纪伯伦：致我们终将远离的子女

導讀：這是第一次當你的父母，我們的心情都有點複雜， 你拼命發芽我白了頭發，一起寫下一撇一捺……

你的兒女，其實不是你的兒女。Your children are not your children.

他們是生命對于自身渴望而誕生的孩子。They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.

他們借助你來到這個世界，卻非因你而來。They come through you but not from you.

他們在你身旁，卻并不屬于你。And though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

你可以給予他們的是你的愛，卻不是你的想法。You may give them your love but not your thoughts.

因爲他們有自己的思想。For they have their own thoughts.

你可以庇護的是他們的身體，卻不是他們的靈魂。You may house their bodies but not their souls.

因爲他們的靈魂屬于明天，屬于你做夢也無法達到的明天。For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.

你可以拼盡全力，變得像他們一樣，卻不要讓他們變得和你一樣。You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.

因爲生命不會後退，也不在過去停留。For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

你是弓，兒女是從你那裏射出的箭。You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

弓箭手望着未來之路上的箭靶。The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite.

懷着快樂的心情，在弓箭手的手中彎曲吧，因爲他愛一路飛翔的箭，也愛無比穩定的弓。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.