loa
On Giving
A person with many possessions asks about giving. Gibran answers with a prudent dog, a full well, an orchard, and gifts that become wings. The Phi translation keeps the whole teaching, including its pain, deservingness, and divine parentage.
Each passage keeps four things together: the Phi sentence, its exact lexicon gloss, an English reading derived from Phi alone, and Gibran's source wording. A continuous Phi reading and a table of translation limits follow.
Translation
This translation follows the whole teaching, from the rich man's request to the freehearted earth and God. Phi describes wealth, baptism, myrtle, and God beside Gibran's exact wording. Two module words keep recurring distinctions direct: parelu names a judgement of deservingness without confusing it with inherent worth, while thaweno names a reward without turning it into a gift or agreed exchange.
Possession, tomorrow, and fear
ta himo miona to nai. ha miona lo lorua thena to phelu. ha miona sha no nua lo mia loa shareo sho to haolu.
Word-by-word gloss: [one HUM.CLF person] PST be. [PROX person] [PL [abundant thing]] PST hold. [PROX person] QUOT.COMP [IMP [COM [PL 1SG]] [give] discuss] QUOT.COMP.CLOSE PST speak.
Literal English: (There was one person. This person had an abundance of things. This person said, "Discuss giving with us.")
gibran: Then said a rich man, Speak to us of _Giving_.
ne musatapha to lonae.
Word-by-word gloss: [NAME musatapha] PST respond.
Literal English: (musatapha replied.)
gibran: And he answered:
lu thia lo [whu mua thia phenori nai] thena loa. thia phina thena loa.
Word-by-word gloss: COND [2SG] [PL [[REL [LOC [2SG ownership]] be] thing]] give. [2SG] [FEW thing] give.
Literal English: (If you give the things you own, you give few things.)
gibran: You give but little when you give of your possessions.
lu thia miso loa. thia roe shewo loa.
Word-by-word gloss: COND [2SG] REFL give. [2SG] [INS true] give.
Literal English: (If you give yourself, you give truthfully.)
gibran: It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.
lao thia tha thia mua wireo philo lo [whu mua thia phenori nai] thena so po phelona tho remo thia lo [whu mua thia phenori nai] thena hina nai. ha lo thena li lo [whu thia mua sukima phelu] thena nai. thia mua sukima ha lo thena shorupo.
Word-by-word gloss: BECAUSE [2SG DECL.COMP [2SG [LOC [future day]] [PL [[REL [LOC [2SG ownership]] be] thing]] FUT POT require] DECL.COMP.CLOSE think] [[2SG [PL [[REL [LOC [2SG ownership]] be] thing]]] what be]. [PROX PL thing] [RESTR [PL [[REL [2SG [LOC fear] hold]] thing]]] be. [2SG] [LOC fear] [PROX PL thing] protect.
Literal English: (Because you think you may need the things you own tomorrow, what are they? They are only things you hold in fear. You protect them while afraid.)
gibran: For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?
wireo philo thola wei wo thesa lohau hina so nai. ha kirua mawha ruela phelu. whau ha lohau noe lo [whu kau thoepa whalo silawo laniru] miona thalo ha lohau mua ha kirua lo tholau kupe.
Word-by-word gloss: future day bring DAT EXC careful dog what FUT be. PROX sand NONE path hold. SIMUL PROX dog BEHIND PL REL ALL sacred large village journey person walk PROX dog LOC PROX sand PL bone hide.
Literal English: (What will be brought tomorrow for the overly cautious dog? This sand holds no path. While this dog walks behind the people traveling to the large sacred village, it hides bones in this sand.)
gibran: And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the overprudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city?
wa phelona sukima li phelona nai.
Word-by-word gloss: Q [require fear] [RESTR require] be.
Literal English: (Is fear of need only need?)
gibran: And what is fear of need but need itself?
lu thia phitura pheno nai. wa kishu sukima [whu se po ma heno] kishu ma nai.
