對於孩子(英詩翻譯)

On Children 對於孩子
Kahlil Gibran 紀伯倫


Your children are not your children
你的孩子不是你的孩子

They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself
他們是出於生命對自身嚮往的兒女

They come through you but not from you
他們經你而來但非出於你

And though they are with you
儘管他們與你一起

yet they belong not to you
但他們不屬於你

You may give them your love but not your thoughts
你可以給他們愛而不是你的想法

For they have their own thoughts
因為他們有自己的思想

You may house their bodies but not their souls
你可以安置他們的身體而非他們的心靈

For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow
因為他們的心靈居住在明日之屋

which you cannot visit
那裡你不能探訪

not even in your dreams
甚至不在你的夢想裡

You may strive to be like them
你可以勉力與他們相似

but seek not to make them like you
但不要試圖使他們像你那樣

For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday
因為生命不會倒退也不會停留在昨天

You are the bows
你們是弓

from which your children as living arrows are sent forth
從那裡你們的孩子作為活箭向前發出

The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite
那射手在無盡的路徑上看見那標靶

and He bends
祂彎弓

you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far
你們以祂的威力使祂的箭去得快和遠

Let your bending in the Archer’s hand be for gladness
欣然地讓你們彎曲在那射手的掌中吧

For even as He loves the arrow that flies
正因為祂愛飛出去的箭

so He loves also the bow that is stable
所以祂同樣愛穩固的弓

2023/02/06 5:57 PM