Inaugural address of President Barack Obama
Remarks as prepared for delivery by the 44th president of the United States
奧巴馬就職演講：凝聚力量 重塑美國
My fellow citizens:
親愛的同胞們：
I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.
今天我站在這里，為我們將面對的任重道遠(yuǎn)而慨嘆。感謝你們對我寄托的信任，同時緬懷我們的前人所做出的犧牲。感謝布什總統(tǒng)為美國做出的貢獻(xiàn)，以及他在總統(tǒng)任期交疊過程中的慷慨合作。
Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forbearers, and true to our founding documents.
至此，共有四十四位美國人曾進(jìn)行過總統(tǒng)宣誓。這一誓言曾在國家和平、欣欣向榮時做出過。然而這一誓詞更曾在烏云籠罩和風(fēng)暴襲來之時被宣讀。美國人民之所以能夠走過那些艱難的時刻，不僅僅是因?yàn)轭I(lǐng)袖的能力或遠(yuǎn)見；更是因?yàn)槲覀儯覀內(nèi)嗣�，保持著對先人理想的忠誠，對我們國家創(chuàng)始文件的追隨。
So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.
對于我們這一代美國人來說，也是這樣，也必須這樣。
That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our healthcare is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.
國家正面臨危機(jī)，這一點(diǎn)大家已經(jīng)沒有疑問。美國處在戰(zhàn)爭之中，面對一個有巨大影響力、充滿暴力和仇恨的網(wǎng)絡(luò)。我們的經(jīng)濟(jì)嚴(yán)重衰退。這來源于部分人的貪婪和不負(fù)責(zé)任，更由于作為一個整體，我們未能做出面對一個新時代的艱難決策。人民失去房屋、工作機(jī)會減少、商業(yè)活動遭到破壞。醫(yī)療保障過于昂貴，學(xué)校教育系統(tǒng)出現(xiàn)太多失敗。而我們對能源的使用，日益讓對手強(qiáng)大，與此同時又威脅著我們的星球。
These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land - a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.
這些，是從數(shù)據(jù)和統(tǒng)計(jì)中可以看到的危機(jī)信號。還有難以度量但同樣深遠(yuǎn)的問題，那就是整個國家信心的缺失。那縈繞在我們頭上的恐懼，認(rèn)為美國的衰敗不可避免，認(rèn)為我們的下一代人不可能再有太高的期望。
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America - they will be met.
今天我要對你們說，我們面臨的挑戰(zhàn)是真切的、嚴(yán)重的，而且有很多重。解決他們不可能很輕松，也不可能在短時間內(nèi)發(fā)生。但美國人民，請記住這一點(diǎn)：這些挑戰(zhàn)會被解決。
On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.
今天，我們聚集在一起，因?yàn)槲覀冞x擇了希望而不是恐懼；我們選擇了為共同的目標(biāo)團(tuán)結(jié)在一起，而不是沖突與爭執(zhí)。
On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.
今天，我們共同終結(jié)那些虛假的承諾、陳腐的教條、以及指摘與怨言。這些已經(jīng)困擾了我們的政治體系太長時間。
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.
我們的國家仍舊年輕，但借用圣經(jīng)中的話，該是拋開那些孩子氣的時候了�，F(xiàn)在，需要重新拿出我們的堅(jiān)韌精神，選擇自己的歷史。我們要延續(xù)代代相傳的寶貴禮物，延續(xù)神圣的理想，那就是上帝賜予我們的承諾－－人人平等，人人自由，人人都有機(jī)會去追求最大程度的幸福。
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted - for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things - some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labour, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
在重溫我們國家偉大的同時，我們必須明白，偉大不是憑空而來的，而是贏得的。在我們的歷程中，從來沒有走捷徑或是退而求其次。這一歷程不是為懦弱者準(zhǔn)備的，不是為那些享樂高于工作、只知追求名利的人準(zhǔn)備的。相反，是那些甘于承擔(dān)風(fēng)險的人，實(shí)干家，創(chuàng)造者－－有些眾人皆知，而更多的在辛勤工作中默默無聞－－是他們帶著我們穿越漫長、崎嶇的道路走向繁榮與自由。
For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.
