你們的孩子並非你們的

你們的孩子並非你們的
他們是因生命對自身之渴求而生的兒女
他們從你們而生，卻非因你們而來
儘管他們待在你們身邊，但並不屬於你們
你們可以給予他們愛，但不能強加自己的思想
因為他們擁有自己的

你們可以蓋房舍蔭庇他們的身體，
但不能遮蓋他們的心靈
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
你們可努力仿效他們，卻不可企圖讓他們像你
因為生命不會倒著走，也不會滯留於往昔
你們是弓，孩子是即將被射出的生命之矢
那射者瞄準無限之旅上的目標，用力將你彎曲
以使祂的箭矢迅捷地奔向遠方
讓自己欣然地在射者的手中彎曲吧
因為祂既愛飛馳的箭，也愛穩健的弓
～紀伯倫 先知
...
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"