Giving

Then said a rich man, Speak to us of Giving.

Then a rich man said, Tell us about Giving.

And he answered:

And he replied:

You give but little when you give of your possessions.

You give only a little when you give your possessions.

It is when you give of yourself that you truly give.

You truly give when you give of yourself.

For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow?

For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard because you fear you may need them tomorrow?

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?

And tomorrow, what will tomorrow bring for the overly cautious dog? He buries bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city.

And what is fear of need but need itself?

And what is the fear of going without, if not going without itself?

Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, the thirst that is unquenchable?

Isn't the fear of thirst when your well is full a thirst that can never be quenched?

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.

Some people give little of the much they have. They give it to gain recognition, and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome.

And there are those who have little and give it all.

And some people have little and give it all.

These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty.

These are the people who believe in life and its abundance, and their treasure chest is never empty.

There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward.

Some people give with joy, and that joy is their reward.

And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism.

And some people give in pain, and that pain is their baptism.

And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue;

And some give without feeling pain. They do not seek joy, nor do they give with a sense of virtue.

They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space.

They give just as the myrtle in the valley releases its fragrance into the air.

Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.

Through the hands of people like these, God speaks, and behind their eyes, he smiles upon the earth.

It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding;

It is good to give when asked, but it is better to understand and give without being asked.

And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving.

And for the generous, searching for someone to receive is a greater joy than giving.

And is there aught you would withhold?

And is there anything you would hold back?

All you have shall some day be given;

Everything you have will someday be given away.

Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors’.

So give now, so that the time for giving may be yours and not your heirs'.

You often say, “I would give, but only to the deserving.”

You often say, “I would give, but only to those who deserve it.”

The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture.

The trees in your orchard do not say so, and neither do the flocks in your pasture.

They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish.

They give so they can live, because to hold back is to die.

Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights, is worthy of all else from you.

Surely, someone worthy of receiving his days and nights is worthy of everything else you can give.

And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream.

And anyone who deserves to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill their cup from your little stream.

And what desert greater shall there be, than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving?

And what greater merit is there than the courage, confidence, and even generosity involved in receiving?

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?

And who are you that people should bare their hearts and reveal their pride? Why should they let you see their worth exposed and their pride unashamed?

See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving.

First, make sure you are worthy of being a giver and a means of giving.

For in truth it is life that gives unto life—while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.

For in truth, life gives to life. You may think you are a giver, but you are only a witness.

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.

And you who receive, you are all receivers. Do not feel weighed down by gratitude, or you will burden yourself and the giver.

Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings;

Instead, rise together with the giver, carried by his gifts as if they were wings.

For to be overmindful of your debt, is to doubt his generosity who has the freehearted earth for mother, and God for father.

For worrying too much about your debt is doubting the generosity of the one whose mother is the generous earth and whose father is God.