纪伯伦的《致孩子》(又名《论孩子》)原文及中文译文如下:
英文原文
*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 target, and draws back the string,
*Yet the arrow flies independent.*
*You are the bow; your children are the arrows.*
*You hold them tight, but they are destined to fly free.*
*You are the one who teaches them to shoot,
*Not to run away from life.*
中文译文
你的孩子并非你的孩子,
而是生命自身渴望的儿女。他们通过你来到这个世界,
却并非因你而生;
虽与你同在,却不属于你。你可以给予他们爱,
却无法给予思想,
因为他们拥有独立的思考。你可以庇护身体,
却无法守护灵魂,
因为灵魂属于明天,
那是连梦境也无法触及的彼岸。你或许想成为他们,
却应避免让他们模仿你,
因为生命不会倒流,
也不会停留在过去。你是弓,
孩子是弦上离弦的箭,
你紧握却无法阻止其飞翔,
你教会他们射程,
而非逃避人生。 核心思想
纪伯伦通过这首诗探讨了父母与孩子的关系,强调孩子是生命独立的个体,拥有自己的思想和灵魂。父母应尊重孩子的独特性,用爱而非控制引导他们,同时接纳生命的不可逆性。