On Children

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.
乃是生命為自身渴望所誕之子
They come through you but not from you,
他們是藉你而來卻不是從你而來
tthought they with you,they belong to themselves.
他們雖與你同在卻不屬於你
You may give them your love but not your thought
你可以授之以愛卻不可授之以思想
For they have thoughts of their own.
因為他們有自己的思想
You may house their bodies not their soul
你可以庇護其身軀卻不能庇護其靈魂
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
因為他們的靈魂棲於明日之屋
Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
即使在夢中你也無緣造訪
You may strive to be like them,
你可以努力去模仿他們
But seek not to make them like you ,
卻不能使他們變得像你
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
因為生命不可逆行也不會與昨日一同停留
You are the bows from which your children
你是弓，而你的孩子們
As living arrows are sent forth.
是弦上射出的生命之箭
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
那射者在無盡未來之中看定了目標
And He bends you with His might,
也用全力將弓引滿
That His arrows may go swift and far.
使他的箭矢迅速而遙遠地射出
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness
讓你心懷喜樂地在射者手中彎曲吧
For even as He loves the arrow that flies
因為他愛那射出的箭
So He loves also the bow that is stable
也愛了那靜止的弓
Let your bending in the archer's hand be for gladness
讓你心懷喜樂地在射者手中彎曲吧
For even as He loves the arrow that flies
因為他愛那射出的箭
So He loves also the bow that is stable
也愛了那靜止的弓