你们的孩子，都不是你们的孩子。
Your children are not your children.
乃是生命对于自身渴望而诞生的孩子。
They are the sons and daughters of Life’slonging for itself.
他们是借助你们来到这个世界，却不是因你们而来。
They come throughyou but not from you.
他们虽和你们同在，却不属于你们。
And though they arewith you, yet they belong not to you.
你们可以给他的是你的爱，却不是你的想法。
You may give them your love but not your thought.
因为他们有自己的思想。
For they have their own thoughts.
你可以荫庇他们的身体，却不是他们的灵魂。
You may house theirbodies but not their soul.
因为他们的灵魂属于未来。
For their souls dwell in the house oftomorrow.
那是你们在梦中也不能到达的地方。
Which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
你可以努力去像他们一样，
You may strive to be like them.
却不要让他们变得像你们。
But seek not to make them like you.
因为生命不会后退，也不会在过去停留。
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
你们是弓，儿女是你那里发出的箭矢。
You are the bows fromwhich your children.
As living arrows are sent forth.
弓箭手望着未来之路上的箭靶。
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite.
用神力将其引满，
And He bends you with His might.
使他的箭矢迅速而遥远的射了出去。
That His arrows may go swift and far.
怀着喜乐的心情，在弓箭手的手中弯曲吧！
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness.
因为他爱一路飞翔的箭，
For even as He loves the arrow that flies.
也爱了那静止的弓。
So He loves also the bow that is stable.