I wish for you, first of all, that you love,
And that in loving, you are loved in return.
And if that is not the case, that you may quickly forget,
And that after forgetting, you hold no resentment.
I do not wish it so, but if it should happen,
That you may know how to endure without despair.

I also wish for you to have friends,
And even if they are flawed and inconsistent,
May they be brave and loyal.
And among them, at least one,
In whom you can confide without fear.

And because life is as it is,
I also wish for you to have enemies.
Not too many, not too few, just the right number, so that sometimes,
You may question your own certainties.
And among them, may there be at least one who is fair,
So that you do not become too self-assured.

I wish for you also to be useful,
But not irreplaceable. And that in hard times,
When you have nothing left,
That your usefulness sustains you.

In the same way, I wish for you to be tolerant.
Not with those who make few mistakes, for that is easy,
But with those who err greatly and inevitably.
And in making good use of that tolerance,
May you serve as an example to others.

I also wish for you to experience sadness.
Not all year long, but just for a day.
But on that day, may you discover that daily laughter is good,
That habitual laughter is dull, and that constant laughter is unhealthy.

And if all these things come to you,
I have nothing else left to wish for you.

Victor Hugo