Born on this day, Lebanese poet and artist Kahlil Gibran (1883–1931) shared the beauty of life and his profound gift of spiritual insight in the masterpiece The Prophet (1923), an autobiography of 26 poetic essays.

"In the depth of my soul there is a wordless song," he wrote.

With words and wordlessness, he celebrated the sacredness of life and the presence of God everywhere. "Wisdom is not in words," he believed. "Wisdom is meaning within words."

Merging Eastern and Western philosophies, Gibran was influenced by his Turkish childhood, his adopted America, and the time he spent studying art with Auguste Rodin in Paris.

"In one drop of water are found all the secrets of all the oceans," he explained.

A perennial bestseller, The Prophet's appeal is timeless. The words inspired seekers from the 20s Jazz Age, to the flower children of the 60s, to those today who continue to search for life's meaning.

Gibran asked: "Does the song of the sea end at the shore or in the hearts of those who listen to it?"

The answer, the treasure, the secret, whispered the sage, can be found "in your daily life."

More Kahlil GIBRAN Quotations

Celebrate life!