When a child is born
A ray of hope flickers in the sky,
A tiny star lights up way up high,
All across the land
Dawns a brand-new morn,
This comes to pass
When a child is born.
A silent wish sails the seven seas,
The winds of change
Whisper in the trees,
And the walls of doubt
Crumble tost and torn,
This comes to pass
When a child is born.
A rosy hue settles all around,
You got the feel
You're on solid ground,
For a spell of two no one seems forlorn,
This comes to pass
When a child is born
(And all of this happens,
Because the world is waiting,
Waiting for one child,
Black, white, yellow,
No one knows,
But a child that'll grow up,
And turn tears to laughter,
Hate to love, war to peace,
And everyone
To everyone's neighbor,
And misery and suffering
Will be words to be forgotten
Forever)
It's all a dream, an illusion now,
It must come true
Sometime soon somehow.
All across the land
Dawns a brand-new morn,
This comes to pass
When a child is born.
当一个孩子来临时
一道希望之光，在空中闪耀
一颗微星照亮了天上的路
横跨整个大地，开展了一个崭新的黎明
这都是因为一个小孩的诞生
无声的愿望航过七海转向的风在树梢呢喃猜忌之墙崩塌倾圮这全是因为一个小孩的诞生
到处充满了红光
你感觉到了，你站在坚硬的土地上
在这段期间，似乎没有人孤单
这全是因为一个小孩的诞生
这些事情所以发生，
是因为全世界都在等待等待一个孩子
是黑是白还是黄？
没有人知道但小孩会长大，
将泪水化为欢笑将仇恨化成爱
战争化为和平
使四海成一家
悲痛与苦难将被遗忘
永远被遗忘那是一个梦想
一个幻象但未来很快就会实现
横跨整个大地，
开展了一个崭新的黎明
这都是因为一个小孩的诞生
I am your father
You are my little guy
You lie here sleeping
I sit here and cry…
I am your father
You are my growing son
You play in the yard
I sit in the sun…
I am your father
You are my school-aged young man
You learn about life
I do what I can…
I am your father
You’ve become a man
You can’t show tears
I’m older; I can…
I am your father
You’re my half-orphaned little guy
You’ve done well without her
I’m finished now; I’m to die…
You’re my father
I am your grown-up son
You lie there sleeping
Your crying is done.
“我是你父亲”
全诗共六节，前五节均已此行起首，质朴的话中透出了父亲的责任心：儿阿，当你还在摇篮里安睡，你母亲就不幸去世，父亲虽然哭泣，但还是含辛茹苦，让你从玩泥巴，到上学读书，直到长成一个堂堂的男子汉。
“你是我父亲”
父亲辛劳了一辈子，养育之恩，儿当涌泉相报：爸爸，虽然您曾教我男儿有泪不轻弹，可当您安息之日，儿还是忍不住洒下了滚滚的热泪。
全诗每节四行，二、四行压韵，六节只有三个韵脚，交叉重复呈抱韵状，紧扣诗意。如第一节押 [ai] ,写母亲辞世，父亲独抚幼子。第五节写父亲完成使命，行将谢世，亦押[ai].二、六节写逐渐长大成人的儿子，又均押[∧n].三四节均写父亲克尽职守，通押[æn].这种细腻的照应在全诗俯拾即是。如：You lie here sleeping与You lie there sleeping , You’re my school-age young man和You’re my half-orphaned little guy……它们像江水滔滔，一浪盖过一浪，使全诗简朴工巧，耐人寻味。
