Bai Juyi 白居易
early 9th century · Tang China · Of a pair of swallows whose grown brood has flown. Old Liu, grieving that his children had left him, is said to have left his own parents when he was young
Swallows, swallows, do not grieve. Turn back and think of yourselves: think of the days when you were fledglings and flew off high, turning your backs on your mother. What your parents felt then you will know today.
燕燕爾勿悲，爾當返自思。
思爾爲雛日，高飛背母時。
當時父母念，今日爾應知。"The Swallows: A Poem Shown to Old Mr. Liu," in the Complete Tang Poems
In the same thread
Confucius 孔子
5th century BC · Lu, Spring and Autumn China
"You must not fail to know your parents' age. It is at once a reason for joy and a reason for fear."
子曰：「父母之年，不可不知也。一則以喜，一則以懼。」Analects, book 4 (Li Ren)
Thiruvalluvar திருவள்ளுவர்
about 2,000 years ago · Tamil country, South India
A mother who hears her son called a wise man rejoices more than she did on the day he was born.
ஈன்ற பொழுதின் பெரிதுவக்கும் தன்மகனைச் சான்றோன் எனக்கேட்ட தாய்.
Tirukkural 69
1 in 100 Billion · The social network of those who came before us