On Children

On Children
          Kahlil Gibran
Your children are not your children.
你的孩子不是你的孩子！
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
他们是生命渴望自身的儿女
They come through you but not from you,
他们经由你出生但却不是来自于你
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
虽然他们和你在一起但并不属于你
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
你可以给他们你的爱，但不要是你的思想
For they have their own thoughts.
因为他们有自己的思想
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
你可以为他们安身，但是不要禁锢他们的灵魂
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
他们的灵魂居住在明天的时空里
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
你探访不到，哪怕做梦也实现不了
You may strive to be like them,
你可以努力让自己和他们一样
but seek not to make them like you.
但千万别企图让他们像你
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
因为生命不可能回头而且也不会为昨日停留
You are the bows from which your children
你是那张弓，
as living arrows are sent forth.
发射孩子生命之箭的弓
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
弓箭手在无穷路上瞄准目标
and He bends you with His might
他用神力折弯你
that His arrows may go swift and far.
好让那生命之箭射得迅速遥远
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
让你在他手掌中的弯度饱满愉悦吧
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
因为他不仅爱着那飞驰的箭
so He loves also the bow that is stable.
也爱着那坚稳的弓！