為了我們，他們把僅有的財物裝進(jìn)行囊，漂洋過海追求新的生活。
For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the west; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.
為了我們，他們開拓西部，在條件惡劣的工廠中流血流汗；他們?nèi)淌鼙摅�，開墾貧瘠的土地。
For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.
為了我們，他們戰(zhàn)斗和犧牲在協(xié)和鎮(zhèn)（Concord）、葛底斯堡（Gettysburg）、諾曼底和科薩恩(KheSahn)。
Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.
一次又一次，這些男男女女，他們奮斗和犧牲；他們將雙手磨破為了給我們帶來更好的生活。在他們眼中，美國超越了我們每個人雄心的總和，超越了個人、財富和派系的差別。
This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions - that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.
今天，我們?nèi)栽谶@樣的歷程上。我們?nèi)耘f是地球上最繁榮、最強(qiáng)大的國家。美國工人們的效率并不比危機(jī)開始之前低。我們的頭腦具有同樣的創(chuàng)造力。我們的產(chǎn)品與服務(wù)和上周、上月、或者去年一樣有需求。我們的能力從未被削弱。但墨守陳規(guī)、維護(hù)狹隘的利益、面對艱難的決策畏首畏尾的日子將一去不復(fù)返了。從今天開始，我們必須重新找回我們自己，撣去身上的塵土，開始重塑美國的重任。
For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act - not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise healthcare's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.
環(huán)顧四周，有無數(shù)工作等著我們。經(jīng)濟(jì)狀況期待著我們大膽和快速的行動。我們會付諸行動－－不僅僅是創(chuàng)造就業(yè)機(jī)會，同時還要為未來的增長打下新的基礎(chǔ)。我們將建設(shè)公路、橋梁和電網(wǎng)，以及將我們緊密聯(lián)系起來、提供商業(yè)信息的數(shù)字高速公路。我們會重新樹立科學(xué)應(yīng)有的地位，并利用技術(shù)手段提高醫(yī)療保障的質(zhì)量，同時降低其費(fèi)用。我們將利用太陽、風(fēng)與土壤，來驅(qū)動我們的汽車和工廠。我們將改革我們的學(xué)校和大學(xué)，以滿足新時代的需要。這些都有可能實(shí)現(xiàn)，更會去實(shí)現(xiàn)。
Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions - who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.
現(xiàn)在，有人還在懷疑我們的信心──他們認(rèn)為我們的國家無法承擔(dān)這樣的重大計(jì)劃。他們太健忘了，他們忘記了這個國家曾經(jīng)取得的成就，他們忘記了當(dāng)擁有了理想、共同的目標(biāo)和必要的勇氣，這些自由的人民曾經(jīng)取得的輝煌成就。
What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them - that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works - whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account - to spend wisely, reform bad habits and do our business in the light of day - because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.
這些憤世嫉俗的人無法理解這個國家所發(fā)生的轉(zhuǎn)變──那些陳腐的政治已經(jīng)纏繞了我們太久太長。我們現(xiàn)在面臨的問題不是政府太大還是太小，而是政府所扮演的角色──應(yīng)該幫助家庭獲得體面的收入，購買他們的所需，有尊嚴(yán)地退休。當(dāng)這些答案都是肯定的時，我們才能繼續(xù)前進(jìn)。如果答案是否定的，一切都將不復(fù)存在。我們這些管理公共財產(chǎn)的人應(yīng)該負(fù)起責(zé)任──把錢花在刀刃上、改掉惡習(xí)、光明正大地行事──因?yàn)橹挥羞@樣我們才能重塑人民和政府之間的信任。
Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control - and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favours only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart - not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.
