这是吉卜林写给他12岁的儿子的一首诗，告诫儿子如何才能经受住人生旅途中可能遇到的种种精神上考验的勉励诗，这首诗放在当代依然很有力量， 尤其在承受种种心理压力时，如果能够去细细体会和领悟这首诗的深刻内涵，我们一定能从中受到鼓舞。
If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it>假如你能保持冷静，即使众人都失去理智并且归咎于你;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too;
假如你能保持自信，即使众人都怀疑你，让所有的怀疑动摇;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or, being lied about, don 8217;t deal in lies, Or being hated don 8217;t give way to hating,
假如你能等待而不因此厌烦，别人骗你，不要因此骗人，别人憎恨你，也不去憎恨别人，
And yet don 8217;t look too good, nor talk too wise;
不要太乐观，不要自以为是;
If you can dream and not make dreams your master;
假如你能寻梦——而不为梦想主宰;
If you can think and not make thoughts your aim,
假如你能思考——而不以思索为目标;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same.
假如你能面对成败祸福而同样视之如骗徒。
If you can bear to hear the truth you 8217;ve spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
如你听到你的老实话被小人歪曲，去蒙骗愚蠢之辈而尚能心平气和，
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build them up with worn-out tools;
或者见到你毕生的亊业被毀，而尚能执起破旧的工具去着手重建;
If you can make>如果在你赢得无数桂冠之后，然后孤注一掷再搏一次，
And lose, and start again at your beginnings, And never breathe a word about your loss;
失败过后，东山再起，不要抱怨你的失败;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone,
假如你能驱使你的心力和精神，在别人走后，长久地坚守阵地，
And so hold>让你抓牢，尽管你里面己掏空了，只有意志告诉它们“坚持!”
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings-nor lose the common touch,
假如你能与市井之徒交谈而不失于礼，出入于贵胄之家而不忘苍生黎民，
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much,
假如你能尊重人人而不膜拜何人，既不受制于仇敌亦不受制于亲朋;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds 8217; worth of distance run,
假如你能以六十秒长跑去填满不可饶恕的一分钟：
Yours is the Earth and everything that 8217;s in it, And 8211; which is more 8211; you 8217;ll be a Man, my son!
这个世界的一切都是你的，更重要的是——孩子——你是个顶天立地的人!