On 30 December 1865, Rudyard Kipling, one of the most celebrated authors and poets in English literature, was born in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. Kipling’s work, deeply influenced by his upbringing and experiences in British India, has left an enduring legacy.
Kipling is best known for his timeless works such as The Jungle Book, a collection of stories that includes the beloved tale of Mowgli, a boy raised by wolves, and If—, a poem offering guidance on how to live a life of virtue and resilience. The latter remains one of the most quoted and cherished poems in the English language.
Here is Rudyard Kipling’s celebrated poem If—, a timeless piece of advice on character and resilience:
If—
By Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:
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;
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!’
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
In 1907, Kipling became the first English-language writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature and, at just 42 years old, remains the youngest recipient of the award. His vivid storytelling and masterful command of language earned him international acclaim, though his views on imperialism have sparked debate in modern times.
Kipling’s legacy endures in both the beauty of his prose and poetry and the complexity of his place in literary and cultural history. His works continue to be studied, adapted, and enjoyed by readers worldwide.
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