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〃my friends and my brothers； the wider road is your fellow…man。
〃these plants that live upon the tree draw milk of the earth in the sweet stillness of night； and the earth in her tranquil dreaming sucks at the breast of the sun。
〃and the sun； even as you and i and all there is； sits in equal honour at the banquet of the prince whose door is always open and whose board is always spread。
〃mannus； my friend； all there is lives always upon all there is； and all there is lives in the faith； shoreless； upon the bounty of the most high。〃
and on a morning when the sky was yet pale with dawn； they walked all together in the garden and looked unto the east and were silent in the presence of the rising sun。
and after a while almustafa pointed with his hand； and said： 〃the image of the morning sun in a dewdrop is not less than the sun。 the reflection of life in your soul is not less than life。
〃the dewdrop mirrors the light because it is one with light； and you reflect life because you and life are one。
〃when darkness is upon you； say： this darkness is dawn not yet born； and though nights travail be full upon me； yet shall dawn be born unto me even as unto the hills。
〃the dewdrop rounding its sphere in the dusk of the lily is not unlike yourself gathering your soul in the heart of god。
〃shall a dewdrop say： but once in a thousand years i am a dewdrop； speak you and answer it saying： know you not that the light of all the years is shining in your circle？ 〃
and on an evening a great storm visited the place； and almustafa and his disciples； the nine； went within and sat about the fire and were silent。
then one of the disciples said： 〃i am alone； master； and the hoofs of the hours beat heavily upon my breast。〃
and almustafa rose up and stood in their midst； and he said in a voice like unto the sound of a great wind： 〃alone！ and what of it？ you came alone； and alone shall you pass into the mist。
〃therefore drink your cup alone and in silence。 the autumn days have given other lips other cups and filled them with wine bitter and sweet； even as they have filled your cup。
〃drink your cup alone though it taste of your own blood and tears； and praise life for the gift of thirst。 for without thirst your heart is but the shore of a barren sea； songless and without a tide。
〃drink your cup alone； and drink it with cheers。
〃raise it high above your head and drink deep to those who drink alone。
〃once i sought the pany of men and sat with them at their banquet…tables and drank deep with them； but their wine did not rise to my head； nor did it flow into my bosom。 it only descended to my feet。 my wisdom was left dry and my heart was locked and sealed。 only my feet were with them in their fog。
〃and i sought the pany of men no more； nor drank wine with them at their board。
〃therefore i say unto you； though the hoofs of the hours beat heavily upon your bosom； what of it？ it is well for you to drink your cup of sorrow alone； and your cup of joy shall you drink alone also。〃
and on a day； as phardrous； the greek； walked in the garden； he struck his foot upon a stone and he was angered。 and he turned and picked up the stone； saying in a low voice： 〃o dead thing in my path！〃 and he flung away the stone。
and almustafa； the chosen and the beloved； said： 〃why say you： o dead thing？ have you been thus long in this garden and know not that there is nothing dead here？ all things live and glow in the knowledge of the day and the majesty of the night。 you and the stone are one。 there is a difference only in heart…beats。 your heart beats a little faster； does it； my friend？ ay； but it is not so tranquil。
〃its rhythm may be another rhythm； but i say unto you that if you sound the depths of your soul and scale the heights of space； you shall hear one melody； and in that melody the stone and the star sing； the one with the other； in perfect unison。
〃if my words reach not your understanding； then let be until another dawn。 if you have cursed this stone because in your blindness you have stumbled upon it； then would you curse a star if so be your head should encounter it in the sky。 but the day will e when you will gather stones and stars as a child plucks the valley…lilies； and then shall you know that all these things are living and fragrant。〃
and on the first day of the week when the sounds of the temple bells sought their ears； one spoke and said： 〃master； we hear much talk of god hereabout。 what say you of god； and who is he in very truth？〃
