Citaten uit If—

8 beroemde regels uit If— (1910) van Rudyard Kipling, woord voor woord, met bij elke regel de betekenis en herkomst.

1 min leestijd · 32 regels

1. 1

   If you can keep your head when all about you
   Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;

   Betekenis: Stay calm when others panic and unfairly hold you responsible.

   the poetStrofe 1, regels 1 tot en met 2Kopiëren
2. 2

   If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
   But make allowance for their doubting too;

   Betekenis: Believe in yourself while remaining willing to consider other people's doubts.

   the poetStrofe 1, regels 3 tot en met 4Kopiëren
3. 3

   If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
   If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim,

   Betekenis: Use imagination and thought to guide action rather than letting them replace it.

   the poetStrofe 2, regels 9 tot en met 10Kopiëren
4. 4

   If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
   And treat those two impostors just the same;

   Betekenis: Meet success and failure with equal composure, since neither defines your true worth.

   the poetStrofe 2, regels 11 tot en met 12Kopiëren

Elke dag een gedicht in je inbox Je e-mailadres Stuur me gedichten Elke ochtend een gratis klassiek gedicht. Je kunt je op elk moment afmelden.

5. 5

   If you can make one heap of all your winnings
   And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
   And lose, and start again at your beginnings
   And never breathe a word about your loss;

   Betekenis: Be prepared to risk your gains, accept losing them, and begin again without complaint.

   the poetStrofe 3, regels 17 tot en met 20Kopiëren
6. 6

   If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
   To serve your turn long after they are gone,
   And so hold on when there is nothing in you
   Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

   Betekenis: Keep going through exhaustion by relying on determination when physical strength seems spent.

   the poetStrofe 3, regels 21 tot en met 24Kopiëren
7. 7

   If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
   Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

   Betekenis: Keep your integrity among ordinary people and remain humble among the powerful.

   the poetStrofe 4, regels 25 tot en met 26Kopiëren
8. 8

   If you can fill the unforgiving minute
   With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

   Betekenis: Make full use of every moment through purposeful effort.

   the poetStrofe 4, regels 29 tot en met 30Kopiëren

Vragen over deze regels

Why does Kipling call Triumph and Disaster impostors?

Success and failure can both distort your judgment and seem more definitive than they are. Kipling urges emotional balance rather than letting either outcome determine your identity.

What does the unforgiving minute mean in If—?

It means time passes without pausing or offering a second chance. The speaker urges his son to use each minute fully and purposefully.