I would not have thee believe in what I say nor trust in what I do — for my words are naught but thy own thoughts in sound and my deeds thy own hopes in action.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes that one's beliefs and actions are reflections of their own thoughts and hopes, not necessarily influenced by others.
Khalil Gibran suggests that individuals should not take his words or actions at face value, as they merely echo the thoughts and aspirations inherent in the listener themselves. This idea implies that true understanding and belief come from within, and that the essence of communication is about self-reflection and internal interpretation rather than external influence.
In practice
This quote can be shared in a philosophy class to spark discussion on perception and reality.
Some find Lebanese poet Kahlil Gibran’s poetry preachy and moralizing, but I find it plenty enlightening—it’s hard to object to the melodic, cosmic of mysticism of a line like ‘That which sings and contemplates in you is still dwelling within the bounds of that first moment which scattered the stars into space.’
I am the infinite sea, and all worlds are but grains of sand upon my shore.
They say if one understands himself, he understands all people. But I say to you, when one loves people, he learns something about himself.
The seasons shall tire and the years grow old, ere they exhaust these words: “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed; For love is sufficient unto love. And think not you can direct the course of love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
Races didn't bother the Americans. They were something a lot better than any race. They were a People. They were the first self-constituted, self-declared, self-created People in the history of the world.
Into this wild Abyss/ The womb of Nature, and perhaps her grave--/ Of neither sea, nor shore, nor air, nor fire,/ But all these in their pregnant causes mixed/ Confusedly, and which thus must ever fight,/ Unless the Almighty Maker them ordain/ His dark materials to create more worlds,--/ Into this wild Abyss the wary Fiend/ Stood on the brink of Hell and looked a while,/ Pondering his voyage; for no narrow frith/ He had to cross.
I am convinced that the deepest desire within each of us is to be liberated from the controlling influences of our own psychic madness or patterns of fear. All other things—the disdain of ordinary life, the need to control others rather than be controlled, the craving for material goods as a means of security and protection against the winds of chaos—are external props that serve as substitutes for the real battle, which is the one waged within the individual soul.
We owe the origin and development of human society and, consequently, of culture and civilization, to the fact that work performed under the division of labor is more productive than when performed in isolation.
A man may see how this world goes with no eyes. Look with thine ears: see how yond justice rails upon yon simple thief. Hark, in thine ear: change places; and, handy-dandy, which is the justice, which is the thief?
Choose the path of dialogue rather than the path of unilateral decisions.
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