直译是很难的,这里我尝试意译。
来处,表示你的源头,理解为家,港湾,等等。In English I will put it as home.
归途,表示一步步走向生命的尽头。In English I will put it as tomb.
Hence, the whole sentence, added on some poetic embellishment, would be:
When parents are alive, you can still long for home; when parents have been away, you can only prepare for your tomb.
'Home' roughly rhymes with 'tomb' as well.
When parents alive, you know where you came from(or was born); but if parents passed away, the only way you have left in your life towards the death.
父母:
父母 fùmǔ (1) parents (2) 父亲和母亲的总称 父母者,人之本也。——《史记·屈原贾生列传》 《记》曰:“士庶有人善,本诸父母。”——明·钱谦益《 袁可立父淮加赠尚宝司少卿》(3) 具有父亲和母亲作用的人 (4)我们的第一位老师 (5)我们的最好的朋友
Parents in life is to go home, parents of life only for the 2 words!
When parents alive, you know where you came from(or was born); but if parents passed away, the only way you have left in your life towards the death.我自己翻的,比较直译。也许不太好