Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.
Build me a son whose wishes will not take the place of deeds; a son who will know Thee... and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.
Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here, let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those that fail.
Build me a son, whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high, a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.
And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility. so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom and the meekness of true strength. Then, I, his father, will dare to whisper have not lived in vain."
主啊!求你塑造我的儿子，使他在软弱时，能够坚强不屈;在惧怕时能够勇敢自持，在正常的失败中，毫不气馁;在光明的胜利中，仍能保持谦逊温和。
恳求你塑造我的儿子，不至空有幻想而缺乏行动;引领他认识你，同时让他知道，认识自己，才是一切知识的基石。
我祈求你，不要使他走上安逸、舒适之途，求你将他置于困难和挑战的磨练和激励中，求你引领他，使他学习在风暴中挺身站立，并学会怜悯那些在重压之下失败跌倒的人。
求你塑造我的儿子，求你让他有一颗纯洁的心，并有远大的目标;使他在能指挥别人之前，先懂得驾驭自己;当迈入未来之际，永不忘记过去的教训。
在他，有了这些美德之后，我还要祈求你赐给他足够的幽默感，以免他过于严肃，还苛求自己。恳求你赐给他谦卑的心，使他永远记得，真正的伟大是单纯，真正的智慧是坦率，真正的力量是温和。如此，我这作父亲的，才敢低声说:"我没有虚度此生。 "
