纪 · 哈 · 纪伯伦（Khalil Gibran）是美籍黎巴嫩阿拉伯诗人、作家、画家。被称为“艺术天才”、“黎巴嫩文坛骄子”，是阿拉伯现代小说、艺术和散文的主要奠基人，20世纪阿拉伯新文学道路的开拓者之一。其主要作品蕴含了丰富的社会性和东方精神，旨在抒发丰富的情感。

Your children arenot your children.

你的儿女，其实不是你的儿女。

They are the sonsand daughters of Life's longing for itself.

他们是生命对于自身渴望而诞生的孩子。

They come throughyou but not from you,

他们借助你来到这个世界，却非因你而来，

And though they arewith you, yet they belong not to you.

他们在你身旁，却并不属于你。

You may give themyour love but not your thoughts,

你可以给予他们的是你的爱，却不是你的想法，

For they have theirown thoughts.

因为他们有自己的思想。

You may house theirbodies but not their souls,

你可以庇护的是他们的身体，却不是他们的灵魂，

For their soulsdwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in yourdreams.

因为他们的灵魂属于明天，属于你做梦也无法达到的明天。

You may strive to belike them, but seek not to make them like you，

你可以拼尽全力，变得像他们一样，却不要让他们变得和你一样，

For life goes notbackward nor tarries with yesterday.

因为生命不会后退，也不在过去停留。

You are the bowsfrom which your children as living arrows are sent forth.

你是弓，儿女是从你那里射出的箭。

The archer sees themark upon the path of the infinite,

弓箭手望着未来之路上的箭靶，

and He bends youwith His might that His arrows may go swift and far.

他用尽力气将你拉开，使他的箭射得又快又远。

Let your bending inthe archer's hand be for gladness，

怀着快乐的心情，在弓箭手的手中弯曲吧，

因为他爱一路飞翔的箭，也爱无比稳定的弓。

(来源：读者文摘 微信号：duzhe3650)

（编辑：林俊锋）