Word-by-word gloss: COND [2SG well] full be. Q [thirsty fear] [REL PASS POT NEG satisfy] thirsty NEG be.
Literal English: (If your well is full, isn't fear of thirst a thirst that cannot be satisfied?)
gibran: Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, the thirst that is unquenchable?
The givers and their motives
soli miona lo lorua thena phelu. lila ha lo miona se thekao ha lo miona phina thena loa. ha lo miona [whu se kupe] rinu phelu. ha rinu ha lo miona lo loami peloma ka kelu.
Word-by-word gloss: [SOME person] [PL [abundant thing]] hold. PURP [[PROX PL person] PASS acknowledge] [PROX PL person] [FEW thing] give. [PROX PL person] [[REL PASS hide] want] hold. [PROX want] [[PROX PL person] [PL gift]] harmful CAUS become.
Literal English: (Some people have an abundance of things. They give few things so that they are acknowledged. They have a hidden desire. That desire makes their gifts harmful.)
gibran: There are those who give little of the much which they have--and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.
soli miona phina thena phelu. ha lo miona ha theula thena loa.
Word-by-word gloss: [[SOME person] [FEW thing] hold]. [[PROX PL person] [PROX UNIV thing] give].
Literal English: (Some people have few things. These people give all of these things.)
gibran: And there are those who have little and give it all.
ha lo miona lioru nela lioru lorua nohero. lo shia phelure molu mawha thimu whemoa nai.
Word-by-word gloss: [PROX PL person] [life COORD [life abundant]] believe. [[PL 3SG] [store container]] [NONE time] empty be.
Literal English: (These people believe in life and in life's abundance. Their storage container is never empty.)
gibran: These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.
soli miona roe siora loa. ha siora ha lo miona thaweno nai.
Word-by-word gloss: [SOME person] [INS joy] give. [PROX joy] [[PROX PL person] reward] be.
Literal English: (Some people give with joy. That joy is their reward.)
gibran: There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.
soli miona roe kipona loa. ha kipona ha lo miona thoepa phialu thorea nai.
Word-by-word gloss: [SOME person] [INS pain] give. [PROX pain] [[PROX PL person] [sacred water ceremony]] be.
Literal English: (Some people give with pain. That pain is their sacred water ceremony.)
gibran: And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism.
soli miona loa. ha lo miona mua loa kipona ma sano. ha lo miona siora ma sheraki. ha lo miona mua loa taleri ma theonu.
Word-by-word gloss: SOME person give. PROX PL person LOC give pain NEG know. PROX PL person joy NEG search. PROX PL person LOC give virtuous NEG attend.
Literal English: (Some people give. These people do not know pain in giving. They do not seek joy. They do not attend to virtue in giving.)
gibran: And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue;
ha lo miona phea [whu mua ra lewonu whunei] wotami loa. ha wotami muo tholu ha wotami welao whinu leiro.
Word-by-word gloss: [[PROX PL person] [AS [[REL [LOC [DIST valley]] breathe] shrub]] give]. [[PROX shrub] [INTO space] [[PROX shrub] [good smell]] release].
Literal English: (These people give like the shrub that breathes in that valley. The shrub releases its pleasant scent into the open space.)
gibran: They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space.
thoepa phiora thue ha lo miona lo manuwe haolu. thoepa phiora noe ha lo miona lo mirae wea muila seniku.
Word-by-word gloss: [sacred spirit] [THROUGH [[PROX PL person] [PL hand]]] speak. [sacred spirit] [BEHIND [[PROX PL person] [PL eye]]] [TOWARD earth] smile.
Literal English: (The sacred spirit speaks through these people's hands. Behind their eyes, the sacred spirit smiles toward the earth.)
gibran: Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.
Asking, searching, and holding
lu thia sha wa thia po loa sho hea. thia loa welao nai. lu thia whuo ha haolu roe shelomu loa. thia loa mo welao nai.
