“Veririm ama sadece hak edenlere” dersiniz sık sık.
Ne meyva bahçenizdeki ağaçlar böyle der ne de çayırlarınızdaki sürüler.Onlar yaşayabilmek için verir,
çünkü vermekten kaçınmak yok olmaktır.
Günler ve geceler bahşedilmeye değer bulunmuş olan, sizin vereceklerinizi almaya da lâyıktır kuşkusuz.
Ve hayat ummanından içmeyi hak etmiş olan, sizin küçük derenizden tasını doldurmayı da hak eder.
Ve bir şeyleri alma cesaretinden ve güveninden, hattâ hayır severliğinden büyük fazilet var mıdır?Önünüzde göğüslerini bağırlarını yırtıp itibarlarından soyunmaya, böylece size çırılçıplak değerlerini ve gizlisi saklısı kalmamış gururlarını sergilemeye kim adına zorlayabilirsiniz insanları?
Siz önce bakın,
veren olmaya ve vermenin aracı olmaya lâyık mısınız bakalım.Çünkü aslında hayata bir şeyler vermek hayata mahsustur – kendini bağışın kaynağı olarak sizler sadece tanıksınız.
Ve siz alanlar – ve hepiniz alıcısınız –
minnetin ağırlığını
yüklenmeyin,
yoksa kendinize ve verene boyunduruk takmış olursunuz.
Tam tersine verenle birlikte hediyelerinin üzerinde yükselin kanatlanırcasına;Çünkü
borcunuz konusunda aşırı titizlik,
anası eli açık toprak ve babası Tanrı olanın cömertliğinden kuşku duymak demektir.
Halil Cibran
The Prophet
Ermiş
Çeviren: Ayşe Berktay
Alkım Yayınevi
On Giving
Then said a rich man, “Speak to us of giving.”
Ang he answered:
You give but little when you give of your possessions
It is when you 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 overprudent dog burying bones in the trackless sandas he follows the pilgrims to teh holy city?
And what is fear of but need itself?
Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, thirst is un quenchable?
There are those who give little of the much which they have – and they 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 know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy give with mindfulness of virtue;
They give as in yonder valley the lyrtle breathes its its fragrance into sapace.
Though 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 uderstanding;
Nd 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.
Surelyhe 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 little stream.
And what desert greater shall be than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, 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 geneosity who has the free- hearted earth for mother, and God for father.
Khalil Gibran
The Prophet
www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/probht.htm
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