纪伯伦《论孩子》

叶如钢

论孩子

原作： 纪伯伦
翻译： 叶如钢


你们的孩子并不是你们的孩子，
他们是生命之渴望本身的儿女。
他们通过你们而来却非来自于你们，
他们虽与你们在一起却不属于你们。

你们能给他们爱却不能给他们思想，
因为他们有自己的思想。
你们能提供居所给他们的身体，而非他们的灵魂，
因为他们的灵魂居于明天的房屋，
那里你们无法造访， 即使在梦里。
你们可以努力与他们相仿，
却不要试图让他们与你们相仿。
因为生活不回头，不停留在昨日。

你们是弓，你们的孩子是射出的鲜活的箭。
射手， 他看见无穷之路上的目标，
他以其神力拉弯你们，以便他的箭飞得快而远。
在射手把握之中愉快地弯曲吧；
因为，他固然爱那飞翔的箭，
也同样爱那稳定的弓。



On Children
Gibran Khalil Gibran (January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931)

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.