El profeta

El Profeta es un libro de 26 capitulos, escrito por el poeta y filosofo lebanes-americano Khalil Gibran. Se publico por primera vez en 1923, y es la obra mejor conocida del autor. El Profeta se ha traducido en mas de 100 idiomas, asi que es uno de los libros mas traducidos en la historia del mundo. Nunca se ha dejado de imprimir.

El narrativo nos presenta al profeta Almustafa, quien hace doce anos ha esperado su nave, la cual lo llevaria por fin a su patria. Antes de irse, algunos habitantes de la ciudad de Orphalese le piden a el que hable de su conocimiento en varios temas por la ultima vez (Hablanos de...). El Profeta relata 26 sermones que tratan de cuestiones basicas de la vida humana como el amor, el matrimonio, hijos, dando, comiendo y bebiendo, el trabajo, casas, ropa, comprando y vendiendo, el crimen y el castigo, las leyes, la libertad, la razon y la pasion, el dolor, el conocimiento de si mismo, ensenando, la amistad, hablando, el tiempo, el bueno y el malo, la oracion, el placer, la belleza, la religion, y al fin la muerte. En el capitulo final, Almustafa entreteje un discurso sobre la misma cuestion del significado en sus palabras de despedida.

----------

The Prophet is a book of 26 fables written in English prose poetry by the Lebanese-American poet and philosopher Kahlil Gibran. It was first published in 1923 and is Gibran's best known work. The Prophet has been translated into over 100 languages, making it one of the most translated books in history. It has never been out of print.

The narrative introduces us to the Prophet Almustafa, who has waited twelve years for his ship, which will finally take him back to his homeland. Before leaving, some inhabitants of the city of Orphalese ask him to convey to them his insights on various topics for the last time ("Speak to us of..."). The Prophet relates 26 sermons that deal with basic questions of human life, such as love, marriage, children, giving, eating and drinking, work, joy and sorrow, houses, clothes, buying and selling, crime and punish-ment, laws, freedom, reason and passion, pain, self-knowledge, teaching, friendship, talking, time, good and evil, prayer, pleasure, beauty, religion, and finally death. In the final chapter, Almustafa interweaves a discussion about the question of meaning into his parting words.