Alms Quote by Khalil Gibran
“Work is love made visible. And if you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms of those who work with joy. For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that feeds but half man's hunger. And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distils a poison in the wine. And if you sing though as angels, and love not the singing, you muffle man's ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.”
About This Quote
Work reflects love; without it, effort becomes bitter, harmful, and meaningless, depriving both creator and receiver.
In simple terms: Work is love expressed.
Key Takeaway
Love fuels meaningful work.
Themes
Purpose
Integrity
Joy
Consequences
Authenticity
Mood
Reflective
Inspirational
Type
Philosophical
Motivational
When to use this quote
- Choosing a career
- Crafting a product
- Performing a service
- Creating art
- Leading a team
Key Concepts
Love
Work
Quality
Attitude
Practical Applications
- Designing purpose-driven projects
- Cultivating workplace culture
Questions to Reflect On
- How does love transform the quality of what we produce?
- What are the costs of working without joy?
A Different Perspective
Some argue that necessity can justify work without love, focusing on survival rather than fulfillment.
![“Give a drink of water as alms to the birds which go forth at morning, and deem that they have a better right than men [to thy charity]. For their race brings not harm upon thee in any wise, when thou fearest it from thine own race.” quote by Al-Maʿarri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/915/al-ma-arri-47224_alms_give-a-drink-of-water-as-alms-to-the-bir_171746.jpg)
