《論孩子》 --冰心譯

你們的孩子，都不是你們的孩子

乃是生命為自己所渴望的兒女。

他們是借你們而來，卻不是從你們而來

他們雖和你們同在，卻不屬于你們。

你們可以給他們愛，卻不可以給他們思想。

因為他們有自己的思想。

你們可以蔭庇他們的身體，卻不能蔭蔽他們的靈魂。

因為他們的靈魂，是住在明日的宅中，那是你們在夢中也不能想見的。

你們可以努力去模仿他們，卻不能使他們來象你們。

因為生命是不倒行的，也不與昨日一同停留。

你們是弓，你們的孩子是從弦上發出的生命的箭矢。

那射者在無窮之間看定了目標，也用神力將你們引滿，使他的箭矢迅速而遙遠的射了出來。讓你們在射者手中的彎曲成為喜樂吧。

因為他愛那飛出的箭，也愛上了那靜止的弓。

- 卡里爾?紀伯倫，《先知》第四章

Children

Your children are not your children.

They are the sons and daughters of Life'slonging for itself.

They come through you but not from you,

And though they are with you, yet theybelong not to you.

You may give them your love but not yourthoughts.

For they have their own thoughts.

You may house their bodies but not theirsouls,

For their souls dwell in the house oftomorrow, which you cannot

visit, not even in your dreams.

You may strive to be like them, but seeknot to make them like you.

For life goes not backward nor tarries withyesterday.

You are the bows from which your childrenas living arrows are sent forth.

The archer sees the mark upon the path ofthe infinite, and He bends

you with His might that His arrows may goswift and far.

Let your bending in the archer's hand befor gladness;

even as he loves the arrow that flies, soHe loves also the bow

that is stable.

- Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet, Chapter 4

紀·哈·紀伯倫（Kahlil Gibran）是美籍黎巴嫩阿拉伯作家。被稱為“藝術天才”“黎巴嫩文壇驕子”，是阿拉伯文學的主要奠基人，20世紀阿拉伯新文學道路的開拓者之一。其主要作品有《淚與笑》《先知》《沙與沫》等，蘊含了豐富的社會性和東方精神，不以情節為重，旨在抒發豐富的情感。紀伯倫、魯迅和泰戈爾一樣是近代東方文學走向世界的先驅。