Chapter 11: On Buying and Selling ~ Gibran’s The Prophet with Journaling Prompts
And a merchant said, Speak to us of
Buying and Selling.
And he answered and said:
To you the earth yields her fruit, and
you shall not want if you but know how
to fill your hands.
It is in exchanging the gifts of the
earth that you shall find abundance and
be satisfied.
Yet unless the exchange be in love and
kindly justice, it will but lead some to
greed and others to hunger.
When in the market place you toilers of
the sea and fields and vineyards meet
the weavers and the potters and the
gatherers of spices,--
Invoke then the master spirit of the
earth, to come into your midst and
sanctify the scales and the reckoning
that weighs value against value.
And suffer not the barren-handed to take
part in your transactions, who would
sell their words for your labour.
To such men you should say,
“Come with us to the field, or go with
our brothers to the sea and cast your
net;
For the land and the sea shall be
bountiful to you even as to us.”
*****
And if there come the singers and the
dancers and the flute players,--buy of
their gifts also.
For they too are gatherers of fruit and
frankincense, and that which they bring,
though fashioned of dreams, is raiment
and food for your soul.
And before you leave the market place,
see that no one has gone his way with
empty hands.
For the master spirit of the earth shall
not sleep peacefully upon the wind
till the needs of the least of you are
satisfied.
***** *****
~ Chapter 11: “On Buying and Selling” from The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
Spirit Nourished Earth created the image in this post in collaboration with DALL·E 3
Journaling Prompts for Self-Reflection
The Spirit of Exchange
Gibran speaks of the importance of love and justice in transactions. How can you ensure that your goods, services, or words exchanges are rooted in kindness and fairness?
The Balance of Abundance
Gibran suggests that true abundance comes when the gifts of the Earth are shared. In what ways can you contribute to a more equitable sharing of resources in your community?
Work and Worth
Gibran reminds us not to let the barren-handed partake in exchanges without contributing their labour. How do you define the value of your work, and how do you balance receiving with giving?
The Least of Us
The chapter ends with the reminder that the Earth’s spirit will not rest until everyone’s needs are met. How can you contribute to the well-being of the most vulnerable, ensuring they are not with empty hands?
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