Word-by-word gloss: COND 2SG QUOT.COMP Q 2SG POT give QUOT.COMP.CLOSE hear. 2SG give good be. COND 2SG WITHOUT PROX speak INS understand give. 2SG give CMPR good be.
Literal English: (If you hear, "Can you give?" your giving is good. If you give with understanding and without this speech, your giving is better.)
gibran: It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding;
heloi miona pha sua loami so howela pho sheraki. ha sheraki sheo loa mo siora nai.
Word-by-word gloss: [generous person] INT.COMP [who gift FUT receive] INT.COMP.CLOSE search. [PROX search] [THAN give] [CMPR joy] be.
Literal English: (The generous person tries to find out who will receive the gift. This search is a greater joy than giving.)
gibran: And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving.
wa thia soli thena so ma loa.
Word-by-word gloss: Q 2SG SOME thing FUT NEG give.
Literal English: (Will you not give some things?)
gibran: And is there aught you would withhold?
theula [whu mua thia phenori nai] thena mua ta wireo philo so se loa.
Word-by-word gloss: [UNIV [[REL [LOC [2SG ownership]] be] thing]] [LOC [one [future day]]] FUT PASS give.
Literal English: (One day, everything you own will be given.)
gibran: All you have shall some day be given;
no thelao lila thia ha loa meluna phelu nela thia lo lumira ha loa meluna ma phelu nosa loa.
Word-by-word gloss: [IMP CONS [PURP [[2SG [PROX [give season]] hold] COORD [[2SG [PL descendant]] [PROX [give season]] NEG hold]]] now give].
Literal English: (Therefore, give now so that you hold this season of giving and your descendants do not hold it.)
gibran: Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors’.
Deservingness and receiving
thia sha mia so loa thona mia li wei loami parelu miona so loa sho ro haolu.
Word-by-word gloss: [2SG] QUOT.COMP [[1SG] FUT give ADVRS [1SG] [RESTR [DAT [[gift deserve] person]]] FUT give] QUOT.COMP.CLOSE HAB speak.
Literal English: (You regularly say, "I will give, but I will give only to someone who deserves a gift.")
gibran: You often say, “I would give, but only to the deserving.”
lo shiro mua thia lureko shiro koshira tha lo shiro li wei loami parelu miona so loa tho ma haolu. sheno lo mophira mua thia whelina kosha tha lo mophira li wei loami parelu miona so loa tho ma haolu.
Word-by-word gloss: [PL tree] [LOC [2SG [fruit tree grove]]] DECL.COMP [[PL tree] [RESTR [DAT [[gift deserve] person]]] FUT give] DECL.COMP.CLOSE NEG speak. ADD [PL sheep] [LOC [2SG [grass field]]] DECL.COMP [[PL sheep] [RESTR [DAT [[gift deserve] person]]] FUT give] DECL.COMP.CLOSE NEG speak.
Literal English: (In your orchard, the trees do not say they will give only to someone who deserves a gift. In your grass field, the sheep do not say they will give only to someone who deserves a gift, either.)
gibran: The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture.
lila ha lo shiro nela ha lo mophira liona ha lo shiro nela ha lo mophira loa. lu ha lo shiro nela ha lo mophira loa naweri. ha lo shiro nela ha lo mophira lumeo.
Word-by-word gloss: [PURP [[PROX PL tree] COORD [PROX PL sheep]] live] [[PROX PL tree] COORD [PROX PL sheep]] give. [COND [[PROX PL tree] COORD [PROX PL sheep]] give refuse]. [[PROX PL tree] COORD [PROX PL sheep]] die.
Literal English: (These trees and sheep give in order to live. If they refuse to give, they die.)
gibran: They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish.
lu ta miona tha ha miona lo philo howela nela ha miona lo shero howela tho parelu. ha miona tha ha miona lue thia theula phirae thena howela tho we ke parelu.
