《先知》 第三篇之二 論孩子 by Kahlil Gibran 紀伯倫
一個懷中抱著孩子的婦人說(先知)，對我們說說孩子吧。
於是他說：
你的孩子並不是你的
他們是生命對自身渴慕所生的子女
他們經你而生 卻不是你所造
他們與你相伴 但是並不屬於你
你可以給他們你的愛 但不是你的思想
因為他們擁有自己的思想
你們可以建造房舍蔭庇他們的身體
但不是他們的心靈
因為他們的心靈棲息於明日之屋
甚至 在夢中你也無法前去探訪
你可以盡力讓自己變得像他們
但是不要指望他們會和你相像
因為生命不會倒流 也不會在昨日佇足
你是弓
而你的孩子是從弦上射發的生命的箭矢
那射手看到了無盡路上的標靶
於是他用神力將你扯滿
讓他的箭急馳遠射
你應在射手的掌中感到歡欣
因為他愛飛去的箭矢
也同樣喜愛沉穩的弓
And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, Speak to us of Children.
And he said:
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 arrows that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable
