Quotes about children

Ma Yuan 馬援

c. AD 42 · Later Han China · To nephews who liked to talk of other people's faults: do not rashly imitate the gallant Du Jiliang

If you imitate Jiliang and fail, you sink into being one of the world's frivolous men. As they say: "Paint a tiger and fail, and it ends up looking like a dog."

效季良不得，陷爲天下輕薄子，所謂‘畫虎不成反類狗’

"Letter of Admonition to My Nephews Yan and Dun"

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Thiruvalluvar திருவள்ளுவர்

about 2,000 years ago · Tamil country, South India

"The flute is sweet, the lute is sweet," say those who have never heard their own children's prattle.

குழல்இனிது யாழ்இனிது என்பதம் மக்கள் மழலைச்சொல் கேளா தவர்.

Tirukkural 66

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Yamanoue no Okura 山上憶良

c. 728 · Nara Japan

Okura will take his leave now. The children will be crying, and their mother, too, will be waiting for me.

憶良らは今はまからむ子泣くらむそれその母も我をまつらむそ

Man'yoshu, book 3, a poem made on leaving a banquet

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Su Shi 蘇軾

1083 · Song China · On the birth of a son in Huangzhou, his place of exile

Everyone raises a child hoping he will be clever. I have been ruined all my life by cleverness. I only wish my boy to be dull and simple, and, free of disaster and trouble, to rise to the highest offices.

人皆養子望聰明，我被聰明誤一生。 惟願孩兒愚且魯，無災無難到公卿。

"Written in Jest at My Son's Bathing Ceremony," in the Complete Song Poems

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Yi Gyubo 李奎報

earlier 13th century · Goryeo Korea · Sambaek, "three hundred," was his son's childhood name

Your milk teeth are still in and already you tip the cup; I fear your guts will rot before long. Do not take after your father, forever falling down drunk; all his life people have called him mad. Everything that went wrong in my life was drink, and now you like it too. What is to be done? I am sorry I ever named you Sambaek, Three Hundred: I am afraid you will tip three hundred cups a day.

汝今乳齒已傾觴 心恐年來必腐腸 莫學乃翁長醉倒 一生人導太顚狂 一世誤身全是酒 汝今好飮又何哉 命名三百吾方悔 恐爾日傾三百杯

Dongguk Yi Sangguk jip, "My Son Sambaek Drinks Wine"

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Rabindranath Tagore রবীন্দ্রনাথ ঠাকুর

1913 · Bengal, India

"Where have I come from, where did you pick me up?" the baby asked its mother.

"The Beginning," in The Crescent Moon

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Arishima Takeo 有島武郎

1918 · Taisho Japan

Little ones. Hold in your hearts the blessing of your father and mother, unhappy and at the same time happy, and set out on your journey through the human world. The road ahead is long. And it is dark. But you must not be afraid. The road opens before those who are not afraid. Go. Bravely. Little ones.

小さき者よ。不幸なそして同時に幸福なお前たちの父と母との祝福を胸にしめて人の世の旅に登れ。前途は遠い。そして暗い。然し恐れてはならぬ。恐れない者の前に道は開ける。 行け。勇んで。小さき者よ。

"To My Little Ones" (Chiisaki mono e)

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Kahlil Gibran

1923 · Bsharri, Lebanon · New York, USA

Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

The Prophet, "On Children"

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