Word-by-word gloss: [COND [one person] [DECL.COMP [[PROX person] [PL day] receive] COORD [[PROX person] [PL night] receive] DECL.COMP.CLOSE] deserve]. [[PROX person] [DECL.COMP [[PROX person] [ABL 2SG] [UNIV [different thing]] receive] DECL.COMP.CLOSE] ALSO INFER deserve].
Literal English: (If someone deserves to receive days and nights, it follows that this person also deserves to receive every different thing from you.)
gibran: Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights, is worthy of all else from you.
lu ta miona tha ha miona lue [whu lioru phelu] thaluro milau tho ki parelu. ha miona tha ha miona lue thia thiku phuliro ha miona soeli pheno ka kelu tho parelu.
Word-by-word gloss: COND [one person] [DECL.COMP [PROX person] [ABL [[REL life hold] ocean]] drink DECL.COMP.CLOSE] PFV deserve. [PROX person] [DECL.COMP [PROX person] [ABL [2SG [small stream]]] [[PROX person] cup] full CAUS become DECL.COMP.CLOSE] deserve.
Literal English: (If one person has deserved to drink from the ocean that holds life, they deserve to fill their cup from your small stream.)
gibran: And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream.
howela parelu mua thomari nela mua norethi nai. whekai ha howela parelu mua heloi nai. hina parelu sheo ha howela parelu mo whalo so nai.
Word-by-word gloss: [[receive deserve] [[LOC courage] COORD [LOC confident]] be]. [CONTR [PROX [receive deserve]] [LOC generous] be]. [[what deserve] [THAN [PROX [receive deserve]]] [CMPR large] FUT be].
Literal English: (Deserving to receive lies in courage and confidence. Yet it lies in generosity. What kind of deserving will be greater than this?)
gibran: And what desert greater shall there be, than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving?
lo miona ha rolia tawemi ma phelu. wa lila thia ha rolia po nila ha lo miona lo pharoe se na pisha. lo miona ha thoru nupira ma phelu. wa lila thia ha thoru po nila ha lo miona lo thoru se na sirelu. thia sua nai.
Word-by-word gloss: [PL person] [[PROX worth] cover] NEG hold. Q [PURP 2SG [PROX worth] POT see] [[[PROX [PL person]] [PL chest]] PASS NEC split]. [PL person] [[PROX proud] shame] NEG hold. Q [PURP 2SG [PROX proud] POT see] [[[PROX [PL person]] [PL proud]] PASS NEC disclose]. 2SG who be.
Literal English: (People do not keep this worth covered. Must these people's chests be split so that you can see this worth? People carry no shame about this pride. Must these people's pride be disclosed so that you can see this pride? Who are you?)
gibran: And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed?
no mua thorui tha thia tha ko thia loami loa miona nai nela ko thia loa tenoa nai tho parelu tho somela.
Word-by-word gloss: IMP [LOC beginning] [DECL.COMP [2SG [DECL.COMP [[FOC 2SG] [[gift give] person] be] COORD [[FOC 2SG] [give tool] be] DECL.COMP.CLOSE] deserve] DECL.COMP.CLOSE] observe.
Literal English: (At the beginning, observe that you yourself deserve to be both a person who gives gifts and a tool for giving.)
gibran: See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving.
Life, gratitude, and wings
lao lioru wei lioru roe shewo loa whau thia tha ko thia loami loa miona nai tho remo thia li [whu somela] miona nai.
Word-by-word gloss: [BECAUSE [life [DAT life] [INS true] give]] [SIMUL [2SG [DECL.COMP [FOC 2SG] [[gift give] person] be DECL.COMP.CLOSE] think]] 2SG [RESTR [[REL observe] person]] be.
