Explore "The House of Fortune" by Kahlil Gibran on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
My wearied heart bade me farewell and left for the House of Fortune. / As he reached that holy city which the soul had blessed and / worshipped, he commenced wondering, for he could not find what he had / always imagined would be there. The city was empty of power, money, / and authority.
And my heart spoke to the daughter of Love saying, "Oh Love, where can / I find Contentment? I heard that she had come here to join you."
And the daughter of Love responded, "Contentment has already gone to / preach her gospel in the city, where greed and corruption are / paramount; we are not in need of her."
Fortune craves not Contentment, for it is an earthly hope, and its / desires are embraced by union with objects, while Contentment is / naught but heartfelt.
The eternal soul is never contented; it ever seeks exaltation. Then my / heart looked upon Life of Beauty and said: "Thou art all knowledge; / enlighten me as to the mystery of Woman." And he answered, "Oh human / heart, woman is your own reflection, and whatever you are, she is; / wherever you live, she lives; she is like religion if not interpreted / by the ignorant, and like a moon, if not veiled with clouds, and like / a breeze, if not poisoned with impurities."
And my heart walked toward Knowledge, the daughter of Love and Beauty, / and said, "Bestow upon me wisdom, that I might share it with the / people." And she responded, "Say not wisdom, but rather fortune, for / real fortune comes not from outside, but begins in the Holy of Holies / of life. Share of thyself with the people."