Giving

By Kahlil Gibran from The Prophet

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 over-prudent dog 
burying bones 
in the trackless sand 
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 the believers in life 
and the bounty of life, 
and their coffer 
is never empty. 
There are those 
who give with joy 
and that 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 breathes 
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 is better 
to give unasked, 
through understanding; 
And to the open-handed 
the search for one 
who shall receive 
is joy greater 
than giving. 
And is there aught 
you would withhold? 
All you have 
shall some day 
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, 
nor the flocks 
in your pasture. 
They give that 
they may live, 
for to withhold 
is to perish. 
Surely he who is 
worthy 
to receive his days 
and his nights 
is worthy 
of all else 
from you. 
And he who has 
deserved to drink 
from the ocean 
of life 
deserves to fill 
his cup 
from your 
little stream. 
And what desert 
greater shall there be, 
that that 
which lies in 
the courage and 
the confident, 
nay the charity, 
of receiving? 
And who are you 
that men should 
rend their bosom 
and unveil 
their pride, 
that you may see 
their worth naked 
and their pride 
unabashed? 
See first that you 
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 
overmindful 
of your debt 
is to doubt 
his generosity 
who has the 
free-hearted earth 
for mother, 
and God 
for father. 

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