Other editions of book A Tear and a Smile

Khalil Gibran was a Lebanese writer, poet, and visual artist. Gibran was born in the town of Bsharri in the Mount Lebanon Mutasarrifate, Ottoman Empire (north of modern day Lebanon), to Khalil Gibran and Kamila Gibran (Rahmeh). As a young man Gibran emigrated with his family to the United States, where he studied art and began his literary career, writing in both English and Arabic. In the Arab world, Gibran is regarded as a literary and political rebel. His romantic style was at the heart of a renaissance in modern Arabic literature, especially prose poetry, breaking away from the classical school. In Lebanon, he is still celebrated as a literary hero.

“A Tear and a Smile” is a 1914 collection of parables, stories and poems written by Khalil Gibran and illustrated with four of his own paintings and drawings. Gibran Khalil Gibran (1883 – 1931) was a Lebanese-American poet, writer, and artist best known as the author of “The Prophet” (1923), which is one of the best-selling books of all time. Gibran's work covers such themes as justice, religion, science, free will, love, happiness, the soul, the body, and death. He is widely considered to have been one of the most important figures in Arabic poetry and literature during the first half of the twentieth century. Other notable works by this author include: “Music” (1905), “Rebellious Spirits” (1908), and “Broken Wings” (1912). This volume is highly recommended for fans of Gibran's seminal work and it would make for a worthy addition to any collection. Many vintage books such as this are becoming increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with the original text and artwork.

The God separated a spirit from Himself and fashioned it into Beauty. He showered upon her all the blessings of gracefulness and kindness. He gave her the cup of happiness and said, "Drink not from this cup unless you forget the past and the future, for happiness is naught but the moment." And He also gave her a cup of sorrow and said, "Drink from this cup and you will understand the meaning of the fleeting instants of the joy of life, for sorrow ever abounds." And the God bestowed upon her a love that would desert he forever upon her first sigh of earthly satisfaction, and a sweetness that would vanish with her first awareness of flattery.

A Tear and a Smile contains 56 parables, stories, and poems. It is considered the most important addition to the canon of Gibran's writing. Khalil Gibran was a Lebanese-American artist, poet, and writer. As a young man he emigrated with his family to the United States where he studied art and began his literary career. His Romantic style was at the heart of a renaissance in modern Arabic literature, and he is still celebrated as a literary hero.