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Kahlil Gibran's Little Book of Secrets
One of the most popular and profound inspirational writers of all time explores the mysteries of life. Here is bite-sized wisdom for daily living in a beautiful gift package.
This book is a collection of Gibran's words on life's big questions and the mysteries of the spiritual path. It is an exploration of the riddles and conundrums that are part of the fabric of existence, and it is an attempt to penetrate and explain the mysteries of life.
Gibran was fascinated by life's puzzles and riddles--those questions that cause us to stop what we are doing and ask, "Why?" Here are his musings about the seemingly unanswerable questions and his exploration of good and evil, love and hate, and the difference between appearances and reality.
Kahlil Gibran's Little Book of Secrets is organized into five sections that elucidate the key issues and questions that each of us face:
Entering the Labyrinth of Life
Secrets of Life and Death
Life's Ups and Downs
Secrets of Good and Evil
Traveling the Inner Path
This inspirational gift volume gently guides readers through life's big issues: meaning and mortality, good and evil, and discovering an authentic spiritual path. Suitable for all gift-giving occasions, it is a book that delights, informs, and inspires.
This book is a collection of Gibran's words on life's big questions and the mysteries of the spiritual path. It is an exploration of the riddles and conundrums that are part of the fabric of existence, and it is an attempt to penetrate and explain the mysteries of life.
Gibran was fascinated by life's puzzles and riddles--those questions that cause us to stop what we are doing and ask, "Why?" Here are his musings about the seemingly unanswerable questions and his exploration of good and evil, love and hate, and the difference between appearances and reality.
Kahlil Gibran's Little Book of Secrets is organized into five sections that elucidate the key issues and questions that each of us face:
Entering the Labyrinth of Life
Secrets of Life and Death
Life's Ups and Downs
Secrets of Good and Evil
Traveling the Inner Path
This inspirational gift volume gently guides readers through life's big issues: meaning and mortality, good and evil, and discovering an authentic spiritual path. Suitable for all gift-giving occasions, it is a book that delights, informs, and inspires.
220 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1932
11 people are currently reading
102 people want to read
About the author
Kahlil Gibran
1,355 books15.2k followersKahlil Gibran (Arabic:
جبران خليل جبران
) was a Lebanese-American artist, poet, and writer.
Born in the town of Bsharri in modern-day Lebanon (then part of Ottoman Mount Lebanon), as a young man he emigrated with his family to the United States where he studied art and began his literary career. In the Arab world, Gibran is regarded as a literary and political rebel. His romantic style was at the heart of a renaissance in modern Arabic literature, especially prose poetry, breaking away from the classical school. In Lebanon, he is still celebrated as a literary hero.
He is chiefly known in the English-speaking world for his 1923 book The Prophet, an early example of inspirational fiction including a series of philosophical essays written in poetic English prose. The book sold well despite a cool critical reception, gaining popularity in the 1930s and again, especially in the 1960s counterculture.
Gibran is the third best-selling poet of all time, behind Shakespeare and Lao-Tzu.
Born in the town of Bsharri in modern-day Lebanon (then part of Ottoman Mount Lebanon), as a young man he emigrated with his family to the United States where he studied art and began his literary career. In the Arab world, Gibran is regarded as a literary and political rebel. His romantic style was at the heart of a renaissance in modern Arabic literature, especially prose poetry, breaking away from the classical school. In Lebanon, he is still celebrated as a literary hero.
He is chiefly known in the English-speaking world for his 1923 book The Prophet, an early example of inspirational fiction including a series of philosophical essays written in poetic English prose. The book sold well despite a cool critical reception, gaining popularity in the 1930s and again, especially in the 1960s counterculture.
Gibran is the third best-selling poet of all time, behind Shakespeare and Lao-Tzu.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
January 7, 2022
Ho centellinato la lettura di questo libro ed è giusto terminarlo oggi che ricorre l’anniversario della sua nascita: nacque infatti il 6 gennaio 1883, a Bisharri, un villaggio nel Nord del Libano. Il suo nome arabo era Gibran Khalil Gibran; la trascrizione consueta fu cambiata in «Kahlil» a causa di un errore di registrazione presso la prima scuola che frequentò negli Stati Uniti.
