My Soul Counselled Me - Khalil Gibran

My soul counseled me and charged me lest I be exalted because of over praise

And lest I distressed for fear of blame.

Until that day I doubted the work of my own handiwork;

But now I have learned this:

That the trees blossom in spring, and bear fruit in summer,

And drop their leaves in autumn to become utterly naked in winter

Without exaltation and without fear or shame.

My soul counseled me and assured me

That I am neither higher than the pygmy nor lower than the giant.

Before that day I beheld mankind as two men,

The one a weakling whom I derided or pitied,

And the other a mighty man whom I would either follow, or oppose in rebellion.

But now I know that I was formed even from the same dust of which all men are created,

That my elements are their elements, and my inner self is their inner self.

My struggle is their struggle, and their pilgrimage is mine own.

If they transgress, I am also the transgressor,

And if they do well, then I have a share in their well-doing.

If they arise, I too arise with them; if they stay behind, I also, to company them.