Literal English: (Because life gives to life through truth, you are only an observer while you think that you yourself are the one giving a gift.)
gibran: For in truth it is life that gives unto life--while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.
kona lo [whu howela] miona. theula thia [whu howela] miona nai. no lila thia nia thia nela nia loami loa miona [whu nia nolue se thinu] kelo ma thinu nemo pamolu ma pilu.
Word-by-word gloss: VOC [PL [[REL receive] person]]. [UNIV 2SG] [[REL receive] person] be. IMP [PURP [2SG [[ON 2SG] COORD [ON [[gift give] person]]] [[REL [ON neck] PASS put] frame] NEG put]] [grateful weight] NEG take.
Literal English: (People who receive, all of you are receivers. Do not take on the weight of gratitude, so that you do not lay a yoke on yourself and on the gift-giver.)
gibran: And you receivers--and you are all receivers--assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives.
muila ralu korua phelu. muila ha loami loa miona phao nai. thoepa phiora ha miona phao nai. lu thia thia naseru wo thesua theonu. thia tha ha miona heloi nai tho whamoi. ha miona lo loami phea lo wapile nai. no thelao nua ha miona nia ha miona lo loami rihe.
Word-by-word gloss: earth [free heart] hold. earth [[PROX [[gift give] person]] parent] be. [sacred spirit] [[PROX person] parent] be. COND [2SG [2SG obligation] [EXC mindful] attend]. 2SG [DECL.COMP [PROX person] generous be DECL.COMP.CLOSE] doubt. [[PROX person] [PL gift]] [AS [PL wing]] be. IMP CONS [COM [PROX person]] [ON [[PROX person] [PL gift]]] rise.
Literal English: (The earth holds a free heart. The earth is this gift-giving person's parent. The sacred spirit is this person's parent. If you attend to your obligation too mindfully, you doubt that this person is generous. This person's gifts are like wings. Therefore, rise with this person upon their gifts.)
gibran: Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings;
For to be overmindful of your debt, is to doubt his generosity who has the freehearted earth for mother, and God for father.
Complete translation
ta himo miona to nai. ha miona lo lorua thena to phelu. ha miona sha no nua lo mia loa shareo sho to haolu. ne musatapha to lonae. lu thia lo [whu mua thia phenori nai] thena loa. thia phina thena loa. lu thia miso loa. thia roe shewo loa. lao thia tha thia mua wireo philo lo [whu mua thia phenori nai] thena so po phelona tho remo thia lo [whu mua thia phenori nai] thena hina nai. ha lo thena li lo [whu thia mua sukima phelu] thena nai. thia mua sukima ha lo thena shorupo. wireo philo thola wei wo thesa lohau hina so nai. ha kirua mawha ruela phelu. whau ha lohau noe lo [whu kau thoepa whalo silawo laniru] miona thalo ha lohau mua ha kirua lo tholau kupe. wa phelona sukima li phelona nai. lu thia phitura pheno nai. wa kishu sukima [whu se po ma heno] kishu ma nai.
soli miona lo lorua thena phelu. lila ha lo miona se thekao ha lo miona phina thena loa. ha lo miona [whu se kupe] rinu phelu. ha rinu ha lo miona lo loami peloma ka kelu. soli miona phina thena phelu. ha lo miona ha theula thena loa. ha lo miona lioru nela lioru lorua nohero. lo shia phelure molu mawha thimu whemoa nai. soli miona roe siora loa. ha siora ha lo miona thaweno nai. soli miona roe kipona loa. ha kipona ha lo miona thoepa phialu thorea nai. soli miona loa. ha lo miona mua loa kipona ma sano. ha lo miona siora ma sheraki. ha lo miona mua loa taleri ma theonu. ha lo miona phea [whu mua ra lewonu whunei] wotami loa. ha wotami muo tholu ha wotami welao whinu leiro. thoepa phiora thue ha lo miona lo manuwe haolu. thoepa phiora noe ha lo miona lo mirae wea muila seniku.