Questo libro è uno scrigno in cui sono nascoste tante perle di saggezza.
Ne riporto alcune
“Volti
Ho visto un volto con mille facce e un volto che era una sola faccia, quasi fosse contenuto in uno stampo.
Ho visto un volto di cui riuscivo a penetrare lo splendore per guardare la bruttezza sottostante, e un volto il cui splendore ho dovuto sollevare per vedere quant’era bello.
Ho visto un volto anziano molto segnato da nulla e un volto liscio su cui erano incise tutte le cose.
Conosco i volti, perché guardo al di là della stoffa tessuta dal mio stesso occhio e osservo la realtà sottostante.”
“Ogni singolo seme
Ogni singolo seme
che l’autunno fa cadere nella
polvere del suolo
ha il suo modo speciale
di estrarre il cuore
dal guscio
e di creare da quello
le foglie,
poi i fiori
e poi i frutti.
Eppure, per quanto differiscano tra loro,
la destinazione di tutti i semi
rimarrà unica,
e quella destinazione è
di ergersi in faccia al sole.”
“Da un’eternità all’altra
L’umanità è un fiume di luce
che scorre dall’ex eternità all’eternità.”
“Un muro fra due giardini
La tristezza è solo un muro fra due giardini.
Noi scegliamo le nostre gioie e i nostri dolori
molto prima di farne esperienza.
Quando la tua gioia o il tuo dolore diventano grandi,
il mondo diventa piccolo.”
“Una nave senza timone può non affondare
E uno degli anziani della città disse: «Parlaci del bene e del male». E Almustafa rispose:
Del bene che c’è in voi posso parlare, ma non del male.
Perché cos’è il male se non il bene torturato dalla propria fame e sete?
In verità, quando il bene ha fame, cerca il cibo anche nelle grotte buie, e quando ha sete beve anche da acque morte.
Voi siete buoni quando siete in armonia con voi stessi.
Ma quando non siete in armonia con voi stessi non siete cattivi.
Perché una casa divisa non è un covo di ladri. È solo una casa divisa.
E una nave senza timone può vagare senza meta fra isole perigliose anche senza andare a fondo.”
“Il canto più libero
Il canto più libero non passa
tra sbarre e fili metallici.
E quelli per cui la religione è una finestra,
da aprire ma anche da chiudere,
non hanno ancora visitato
la casa della loro anima,
le cui finestre sono aperte
dall’aurora all’aurora.”
“Linee e cerchi
Il profondo e l’alto
vanno alla profondità o all’altezza
in una linea retta.
Solo il vasto
può muoversi in cerchio.”
Concludo questa selezione con questo invito
“Il primo passo è scoprire il nostro desiderio
e quindi ascoltare la nostra interiorità.”
Questo libro è uno scrigno in cui sono nascoste tante perle di saggezza.
Ne riporto alcune
“Volti
Ho visto un volto con mille facce e un volto che era una sola faccia, quasi fosse contenuto in uno stampo.
Ho visto un volto di cui riuscivo a penetrare lo splendore per guardare la bruttezza sottostante, e un volto il cui splendore ho dovuto sollevare per vedere quant’era bello.
Ho visto un volto anziano molto segnato da nulla e un volto liscio su cui erano incise tutte le cose.
Conosco i volti, perché guardo al di là della stoffa tessuta dal mio stesso occhio e osservo la realtà sottostante.”
“Ogni singolo seme
Ogni singolo seme
che l’autunno fa cadere nella
polvere del suolo
ha il suo modo speciale
di estrarre il cuore
dal guscio
e di creare da quello
le foglie,
poi i fiori
e poi i frutti.
Eppure, per quanto differiscano tra loro,
la destinazione di tutti i semi
rimarrà unica,
e quella destinazione è
di ergersi in faccia al sole.”
