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，請給我造就這樣一個兒子，他將堅強足以認識自己的弱點，勇敢得足以面對恐懼，在遇到正當的挫折時能夠昂首而不卑躬屈膝，在勝利時能謙遜而不趾高氣揚。

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.

請給我造就這樣一個兒子，他不會用愿望代替行動，將牢記你的教誨――認識自己是認識世界的奠基石。

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，請不要把他引上平靜安逸的道路，而要把他置于困難和挑戰的考驗和激勵之下，讓他學會在暴風雨中挺立，讓他學會對那些失敗者富于憐憫。

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.

請給我造就這樣一個兒子，他將心地潔凈，目標高尚；他將在征服別人之前先征服自己，他將擁有未來，但永遠不忘記過去。

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，請賜他足夠的幽默感，這樣他可以永遠莊重，但不至于盛氣凌人；賦他以謙卑的品質，這樣他可能永遠銘記在心：真正的偉人也要真誠率直，真正的賢人也要虛懷若谷，真正的強者也要溫文爾雅。

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

那么，作為他父親的我就將敢于對人低語：“我這一生沒有白過。”