4)On Children孩子

The Prophet(先知)
Kahlil Gibran(哈利勒‧紀伯倫)

4)On Children孩子

And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, Speak to us of Children.
接著，有個胸前懷抱著嬰兒的婦人說︰跟我們談談孩子吧。
And he said: Your children are not your children.
他就說︰你的孩子並不是你的孩子。
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
他們是渴望著擁有自我生命的子女。
They come through you but not from you,
他們通過你而誕生，卻不是來自你們。
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
他們雖和你在一起，卻不屬於你。
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
你可以給他們你的愛，卻不能把你的思想附加給他。
For they have their own thoughts.
因為他們有自己的思想。
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
你們可以給他們房子供身體居住，卻不是供他們的靈魂居住，
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
因為他們的心靈居住在明日之屋裡，
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
那是連在你夢中都無法探訪的地方。
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
你們可以用心模仿他們，但不要企圖要他們模仿你。
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
因為生命不能回溯，也不停留在昨日。
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
你是弓，你們的孩子就是那射出的生命之箭。
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
射手瞄準了穹蒼中的箭靶，
and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
而用全力來拉彎你，以使他的箭能射得又快又遠。
Let your bending in the Archer's hand be for gladness;
愉快的彎曲在他的手中吧﹗
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
因為他愛那飛馳的箭，
so He loves also the bow that is stable.
因此也愛堅固的弓。