你们的孩子，都不是你们的孩子，
乃是生命为自己所渴望的儿女。
他们是凭借你们而来，却不是从你们而来，
他们虽和你们同在，却不属于你们。
你们可以给他们以爱，却不可给他们以思想，
因为他们有自己的思想。
你们可以荫庇他们的身体， 却不能荫庇他们的灵魂，
因为他们的灵魂， 是住在明日的宅中，
那是你们在梦中也不能想见的。
你们可以努力去模仿他们，
却不能使他们来像你们。
因为生命是不倒行的， 也不与昨日一同停留。
你们是弓，你们的孩子是从弦上发出的生命的箭矢。
那射者在无穷之中看定了目标， 也用神力将你们引满，
使他的箭矢迅速而遥远地射了出去。
让你们在射者手中的弯曲成为喜乐吧；
因为他爱那飞出的箭，也爱了那静止的弓。
---《先知·论孩子》纪伯伦 冰心1930年3月译
英文原文如下:
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
读到这首诗就请敞开心扉欣赏吧！这篇美文发人深思,读者一定会仁者见仁智者见智。我不喜欢在教育子女的问题上指责父母，我知道这世上大部分父母都是深爱着自己的孩子。
不过我恳求父母们，在成为父母之前或者之后，请不断的学习和提高自己，读读这首诗，诗人的阐述，让我们深思。父母养育孩子的过程，就犹如拉满的弓送箭前行,去自己的目标,弓和箭一样要自由地享受生命，没有所属关系，只是箭借助弓向着未来飞奔。无论你是谁,都请站在各自的角度尊重生命，祝福飞翔的箭，和圆满完成任务的弓，请各安好。