“Da un’eternità all’altra
L’umanità è un fiume di luce
che scorre dall’ex eternità all’eternità.”
“Un muro fra due giardini
La tristezza è solo un muro fra due giardini.
Noi scegliamo le nostre gioie e i nostri dolori
molto prima di farne esperienza.
Quando la tua gioia o il tuo dolore diventano grandi,
il mondo diventa piccolo.”
“Una nave senza timone può non affondare
E uno degli anziani della città disse: «Parlaci del bene e del male». E Almustafa rispose:
Del bene che c’è in voi posso parlare, ma non del male.
Perché cos’è il male se non il bene torturato dalla propria fame e sete?
In verità, quando il bene ha fame, cerca il cibo anche nelle grotte buie, e quando ha sete beve anche da acque morte.
Voi siete buoni quando siete in armonia con voi stessi.
Ma quando non siete in armonia con voi stessi non siete cattivi.
Perché una casa divisa non è un covo di ladri. È solo una casa divisa.
E una nave senza timone può vagare senza meta fra isole perigliose anche senza andare a fondo.”
“Il canto più libero
Il canto più libero non passa
tra sbarre e fili metallici.
E quelli per cui la religione è una finestra,
da aprire ma anche da chiudere,
non hanno ancora visitato
la casa della loro anima,
le cui finestre sono aperte
dall’aurora all’aurora.”
“Linee e cerchi
Il profondo e l’alto
vanno alla profondità o all’altezza
in una linea retta.
Solo il vasto
può muoversi in cerchio.”
Concludo questa selezione con questo invito
“Il primo passo è scoprire il nostro desiderio
e quindi ascoltare la nostra interiorità.”
August 17, 2019
Kahlil Gibran is considered to be one of the most profound writers of all times. He is well-known for his seminal work The Prophet. These new "little book" collections take a fresh look at Gibran's words and wisdom, taking into account the major influences in his life: his middle eastern culture, nature mysticism, and the Arabic language in which he thought.
The Little Book of Secrets collects his writings on practical wisdom for daily life, both in community and solitude. Throughout Gibran's writings, we find his yearning for the permanent, something that can be relied upon. His words though simple take us on a ride to life's hidden aspects for us to unravel them on our own.
Gibran is a seeker musing about life's paradoxes and its games of hide-and-seek. Gibran's deepest-felt words point us towards answers to life's biggest questions, answers that cannot be spoken aloud but only recognized and confirmed in our own unique life experiences.
The riddles of life both bedevil and bemuse us. Without these puzzles, these games of hide and seek, would we find any interest in life, any reason to continue moving ahead towards life's purpose?
Gibran has the ability to see the extraordinary in the disguise of mundane. He has the prowess to express it in a manner that would definitely strike a chord with our hearts. He brings out the truth of life in this book in a subtle manner.
I would be the least among people with dreams and the desire to fulfill them rather than the greatest with no dreams and no desires.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who desires to read philosophy. Also, a few stanzas and snippets were a bit complicated so pick this book once you are comfortable with reading difficult prose.
The Little Book of Secrets collects his writings on practical wisdom for daily life, both in community and solitude. Throughout Gibran's writings, we find his yearning for the permanent, something that can be relied upon. His words though simple take us on a ride to life's hidden aspects for us to unravel them on our own.
Gibran is a seeker musing about life's paradoxes and its games of hide-and-seek. Gibran's deepest-felt words point us towards answers to life's biggest questions, answers that cannot be spoken aloud but only recognized and confirmed in our own unique life experiences.
The riddles of life both bedevil and bemuse us. Without these puzzles, these games of hide and seek, would we find any interest in life, any reason to continue moving ahead towards life's purpose?
Gibran has the ability to see the extraordinary in the disguise of mundane. He has the prowess to express it in a manner that would definitely strike a chord with our hearts. He brings out the truth of life in this book in a subtle manner.
