论劳作----------------------------------（黎巴嫩）卡里-纪伯伦

论劳作

卡里·纪伯伦

一位农夫走过来，说：请给我们谈谈劳作。

他答道：你们劳作，就能与大地和大地之灵同行。

生命，带着庄严豪迈和骄傲的顺从迈向永恒，

而懒惰者则会沦为季节的陌生人，生命行列中的落伍者。

劳作时你们便是一支横笛，岁月在你心中轻声细语，化作一部不朽的乐曲。

你们中谁愿做一根芦苇，当万物引吭高歌时，惟独自己喑哑无声？

总有人对你们说：工作可憎可恶，劳动是大灾大难。

而我却说，只有通过劳动，你们才能实现大地一部分最悠远的梦想。

这一部分，在这梦诞生时，便已经分派给你们去完成。

如果你们着意耕耘，便是真正向生命之爱敞开心窗。

凡以有益的劳作向生命示爱的人，

生命不仅向他打开心扉，还帮他解悟它最深奥的秘密。

但是，如果你们在痛苦的煎熬中，视降生为悲哀，视生存为写在额头上的咒语，

那请恕我直言：除却挥汗如雨、孜孜不息的劳作，

任何东西也揩洗不去你们额头上的字迹。

你们跟着前人学舌，说生命是黑暗的。

遭遇困厄，你们便喋喋不休地叨念祖辈这烦人的说教。

真的，让我来晓示你们：

生命是漆黑的，除非有渴望相陪；

渴望是盲目的，除非有知识相伴；

知识是不育的，除非有工作相辅；

工作是无实的，除非有仁爱相合。

因为，若是带着爱心工作，你们就会与自己、与他人、与上帝融为一体。

什么是带着爱心工作？

用你心中的丝线织布缝衣，仿佛你的至爱将穿上这衣服。

满怀温情和敬意砌房筑屋，仿佛你的至爱将居住其中。

精心播种，喜悦收获，仿佛你的至爱将品尝果实。

让每一工作都吸附你心灵的气息。

相信吧，所有圣洁的亡灵都在你身旁观察、注视着你。

我常听你们梦中喃喃自语：

“能把包孕于无言的大理石中的灵魂呼之欲出的雕刻家，

比只知稼穑的农夫高贵。”

“借助虹的色彩，将卑微的画布，变成雍容的人像的画师，

比只知制履的鞋匠优越。”

但是我要说——不是在睡梦中，而是在正午格外清醒时说：

风和高大魁梧的橡树交谈时，并不比对低矮纤细的小草更甜润。

一个人若能把风声变为歌声，又能用爱的音符，

将风的低诉谱成一曲甜美的歌谣，才是最最伟大的人。

劳作就是有形可见的爱。

假如你不能带着爱心工作，不能振拔于好逸恶劳的泥沼，

那你不如放下手中的活计，坐在神殿台阶上，

当那些心甘情愿劳作的人路过时，乞求他们的施舍。

因为，如果你兴味索然地烤制面包，那面包将是苦涩的，充其量只能使人半饱。

如果你勉为其难地压榨葡萄，拌着你的忿懑的果汁将被酿成鸩酒。

假如你纵能如天使般歌唱却并不爱歌唱，

你的声音将使人们的耳朵聩聋，从此再也听不到夜的歌吟，昼的咏叹。

"He who works in marble, and finds the shape of his own soul in the stone,

is nobler than he who ploughs the soil.

And he who seizes the rainbow to lay it on a cloth in the likeness of man,

is more than he who makes the sandals for our feet."

But I say, not in sleep but in the overwakefulness of noontide,

that the wind speaks not more sweetly to the giant oaks

than to the least of all the blades of grass;

And he alone is great who turns the voice of the wind

into a song made sweeter by his own loving.

Work is love made visible.

And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste,

it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple

and take alms of those who work with joy.

For if you bake bread with indifference,

you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man's hunger.

And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes,

your grudge distils a poison in the wine.

And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing,

you muffle man's ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.

Kahlil Gibran on Work

You work that you may keep pace with the earth and the soul of the earth.

For to be idle is to become a stranger unto the seasons,

and to step out of life's procession,

that marches in majesty and proud submission towards the infinite.

When you work you are a flute

through whose heart the whispering of the hours turns to music.

Which of you would be a reed, dumb and silent, when all else sings together in unison?

Always you have been told that work is a curse and labour a misfortune.

But I say to you that when you work you fulfil a part of earth's furthest dream,

assigned to you when that dream was born,

And in keeping yourself with labour you are in truth loving life,

And to love life through labour is to be intimate with life's inmost secret.

But if you in your pain call birth an affliction

and the support of the flesh a curse written upon your brow,

then I answer that naught but the sweat of your brow

shall wash away that which is written.

You have been told also that life is darkness,

and in your weariness you echo what was said by the weary.

And I say that life is indeed darkness save when there is urge,

And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge,

And all knowledge is vain save when there is work,

And all work is empty save when there is love;

And when you work with love you bind yourself to yourself,

and to one another, and to God.

And what is it to work with love?

It is to weave the cloth with threads drawn from your heart,

even as if your beloved were to wear that cloth.

It is to build a house with affection,

even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.

It is to sow seeds with tenderness and reap the harvest with joy,

even as if your beloved were to eat the fruit.

It is to charge all things you fashion with a breath of your own spirit,

And to know that all the blessed dead

are standing about you and watching.

Often have I heard you say, as if speaking in sleep,

幸福是灵魂的香味
资源来自网络 制作/Howard

Romance - Jean Sibelius