The Prophet Page #3

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"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 I have heard you say

As if speaking in sleep

"'One who works in marble, and finds

"The shape of their own soul in the stone

"'Is nobler than one who plows the soil

"'And one who seizes the rainbow

"'To lay it on a cloth

in the likeness of man

"'Is more than one who makes

The sandals for our feet'

"But I say, not in sleep

But in the over-wakefulness of noontide

"That the wind speaks

Not more sweetly to the giant oaks

"Than it does to

the smallest blades of grass

"And they are great, who turn

the voice of the wind into a song

"Made sweeter by their own loving

"Work is love made visible"

Well, that was lovely, wasn't it?

Very edifying.

But we need to be moving along.

What's the hurry? He's just been released.

Yes, we haven't seen him for years.

Where are you taking him?

I thought he was free.

I am free, my friends.

Today, I'm being sent home to my country.

I must admit, it will be good

to see my home again.

Please, sir.

Before you go,

I insist we serve you a proper meal.

Yes, everyone knows

the food on those ships is terrible.

Come. Sit.

Out of the way, out of the way,

people. Come on.

Bashira! The best for Mustafa.

Oh!

And you'll need provisions for your trip.

Have some oranges.

Some pistachios.

Now just one minute. I'm in charge here!

And I say whether...

Ooh. Is that fresh halvah?

Mmm.

Oh! Oh!

All right, five minutes.

And not a moment longer.

What generosity! Enough, enough!

Thank you, dear people.

Thank you for the gifts of your labor,

and thanks to the earth for its gifts.

"Would that you could live

From the fragrance of the earth

"And like an airplant

Be sustained by the light

"But since we must kill to eat

"Then let it be an act of worship

"When you gather the grapes

For the winepress, say in your heart

"'I too am a vineyard

"'And my fruit shall be gathered

For the winepress

"'And the wine shall be kept

In eternal vessels'

"And when you crush an apple

With your teeth

"Say to it in your heart

"'Your seeds shall live in my body

"'And the buds of your tomorrow

Shall blossom in my heart

"'Your blood and my blood is the sap

That feeds the tree of heaven

"'And together we shall rejoice

Through all the seasons"'

Thank you, friends.

I'll miss you. I'll miss you all.

Watch him. I'll be back in a moment.

Right!

What...

No, listen... Listen to me!

He's a danger, and his influence

continues to grow.

I need at least five men here

and more when we get there.

No, he doesn't suspect anything.

But the people... There may be resistance.

Oh, yes, the Pasha will know

how to handle Mustafa.

Hey!

It's you! Open this door at once!

Mmm. Mmm!

Oh!

So true.

Mustafa, my friend, we feed the body,

but you, you feed the soul.

Sir? May I have a word with you?

"Sir"? After seven years?

Please, Halim. Here, have some wine.

Is something troubling you, Halim?

No! No, no, no. I was just...

Yes, there is.

Yes? Go on.

I know everyone sees me

as this self-assured, dauntless,

impenetrable fortress of strength.

Ahh!

But, um...

...the truth is, and this

might surprise you,

I actually have one thing

that fills me with fear.

And that is?

Expressing feelings of love.

Ah. Love.

For Kamila?

You knew?

I see her lovely face every day,

but I have no idea how she feels.

I mean, perhaps she's intimidated

by my status, my authority.

Intimidated? Your...

No. No, no, no, no.

Don't let that worry you.

Good. Okay. Good.

But now that you're leaving, I mean,

she won't be coming around anymore.

And if I don't do something soon,

I might just lose her forever!

What will I do?

I just... I mean, what can I do?

- Halim, Halim.

- I... I...

Yes?

You're mangling that mango.

Oh... Ha-ha.

So I am.

Halim, when love

beckons to you, follow him,

though his ways are hard and steep.

When love beckons to you

Follow him

Though his ways are hard and steep

And when his wings enfold you,

yield to him

Though he hides a sword among them

And when he speaks to you

Believe in him

Though his voice may shatter your dreams

Love will crown and crucify you

And though for your growth

so he is for your pruning

Love will caress your tenderest branches

And shake every clinging root

Like sheaves of corn

he gathers you unto himself

He threshes and sifts you

He grinds and he kneads you

And then he assigns you to his sacred fire

That you may become sacred bread

for God's sacred feast

All these things shall love do unto you

That you may know

the secrets of your heart

And in that knowledge become a fragment

A fragment of Life's heart

Now if in your fear you seek

only love's peace and love's pleasure

Better cover your nakedness

And pass out of love's threshing-floor

Into a seasonless world

where you shall laugh

But not all your laughter

And weep and weep,

but not all of your tears

Love gives naught but itself

And takes naught but from itself

Love possesses not

nor would it be possessed

For love is enough

You should say, "I am in the heart of God"

You cannot direct the course of Love

If Love, it finds you worthy,

directs your course

To wake at dawn with a winged heart

To come home in the evening with gratitude

Then to sleep with a prayer

for the beloved in your heart

And a song of praise on your lips

"And then to sleep with a prayer

for the beloved in your heart

"And a song of praise upon your lips"

Ah!

Ah! Caught you.

Yes.

Excuse me, have you met my friend?

Her name is Almitra.

Your friend, you say. Oh.

We have met, yes.

Oh, good, I'll feel better

knowing she has friends

to look after her when I'm gone.

What is it, Yousef?

It's just that, you see...

Well, it can be hard to get to know

someone who refuses to speak.

I can see how that might be.

On the other hand,

sometimes people talk when they cease

to be at peace with their thoughts.

But there are those who have the truth

within them, only they

tell it not in words.

In the heart of these,

the spirit dwells in rhythmic silence.

Oh. How did you...

And if I find that little ruffian,

I'll throw her in irons!

Break time's over.

Come on, let's get a move on.

- Shh.

- Oh. Don't leave now.

Mustafa, please.

You just got here, for Pete's sake.

Come on. Move it, move it.

Please step away!

Go on, go on, let's break this up!

Enough of this.

Get up. We haven't got all day.

Sorry, sir. You're right.

That ship won't wait forever.

Mustafa, sir, food for your voyage

from all your friends here.

Come on, Mustafa.

Time to leave all your admirers.

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