纪伯伦《孩子》

你的孩子并非你的孩子。

他们是生命为自身渴求的儿女。

他们藉你而来，但不是从你而来；他们虽与你在一起，但不属于你。

你可以给他们你的爱，但不是你的思想。

因为他们有自己的思想。

你可以庇护他们的身体，但不是他们的灵魂。

因为他们的灵魂居住在明天之屋，那是你做梦也不曾到达的地方。

你可以努力效仿他们，但不要试图让他们像你。

因为生命不会倒退，也不会停留在昨天。

你是弓，你的儿女是从你那里射出的生命之箭。

弓箭手瞄准无限之路上的目标，他全力将你拉开，好让他的箭射得又远又快。

让你在弓箭手手中的弯曲成为喜乐吧，因为他爱那飞出的箭，也爱那稳固的弓。

——哈利勒·纪伯伦，《先知》，第四章

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.

- Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, Chapter 4