El Profeta

El Profeta es un libro de 26 capítulos, escrito por el poeta y filósofo lebanés-americano Khalil Gibran. Se publicó por primera vez en 1923, y es la obra mejor conocida del autor. El Profeta se ha traducido en más de 100 idiomas, así que es uno de los libros más traducidos en la historia del mundo. Nunca se ha dejado de imprimir.
El narrativo nos presenta al profeta Almustafa, quien hace doce años ha esperado su nave, la cual lo llevaría por fin a su patria. Antes de irse, algunos habitantes de la ciudad de Orphalese le piden a él que hable de su conocimiento en varios temas por la ultima vez (Háblanos de...). El Profeta relata 26 sermones que tratan de cuestiones básicas 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 razón y la pasión, el dolor, el conocimiento de sí mismo, enseñando, la amistad, hablando, el tiempo, el bueno y el malo, la oración, el placer, la belleza, la religión, y al fin la muerte. En el capítulo final, Almustafa entreteje un discurso sobre la misma cuestión del significado en sus palabras de despedida.
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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 punish­ment, 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.

Gibran Khalil Gibran, commonly written Kahlil Gibran in English, was born in Bcharri, in what would become Lebanon, a small city in the mountains. His family was poor and Gibran moved to Boston with his mother when he was twelve years old. He enrolled in art school, and both painted and wrote. His first published works were drawings, used for book covers, in 1898. He published "The Prophet" in 1923 and he slowly become well-known as a writer. He died on April 10, 1931, in New York City.