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In the presence of your brother's teacher you failed in respect to your mother! Let this never happen again, my Enrico, never again! Your irreverent word pierced my heart like a point of steel. I thought of your mother when, years ago, she bent the whole of one night over your little bed, measuring your breathing, weeping blood in her anguish, and with her teeth chattering with terror, because she thought that she had lost you, and I feared that she would lose her reason; and at this thought I felt a sentiment of horror at you. You, to offend your mother! your mother, who would give a year of happiness to spare you one hour of pain, who would beg for you, who would allow herself to be killed to save your life! Listen, Enrico. Fix this thought well in your mind. Reflect that you are destined to experience many terrible days in the course of your life: the most terrible will be that on which you lose your mother. A thousand times, Enrico, after you are a man, strong, and inured to all fates, you will invoke her, oppressed with an intense desire to hear her voice, if but for a moment, and to see once more her open arms, into which you can throw yourself sobbing, like a poor child bereft of comfort and protection. How you will then recall every bitterness that you have caused her, and with what remorse you will pay for all, unhappy wretch! Hope for no peace in your life, if you have caused your mother grief. You will repent, you will beg her forgiveness, you will venerate her memory—in vain; conscience will give you no rest; that sweet and gentle image will always wear for you an expression of sadness and of reproach which will put your soul to torture. Oh, Enrico, beware; this is the most sacred of human affections; unhappy he who tramples it under foot. The assassin who respects his mother has still something honest and noble in his heart; the most glorious of men who grieves and offends her is but a vile creature. Never again let a harsh word issue from your lips, for the being who gave you life. And if one should ever escape you, let it not be the fear of your father, but let it be the impulse of your soul, which casts you at her feet, to beseech her that she will cancel from your brow, with the kiss of forgiveness, the stain of ingratitude. I love you, my son; you are the dearest hope of my life; but I would rather see you dead than ungrateful to your mother. Go away, for a little space; offer me no more of your caresses; I should not be able to return them from my heart.
你弟弟的老师到家里来的时候，你对你母亲可真失礼啊！不要再让那样的事情发生了，我的安利柯啊，永远不要！你无礼的话像针尖一样刺痛了我的心。我想起数年前，你母亲整夜俯身在你的小床前测量你的呼吸，她以为她要失去你了，所以在痛苦中泣血，吓得牙齿打战，我真害怕她会失去理智。一想到此，我都有点儿害怕你了。你呀，伤了你母亲的感情啊！为了免除你一个小时的痛苦，你母亲不惜拿一年的幸福时光去交换；她会为了你而苦苦哀求；她为救你的命献出自己的生命也在所不惜。听着，安利柯。把这个想法牢牢记在心中。想着你这一生中注定要经历许许多多可怕的日子，而最可怕的一天会是你失去母亲的那天。在你长大成人，变得坚强，尝遍了人世的辛酸，你会千千万万次回忆起你母亲来的，强烈地渴望听到她的声音，就算一小会儿也好，渴望看到她张开的臂膀，让你能像一个失去了慰藉和保护的可怜的孩子，哭着投入她的怀抱。那时，当你想起你带给她的每份痛楚，你会作何感想啊！你将用何等的悔恨去偿还那所有的不幸啊！你如果现在使你母亲痛心，你将终生不得安宁！你将会忏悔，将会乞求她的原谅，你将想追忆她也是徒劳；你会良心不得安宁；那甜美温柔的倩影，将在你眼里变成悲伤和责备的表情，让你的灵魂饱受折磨。哦，安利柯，当心啊，这是人世间最神圣的情感，将此情感践踏于脚下的人是不幸的。即使是一个杀手，要是他尊敬自己的母亲，他的心中还是存留着一些正直和高尚的品格的；即使是最光荣的人，要是他让母亲伤心不悦，他也只是一个卑鄙的畜生。对于给予你生命的人，再也不要从你的嘴里说出一句刺耳的话。假如不小心说漏了嘴，不要让它成为你对父亲的恐惧，让它成为你灵魂的冲动，投身于母亲的脚边，恳求她用原谅的吻除去你眉边不孝的污痕。我爱你，我的儿子，你是我一生最珍贵的希望。但是你要是对你母亲不孝，我宁愿当你不在了。走开吧，保持一点儿距离，不要再讨好我，我没法从心里去回报你的爱。
Thy Father.
你的父亲