紀伯倫的詩：論孩子

昨天與堂弟談論孩子的教育話題，他那智慧的言語令我想到老朋友Lily Hu在許多年前推薦給我的一首紀伯倫的詩：論孩子。 就到網上把詩找了出來，是英文的。像以往一樣，讀了又讀，深深為其感動。又到網上找中文翻譯版，可惜沒有看到滿意的。

 

今天上午忍不住借穀歌翻譯器，按自己的理解，試著翻譯了一次。詞不達意，放在這裏，供眾人指點。

 

論孩子

〔黎巴嫩〕紀伯倫著   

你的孩子並不是你的。

他們是生命因渴望延續自己而誕生的兒女。

他們經你而來，並非源自於你，

他們和你一起生活，但並不屬於你。

 

你可以給予他們愛，但不能灌輸他們你的想法，

因為他們有自己的思想。

你可以養育他們的肉體，但不能塑造他們的靈魂，

因為他們的靈魂居於他們自己未來的巢，

那個巢是你無法造訪的，即使在夢中也探不到。

你可以努力地模仿他們的樣子，

但是不要奢望他們會像你一樣生活。

因為生活不會倒退，昨天不會再來。

 

你是弓，你的孩子則是從你的弦上射出的

一往直前的箭。

射手全神貫注地瞄準那遙遠的靶，

弓越彎曲，

箭越迅捷 。

盡情地享受在射手的威力下弓的彎曲之快樂吧;

射手既愛那飛射的箭，也愛那穩定的弓。

 

On Children

By Kahlil Gibran

 

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.

From: http://www.katsandogz.com/onchildren.html