紀伯倫「先知 The Prophet」書中
一段「論孩子」的片段內容
你的孩子並不是屬於你的，
他們是生命對自身的渴求的兒女。
他們是藉你們而來，卻不是從你們而來。
他們雖和你們同在，卻不屬於你們。
你們可以給他們愛，卻不能給他們思想，
因為他們有自己的思想。
你們可以蔭庇他們的身體，
卻不能蔭庇他們的靈魂。
因為他們的靈魂棲息於明日之屋，
即使在夢中，你們也無緣造訪。
你可以努力去倣傚他們，卻不可企圖讓他們像你。
因為生命不會倒行，也不會停留於往昔。
你們是弓，
你們的孩子是弓上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！
-- 紀伯倫《先知》
以下是原文～～
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"
