，但不是尽抛泪水。爱只将自己付出，也只将得到自己。爱一无所有，也不会被谁占有，因为爱本身就已自足。

爱除了成全自我别无他求。但如果你爱而又不得不有所求，那就请期望：

将自己融化，像一条奔流的溪水，在夜晚吟唱自己优美的曲调。

明了过多的温柔所带来的痛苦。

被自己对爱的体会所伤害；

并情愿快乐地悲伤。

在晨曦带着轻快的心醒来，感谢又一个有爱的日子；

在黄昏怀着感激之情回家；

然后，为心中所爱的人祈祷，唇边唱着赞美之歌，就这样入眠。