Build Me a Son

by General Douglas A. MacArthur

Build me a son, Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory.

啊，上帝，请给我造就这样一个儿子，他将坚强足以认识自己的弱点，勇敢得足以面对恐惧，在遇到正当的挫折时能够昂首而不卑躬屈膝，在胜利时能谦逊而不趾高气扬。

Build me a son whose wishbone will not be where his backbone should be; a son who will know Thee and that to know himself is the foundation stone of knowledge.

请给我造就这样一个儿子，他不会用愿望代替行动，将牢记你的教诲――认识自己是认识世界的奠基石。

Lead him I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. Here let him learn to stand up in the storm; here let him learn compassion for those who fail.

我祈求，请不要把他引上平静安逸的道路，而要把他置于困难和挑战的考验和激励之下，让他学会在暴风雨中挺立，让他学会对那些失败者富于怜悯。

ll be clear, whose goal will be high; a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men; one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget how to weep; one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

请给我造就这样一个儿子，他将心地洁净，目标高尚；他将在征服别人之前先征服自己，他将拥有未来，但永远不忘记过去。

And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor, so that he may always be serious, yet never take himself too seriously. Give him humility, so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.

我祈求，除了上述的一切，请赐他足够的幽默感，这样他可以永远庄重，但不至于盛气凌人；赋他以谦卑的品质，这样他可能永远铭记在心：真正的伟人也要真诚率直，真正的贤人也要虚怀若谷，真正的强者也要温文尔雅。

Then, I, his father, will dare to whisper "I have not lived in vain".

那么，作为他父亲的我就将敢于对人低语：“我这一生没有白过。”