孩子(On Children)

算跟議題吧
這首紀伯倫的詩是大一時從另一本書上讀到
後來忘記哪時買的『先知』
剛開始讀了幾首之後就放著了
只是這本方智出版的譯本
不是很合胃口
底下中文部分就還是拿第一次讀到的版本吧

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On Children

And a woman who hold a babe against her bosom said,
Speak to us of Children.
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They om 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 lie 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.

你的兒女不是你的兒女
他們是生命對自身渴望所產生的兒女
他們經由你出生，但不是從你而來
雖然在你身旁，卻不屬於你
你可以給他們你的愛，而不是你的思想
因為他們有自己的思想
蔽護他們的身體，而不是他們的靈魂
因為他們的靈魂住在你夢中也無法企及的明天
你要向他們學習，而不是使他們像你
因為生命不會後退，也不會在昨日留達
你是弓，兒女是從你發射而出活生生的箭
弓箭手望著永恆之路上的箭靶，祂會施全力將你拉開，使祂的箭射得又快又遠
欣喜的在弓箭手手中屈曲吧！
因為祂愛飛翔的箭，也愛穩定的弓