lu thia sha wa thia po loa sho hea. thia loa welao nai. lu thia whuo ha haolu roe shelomu loa. thia loa mo welao nai. heloi miona pha sua loami so howela pho sheraki. ha sheraki sheo loa mo siora nai. wa thia soli thena so ma loa. theula [whu mua thia phenori nai] thena mua ta wireo philo so se loa. no thelao lila thia ha loa meluna phelu nela thia lo lumira ha loa meluna ma phelu nosa loa.
thia sha mia so loa thona mia li wei loami parelu miona so loa sho ro haolu. lo shiro mua thia lureko shiro koshira tha lo shiro li wei loami parelu miona so loa tho ma haolu. sheno lo mophira mua thia whelina kosha tha lo mophira li wei loami parelu miona so loa tho ma haolu. lila ha lo shiro nela ha lo mophira liona ha lo shiro nela ha lo mophira loa. lu ha lo shiro nela ha lo mophira loa naweri. ha lo shiro nela ha lo mophira lumeo. lu ta miona tha ha miona lo philo howela nela ha miona lo shero howela tho parelu. ha miona tha ha miona lue thia theula phirae thena howela tho we ke parelu. lu ta miona tha ha miona lue [whu lioru phelu] thaluro milau tho ki parelu. ha miona tha ha miona lue thia thiku phuliro ha miona soeli pheno ka kelu tho parelu. howela parelu mua thomari nela mua norethi nai. whekai ha howela parelu mua heloi nai. hina parelu sheo ha howela parelu mo whalo so nai. lo miona ha rolia tawemi ma phelu. wa lila thia ha rolia po nila ha lo miona lo pharoe se na pisha. lo miona ha thoru nupira ma phelu. wa lila thia ha thoru po nila ha lo miona lo thoru se na sirelu. thia sua nai. no mua thorui tha thia tha ko thia loami loa miona nai nela ko thia loa tenoa nai tho parelu tho somela.
lao lioru wei lioru roe shewo loa whau thia tha ko thia loami loa miona nai tho remo thia li [whu somela] miona nai. kona lo [whu howela] miona. theula thia [whu howela] miona nai. no lila thia nia thia nela nia loami loa miona [whu nia nolue se thinu] kelo ma thinu nemo pamolu ma pilu. muila ralu korua phelu. muila ha loami loa miona phao nai. thoepa phiora ha miona phao nai. lu thia thia naseru wo thesua theonu. thia tha ha miona heloi nai tho whamoi. ha miona lo loami phea lo wapile nai. no thelao nua ha miona nia ha miona lo loami rihe.
Translation limits
| Source concept | Phi treatment | Boundary retained |
|---|---|---|
| rich man | a person who holds abundant things | Phi describes what the person holds without creating a rank from possessions. |
| possessions and coffer | things within an ownership relation; a storage container | Exact property rules and the precise object remain with the source. |
| overprudent dog and pilgrims | an excessively careful dog; people journeying to a sacred large village | Phi keeps the pathless sand, hidden bones, following, and destination; the inherited identities of pilgrimage and holy city remain in Gibran's line. |
| reward and deservingness | thaweno; parelu | Reward remains distinct from gift and exchange. Desert remains a judgement rather than inherent worth or a right. |
| baptism | a sacred water ceremony | Gibran's inherited rite and its theological force stay exact in the source wording. |
| myrtle | a shrub that breathes and releases its scent | The source preserves the species name; Phi preserves its valley, breath, scent, and movement into space. |
| God | a sacred spirit and parent | The source supplies the divine identity and pronoun. |
| inheritors | descendants | Phi keeps the family relation without supplying an exact law of succession. |
| naked worth and unabashed pride | worth without a cover; pride without shame; chests that must be split or disclosed | The physical and emotional images stay present without turning their English phrasing into new Phi roots. |
| debt and yoke | obligation; a frame placed on the neck | The source keeps the accounting sense of debt and the inherited name of the restraint. |