The Prophet
Kahlil Gibran
Love gives naught but itself and takes naught but from itself.
Love possesses not nor would it be possessed;
For love is sufficient unto love.
When you love you should not say,
‘God is in my heart,’ but rather, ‘I am in the heart of God.’5
And think not you can direct the course of love,
for love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course.
Love has no other desire but to fulfill itself.
But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:
To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.10
To know the pain of too much tenderness.
To be wounded by your own understanding of love;
And to bleed willingly and joyfully.
To wake at dawn with a winged heart
and give thanks for another day of loving;
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;15
To return home at eventide with gratitude;
And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.
To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;
In this line from the passage, the word meditate suggests
Responses
A resting in the afternoon.resting in the afternoon.
B taking a break from love.taking a break from love.
C sleeping the rest of the day.sleeping the rest of the day.
D spending time with a loved one.spending time with a loved one.
E reflecting upon the joys of love.reflecting upon the joys of love.
E reflecting upon the joys of love.
E reflecting upon the joys of love.
To determine the meaning of the word "meditate" in the context of the passage, we can look at the surrounding words and phrases for clues. In this line, it says, "To rest at the noon hour and meditate love's ecstasy." From this, we can infer that "meditate" is referring to a mental activity or contemplation.
To further confirm the meaning, we can consult a dictionary. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, "meditate" means to engage in mental exercise (such as concentration on one's breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness or relaxation.
Based on this information, the correct answer is E: reflecting upon the joys of love. "Meditating love's ecstasy" suggests that during the rest at noon, one takes time to contemplate and reflect on the pleasurable or euphoric aspects of love.