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!
words
keep one’s head – stay calm
imposter – a person who pretend to someone’s else in order to trap you
Knaves – Dishonest man
Stoop – to bend your head and shoulder forward and downward
heap – a large number of amount
pitch and toss – a gambling game
sinew – a strong band of substance that band muscle and bone
foe – enemy
Summary
The poem “If” offers valuable life lessons, teaching resilience, patience, and integrity in the face of adversity. It encourages staying calm when others lose control, trusting yourself while considering others’ doubts, and facing triumphs and failures with equal grace. Kipling advises maintaining honesty, avoiding hatred, and never being consumed by dreams or fears. The poem highlights the importance of perseverance, self-discipline, and humility. Ultimately, it suggests that mastering these virtues leads to true success and maturity.