紀伯倫——《孩子》

你們的孩子，都不是你們的孩子
乃是生命為自己所渴望的兒女。
他們是借你們而來，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，卻不可以給他們思想。
因為他們有自己的思想。
你們可以蔭庇他們的身體，卻不能蔭蔽他們的靈魂。
因為他們的靈魂，是住在明日的宅中，那是你們在夢中也不能想見的。
你們可以努力去模仿他們，卻不能使他們來象你們。
因為生命是不倒行的，也不與昨日一同停留。
你們是弓，你們的孩子是從弦上發出的生命的箭矢。
那射者在無窮之間看定了目標，也用神力將你們引滿，使他的箭矢迅速而遙遠的射了出來。
讓你們在射者手中的彎曲成為喜樂吧。
因為他愛那飛出的箭，也愛了那靜止的弓。

- 卡裏爾•紀伯倫，《先知》第四章
(冰心譯)

Children
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 arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow
that is stable.

- Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, Chapter 4