and he stood before them like a young tree； fearless of wind or tempest； and he answered saying： 〃think now； my rades and beloved； of a heart that contains all your hearts； a love that enpasses all your loves； a spirit that envelops all your spirits； a voice enfolding all your voices； and a silence deeper than all your silences； and timeless。
〃seek now to perceive in your selffulness a beauty more enchanting than all things beautiful； a song more vast than the songs of the sea and the forest； a majesty seated upon the throne for which orion is but a footstool； holding a sceptre in which the pleiades are naught save the glimmer of dewdrops。
〃you have sought always only food and shelter； a garment and a staff； seek now one who is neither an aim for your arrows nor a stony cave to shield you from the elements。
〃and if my words are a rock and a riddle； then seek； none the less； that your hearts may be broken； and that your questionings may bring you unto the love and the wisdom of the most high； whom men call god。〃
and they were silent； every one； and they were perplexed in their heart； and almustafa was moved with passion for them； and he gazed with tenderness upon them and said： 〃let us speak rather of the gods； your neighbours； and of your brothers； the elements that move about your houses and your fields。
〃you would rise up in fancy unto the cloud； and you deem it height； and you would pass over the vast sea and claim it to be distance。 but i say unto you that when you sow a seed in the earth； you reach a greater height； and when you hail the beauty of the morning to your neighbour； you cross a greater sea。
〃too often do you sing god； the infinite； and yet in truth you hear not the song。 would that you might listen to the song…birds； and to the leaves that forsake the branch when the wind passes by； and forget not； my friends； that these sing only when they are separated from the branch！
〃again i bid you to speak not so freely of god； who is your all； but speak rather and understand one another； neighbour unto neighbour； a god unto a god。
〃for what shall feed the fledgling in the nest if the mother bird flies skyward？ and what anemone in the fields shall be fulfilled unless it be husbanded by a bee from another anemone？
〃it is only when you are lost in your smaller selves that you seek the sky which you call god。 would that you might find paths into your vast selves； would that you might be less idle and pave the roads！
〃my mariners and my friends； it were wiser to speak less of god； whom we cannot understand； and more of each other； whom we may understand。 yet i would have you know that we are the breath and the fragrance of god。 we are god； in leaf； in flower； and oftentimes in fruit。〃
。；
The Garden Of The Prophet （3）
小；说，t，xt，天'堂
the garden of the prophet （3）
and on a morning when the sun was high； one of the disciples； one of those three who had played with him in childhood； approached him saying： 〃master； my garment is worn； and i have no other。 give me leave to go unto the market…place and bargain that perchance i may procure me new raiment。〃
and almustafa looked upon the young man； and he said： 〃give me your garment。〃 and he did so and stood naked in the noonday。
and almustafa said in a voice that was like a young steed running upon a road： 〃only the naked live in the sun。 only the artless ride the wind。 and he alone who loses his way a thousand times shall have a home…ing。
〃the angels are tired of the clever。 and it was but yesterday that an angel said to me： we created hell for those who glitter。 what else but fire can erase a shining surface and melt a thing to its core？
〃and i said： but in creating hell you created devils to govern hell。 but the angel answered： nay； hell is governed by those who do not yield to fire。
〃wise angel！ he knows the ways of men and the ways of half…men。 he is one of the seraphim who e to minister unto the prophets when they are tempted by the clever。 and no doubt he smiled when the prophets smile； and weeps also when they weep。
〃my friends and my mariners； only the naked live in the sun。 only the rudderless can sail the greater sea。 only he who is dark with the night shall wake with the dawn； and only he who sleeps with the roots under the snow shall reach the spring。
〃for you are even like roots； and like roots are you simple； yet you have wisdom from the earth。 and you are silent； yet you have within your unborn branches the choir of the four winds。
〃you are frail and you are formless； yet you are the beginning of giant oaks； and of the half…pencilled patterned of the willows against the sky。
〃once more i say； you are but roots betwixt the dark sod and the