Inspiring Quotes by Kahlil Gibran on Humanity and Life
Kahlil Gibran has shared profound observations about humanity and life, some of which include:
- The essence of a person is not defined by what they show you, but by what remains hidden. Therefore, to truly know someone, listen not to their words.
- Truth requires two: a voice to express it and an ear to understand it.
- Where do you seek beauty, and how can you find it if it is not the path and the guide?
- Those who write with ink are not the same as those who write with the blood of their hearts.
- Your children are not your own; they are born from life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you.
- Disagreement may be the shortest distance between two minds.
- The heart of humanity is its silent core, not its talkative reason.
- The world remains a mystery until one admits knowing; to claim knowledge is to become ignorant.
- The hands that create thorny wreaths are better than the idle hands.
- Our community does not see with the eyes but listens with the ears.
- If there must be sin, some of us commit it by turning back to trace the steps of our ancestors.
- Your children do not belong to you; they are children of life yearning for itself. While they come to the world through you, they are not owned by you. You can give them your love, but you cannot impose your thoughts upon them, for they have their own ideas. You can create homes for their bodies, but their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams. You may strive to be like them, but it is in vain to attempt to make them like you.
- We are all warriors in the battle of life; some lead while others follow.
- The mountains pray, and the sunset bids them farewell. The valleys pray, enveloped in the evening mist.
- The yearnings we cannot fulfill are dearer to our hearts than what we have acquired.
- The human soul is like glass; it is only harmed when it breaks.
- No one thinks loudly, yet many smile without hesitation, casting smiles left and right without fearing exposure of their inner truths.
- Woe to a nation with numerous sects but devoid of faith; woe to those who wear that which they do not weave, eat what they do not plant, and drink what they do not press. Woe to a nation that perceives the tyrant as a hero and the conqueror as a benevolent figure. Woe to a community whose leader is a fox, whose philosopher is a sorcerer, and whose art is mere patchwork and imitation. Woe to a nation divided into fragments, where each fragment sees itself as a nation.
- That foreboding has sounded the clarion for departure… And the dawn has emerged, greeting the face of wisdom… Justice illuminates its throne… While oppression stumbles into darkness… O great one, a salute… Free the captives after prolonged suffering… I almost forgot my grievance with you… That the finest of days may sing your praises.
Beautiful Reflections by Kahlil Gibran on Love
Here are some of Gibran’s most poignant thoughts on love:
- Do not believe you can direct love’s course; if love finds you worthy, it is love that will guide your path.
- If there is no reciprocity of love and justice between you, some hearts shall starve while others grow greedy.
- This love mocks me, making me a jest, leading me to believe that ambitions are flaws, and desires bring disgrace.
- Love, like death, transforms everything.
- Let one of you love the other, but do not bind love as a chain; instead, let it flow like a sea between the shores of your souls.
- Love gives only of itself, and takes only from itself; it neither possesses nor is possessed; it simply is love.
- I possessed a heart yesterday, but it has passed, relieving people from its burden. That was a chapter in my life filled with youth, complaints, and lamentations; however, love is a star in the sky whose light is overshadowed by the morning’s glow.
- The love washed by the eyes’ tears remains pure, beautiful, and eternal.
- Some we love simply because they deserve love; before them, we cannot help but love. Together, we repair many things and restore the colors of life, sincerely striving to offer them moments of joy.
- The joy of love emerges from the deep corners of the soul.
- Love’s expressions among people vary and mostly resemble the grass in a field, without bloom or fruit.
- When love beckons you, follow it, even if the paths are rugged and thorny.
- Love grants only its essence, takes only from its essence; it neither owns nor can be owned—its worth is that it exists as love.
- Love is a word of light inscribed by a hand of light upon a page of light.
- Yesterday we bowed to kings and yielded to the emperors; but today we kneel only before the truth, following beauty and obeying love alone.
- When love expands, expressing it in words becomes challenging; when memories weigh heavily, they seek the depths of silence.
- The cherished beloved has returned from afar… His status elevated above the Gemini… The author, having risen above his trials… Is unlike the untested one.
Insightful Thoughts by Kahlil Gibran on Sorrow
Here are some of Gibran’s thoughts on sorrow:
- A mother is everything in life; she is the solace in sorrow, hope in despair, and strength in weakness.
- When joy overwhelms you, return to your heart’s depths; you will find that you actually rejoice in what once caused your sorrow. And when sorrow envelops you, look again into your heart, and you will see that you weep for what once brought you joy.
- Oh, how sweet are the days of love! How enchanting are its dreams! Oh, how bitter are the nights of sorrow and how many fears they bring!
- Marriage today resembles a laughable, tearful trade managed by suitors and the parents of brides; suitors often profit, while parents consistently lose. As for the daughters, who are traded like goods from one home to another, their joy fades, and like old possessions, they find their fate in corners where darkness and slow decay reside.
- Nothing is harder than a woman’s life when she finds herself caught between a man who loves her and a man she loves.
- Let your apology for past wrongs suffice… with abundant goodwill… Does not the sun grow brighter after a stormy night? And does prosperity not multiply upon its arrival… as a memory of what has passed? Those justifications I endured… from the beginning of that fierce assault… The sorrow where I stayed fills my heart while emptiness surrounds me; I am like a wounded soul who remains patient… after separation, longing for reunion.
- Arguments echoed like death when I endured them… Exposed to types of suffering… Yet, thank God, they have passed… And revealed themselves like a cloud clearing… The beloved comes bearing congratulations… after sorrow and the inability to find solace… As joyful as a child celebrating a holiday… In the flow of words and gestures… He fulfills his vow in a day filled with… needs that demand prompt attention… How splendid was his offering for its purchase… If only he had been the master of wealth.
Uplifting Quotes by Kahlil Gibran on Happiness
Here are some delightful reflections by Gibran on happiness:
- Happiness is incredibly simple; it may be a beautiful word or a person who shares life’s burdens with us.
- The essence of life’s joy is to possess a spirit that brings you happiness.
- The one who cultivates happiness within you is the one who truly deserves you.
- How noble it is for a sorrowful heart to join in song with joyful souls.