最開始閱讀到"麥克阿瑟為子祈禱文"是在高中(?)的國文課本
編譯館把這樣淺顯易懂的文章翻成中文 讓我們朗誦
懵懵懂懂的我們是只硬生生記下 所謂的佳句 例如: "自知乃是智慧的基石"
那時的我基於對英文的興趣 把原文查了出來 
又為了聯考英文拿高分 硬生生的把全文背了下來
記得有一次模擬考 引用上了幾句 著實讓英文老師嚇了一跳
問我怎麼會這篇祈禱文 還把文章影印給全班當作範本... (真是令人害羞啊...)

長大之後 不時把文章拿出來翻閱
對文章中處處可以看到父親對兒子的深切期許 漸漸有所體會
不只因為親情一向都是我的罩門
更是因為這樣簡單的英文 卻集合了所有處世的美德
例如 堅忍勇敢 謙虛又帶有自信 對失敗的人能夠感同身受 
呵呵 等到自己有小孩子之後 我會希望他/她這樣呢?? 還是健康快樂成長就好??

附上完整版的"麥克阿瑟為子祈禱文" 和大家一起欣賞分享囉

A Father Prayer by General Douglas MacArthur
(May 1952)

 

Build me a son, O 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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

Build me a son whose heart will 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.

 

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.

 

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

 

 


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