On Children
致孩子
Kahlil Gibran
林森译
Your children are not your children.
你的孩子并不是真正意义上属于你的孩子。
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
他们是渴求生命的子女。
They come through you but not from you,
他们通过你降生，却不源于你，
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
他们虽然和你在一起，但他们却不属于你。
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
你可以给予他们爱却给不他们思想，
For they have their own thoughts.
因为他们有自己的想法。
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
你可以给他们身体的归宿，却给不了灵魂的港湾，
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
因为他们的灵魂居住在明日之家，
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
那是一个你看不到，甚至你也想不到的地方。
You may strive to be like them,
你可以像他们一个拼搏，
but seek not to make them like you.
但却不要寻求他们也像你一样。
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
因为生活不会后退也不会停留在昨天。
You are the bows from which your children
如果你们的孩子就似一支上了弦的箭，
as living arrows are sent forth.
你们就做好那把弓，将他们射向远方。
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
弓箭手看着树立在无限之路上的靶心，
and He bends you with His might
用他的力量将你的肢体拉弯，
that His arrows may go swift and far.
他的箭敏捷飞远。
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
在弓箭手的手中，请愉快的弯下你们的躯干；
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
因为弓箭手不仅深爱着飞翔的箭，
so He loves also the bow that is stable.
他同样也爱着那把稳定的弓。
