纪伯伦的诗：论孩子

昨天与堂弟谈论孩子的教育话题，他那智慧的言语令我想到老朋友Lily Hu在许多年前推荐给我的一首纪伯伦的诗：论孩子。 就到网上把诗找了出来，是英文的。像以往一样，读了又读，深深为其感动。又到网上找中文翻译版，可惜没有看到满意的。

 

今天上午忍不住借谷歌翻译器，按自己的理解，试着翻译了一次。词不达意，放在这里，供众人指点。

 

论孩子

〔黎巴嫩〕纪伯伦著   

你的孩子并不是你的。

他们是生命因渴望延续自己而诞生的儿女。

他们经你而来，并非源自于你，

他们和你一起生活，但并不属于你。

 

你可以给予他们爱，但不能灌输他们你的想法，

因为他们有自己的思想。

你可以养育他们的肉体，但不能塑造他们的灵魂，

因为他们的灵魂居于他们自己未来的巢，

那个巢是你无法造访的，即使在梦中也探不到。

你可以努力地模仿他们的样子，

但是不要奢望他们会像你一样生活。

因为生活不会倒退，昨天不会再来。

 

你是弓，你的孩子则是从你的弦上射出的

一往直前的箭。

射手全神贯注地瞄准那遥远的靶，

弓越弯曲，

箭越迅捷 。

尽情地享受在射手的威力下弓的弯曲之快乐吧;

射手既爱那飞射的箭，也爱那稳定的弓。

 

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