一个父亲的期望---麦克阿瑟将军为儿子的祷告

Build me a son, O Lord,

主啊！求你塑造我的儿子，

who will be strong enough to know when he is weak,

使他够坚强到能认识自己的软弱；

and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid;

够勇敢到能面对惧怕；

one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat,

在诚实的失败中，毫不气馁；

and humble and gentle in victory.

在胜利中，仍保持谦逊温和。

Build me a son whose wishes will not take the place of deeds;

恳求塑造我的儿子，不至空有幻想而缺乏行动；

a son who will know Thee……

引导他认识你，

and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.

同时又知道，认识自己乃是真知识的基石。

Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort,

我祈祷，愿你引导他不求安逸、舒适，

but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge.

相反的，经过压力、艰难和挑战，

Here, let him learn to stand up in the storm;

学习在风暴中挺身站立，

here let him learn compassion for those that fail.

学会怜恤那些在重压之下失败的人。

Build me a son whose heart will be clear,

求你塑造我的儿子，心地清洁，

whose goal will be high,

目标远大；

a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men;

使他在指挥别人之前，先懂得驾驭自己；

one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

永不忘记过去的教训，又能伸展入未来的理想。

And after all these things are his,

当他拥有以上的一切，

add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor,

我还要祷求，赐他足够的幽默感，

so that he may always be serious,

使他能认真严肃，

yet never take himself too seriously.

却不致过分苛求自己。

Give him humility,

恳求赐他谦卑，

so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness,

使他永远牢记，真伟大中的平凡，

the open mind of true wisdom and the meekness of true strength.

真智慧中的开明，真勇力中的温柔。

Then, I, his father will dare to whisper,

如此，我这作父亲的，才敢低声说：

I have not lived in vain.

「我没有虚度此生。」

作者：麦克阿瑟将军(General Douglas MacArthur)

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