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…. 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 clean, 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 greatness, the open mind of true wisdom, the meekness of true strength.
Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, “I have not lived in vain.”
上主阿！建立我的儿子。
使他刚强以致能知道何时为软弱。使他勇敢以致能面对心中所畏惧。
输得要光明磊落，不折不挠，保有荣誉感。在得胜中，保持谦逊温柔。
建立我的儿子，使他有高瞻的理想，一位认识祢的儿子……。
不要让他走在安逸、舒适的坦途上，
牵引他在困境、压力和挑战的路上，稳步前行。
让他敢於面对风浪；让他对失败的人满有怜恤。
建立我的儿子，让他手洁心清，目标远大。
让我的儿子首先克胜自己才去领导他人；
懂得欢笑，但不忘记如何哭泣；记取过去的教训，又能拥抱将来。
我祈求上主成就这一切后，又让他学会足够的幽默感，
以致他办事认真，但不会对自己过份严苛。赐他谦虚，以致他记得伟大中的简朴，
真智慧的开放兼听，而真刚强也有温柔的一面。
如蒙垂念，作为一位父亲，容我再低声细禀：「我没有枉度此生了。」
人生总是有一些课是要上的，愿输与赢之上我们找到更宝贵的东西。