I would be the least among people with dreams and the desire to fulfill them rather than the greatest with no dreams and no desires.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who desires to read philosophy. Also, a few stanzas and snippets were a bit complicated so pick this book once you are comfortable with reading difficult prose.
January 16, 2024
Beautiful poetry and I love
Kahlil Gibran's my favorite Lebanese Author,
And he is also my mom's
favorite lebanese author
she got me into his work.
And my Mom visited
Lebanon when I was
18 and In highschool.
And we grew
up around the lebanese
cultures all over Iowa I miss those memories the dancing and music but I still get the food and see my lebanese family.
My lebanese family has known
me since I was 9 years old so we're family to them and I've grown up on Lebanese food I love it.
Kahlil Gibran's my favorite Lebanese Author,
And he is also my mom's
favorite lebanese author
she got me into his work.
And my Mom visited
Lebanon when I was
18 and In highschool.
And we grew
up around the lebanese
cultures all over Iowa I miss those memories the dancing and music but I still get the food and see my lebanese family.
My lebanese family has known
me since I was 9 years old so we're family to them and I've grown up on Lebanese food I love it.
July 16, 2022
It was ok... I think I just really did not enjoy this I was so close to DNF'ing it but I made it and I had such high expectations for this book since I read the broken wings and gave it a 5 star but a collection of poems for Gibran is really not it for me so *shrug*
December 7, 2022
Kahlil Gibran's books have to be read and digested slowly. One needs to keep on going back to his phrases to understand the depth of hidden meaning. his books are never a one time read..
Always discovered something new when reading his books.
Always discovered something new when reading his books.
July 23, 2023
These poems are the perfect balance of telling you what the author is trying to convey and letting you think it through on your own. This book inspired a couple ekphrasis poems of my own, definitely read this when you get a chance!
January 5, 2023
Love his books!
April 13, 2023
A wonderful anthology. Gibran's poems have the power to transport you to another world and make for great fantasizing. A pleasurable read.
December 28, 2023
Another beautiful compilation of Gibran’s work.
August 22, 2025
Letto tanto tempo fa. Spiritualmente evoluto
August 25, 2022
It’s been a while since I read a book this good!
To say Kahlil Gibran’s Little Book of Secrets is a masterpiece would clearly not be an overstatement!
The book’s divided into five sections inspired by the mysteries of life, namely:
1. Entering the Labyrinth of Life
2. Secrets of Life and Death
3. Life’s Ups and Downs
4. Secrets of Good and Evil
5. Traveling the Inner Path
Personally, the second, fourth and fifth sections called to me the most.
Gibran’s words draw inspiration and insights from various religions and beautifully weaves them with the higher truths of spirituality and mysticism.
Usually , I’m more keen on finishing the book than deriving pleasure throughout the journey - but this one made me want to read it as calmly as possible.
Will definitely re-read this. Highly recommend it to anyone contemplating about picking it up next!
To say Kahlil Gibran’s Little Book of Secrets is a masterpiece would clearly not be an overstatement!
The book’s divided into five sections inspired by the mysteries of life, namely:
1. Entering the Labyrinth of Life
2. Secrets of Life and Death
3. Life’s Ups and Downs
4. Secrets of Good and Evil
5. Traveling the Inner Path
Personally, the second, fourth and fifth sections called to me the most.
Gibran’s words draw inspiration and insights from various religions and beautifully weaves them with the higher truths of spirituality and mysticism.
Usually , I’m more keen on finishing the book than deriving pleasure throughout the journey - but this one made me want to read it as calmly as possible.
Will definitely re-read this. Highly recommend it to anyone contemplating about picking it up next!
August 10, 2019
A subtle yet profound take on the mysteries of spiritual life. Gibran takes the reader through life's puzzles spanning concepts like good and evil, life and death. It is an inspirational volume that makes you marvel at the intricacies of life and smile at it's simplicity at the same time.
October 25, 2021
I long for eternity
because there I shall meet
my unwritten poems and
my unpainted pictures.
because there I shall meet
my unwritten poems and
my unpainted pictures.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews