紀伯倫 《先知》

你們的孩子並不是你們的孩子。

他們是生命對自身的渴求的兒女。

他們藉你們而來，卻不是因你們而來。

儘管他們在你們身邊，卻並不屬於你們。

你們可以把你們的愛給予他們，卻不能給予思想，因為他們有自己的思想。

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，即使在夢中，你們也無緣造訪。

你們可努力倣傚他們，卻不可企圖讓他們像你。

因為生命不會倒行，也不會滯留於往昔。你們是弓，你們的孩子是被射出的生命的箭矢。

那射者瞄準無限之旅上的目標，用力將你彎曲，以使他的箭迅捷遠飛。

讓你欣然在射者的手中彎曲吧；

因為他既愛飛馳的箭，也愛穩健的弓。




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.

-- Kahlil Gibran, "The Prophet"