市場力量的好壞不是我們的問題。市場在創(chuàng)造財富和推進(jìn)自由進(jìn)程方面是無可代替的，但是這場危機(jī)也提醒了我們沒有審慎的監(jiān)管，市場的力量將如野馬一樣脫韁──一個僅有財富的國家不可能持續(xù)繁榮。我們在經(jīng)濟(jì)上所取得的成功不僅體現(xiàn)在我們的經(jīng)濟(jì)總量上，也體現(xiàn)在我們的繁榮程度上，體現(xiàn)在我們?yōu)槊總�渴望成功的心靈所提供的機(jī)會上─這并非出自惻隱之心，而是我們實(shí)現(xiàn)共同利益的必經(jīng)之路。
As for our common defence, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.
我們拒絕在安全和理想之間妥協(xié)。我們的建國先輩們，面對我們無法想象的兇險，卻依然用幾代人的鮮血維護(hù)了神圣的法律和人權(quán)。那些理想依然在照亮著這個世界，我們不會因一時的困難而放棄這些理想。我要對那些正在看著我們的國家和人民說，無論你身處繁華的都市還是像養(yǎng)育了我父親那樣的小村莊：對于那些追求和平與尊嚴(yán)的男人、女人和孩子，美國將永遠(yuǎn)是你們的朋友，我們將繼續(xù)和你們一起前進(jìn)。
Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.
面對法西斯主義和共產(chǎn)主義時，我們的前輩知道不僅需要堅(jiān)船利炮，更需要加強(qiáng)合作和信任。他們知道我們的軍事力量不足以保護(hù)我們，更不能讓我們隨心所欲。他們知道要謹(jǐn)慎地使用武力，我們的安全來自正確的動機(jī)、榜樣的力量還有謙卑和克制的心。
We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort - even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologise for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defence, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.
我們是這種傳統(tǒng)的捍衛(wèi)者。我們繼續(xù)追尋這些信念的指引，我們將直面這些挑戰(zhàn)并更加努力─更多的溝通與合作。我們會負(fù)責(zé)地將伊拉克還給當(dāng)?shù)氐娜嗣�，并在阿富汗保衛(wèi)來之不易的和平。我們將與老朋友和原來的敵人一道，共同消除核威脅，解決全球變暖的根源。我們不會為自己的做法道歉，更不會動搖捍衛(wèi)和平的決心，對于那些崇尚恐怖、濫殺無辜的人，我們的精神是強(qiáng)大而不可戰(zhàn)勝的。你拖不垮我們，我們將會打敗你。
For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus - and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.
我們多種族混居是一種優(yōu)勢。我們是一個由基督徒、穆斯林、猶太教徒、印度教徒和無神論者共同組成的國家。我們吸收了各種文化的精髓，從世界的每個角落學(xué)習(xí)。因?yàn)槲覀兘?jīng)歷過內(nèi)戰(zhàn)和種族隔離的痛苦洗禮，并在黑暗中更加堅(jiān)強(qiáng)和團(tuán)結(jié)，我們無法保證，但是我們相信憎恨終將消弭，分隔終將散去。隨著世界越來越緊密地聯(lián)系在一起，我們共同的人性將顯露出來，美國必須承擔(dān)引領(lǐng)新時代和平的重任。
To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the west - know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.
對于穆斯林世界，我們將基于共同的利益和信仰，尋找更好的合作之路。對于那些在世界各個地方挑起沖突或一味批評西方不良影響的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者：你的人民評判你的依據(jù)是你建立了什么，而不是破壞了什么。對于那些依靠腐敗和欺騙并壓制異議而追求權(quán)利的人們：你們站在了人類歷史的對立面。如果你們能張開緊握的拳頭，我們也將伸出友誼之手。
To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.
對于那些貧窮的人們，我們保證和你們一起建設(shè)繁茂的農(nóng)場和干凈的水源，滋養(yǎng)那些饑寒交迫的身體和心靈。對于那些與我們一樣相對富裕的國家，我們不能再對外界的苦難漠不關(guān)心，更不能繼續(xù)大肆索取世界的資源。世界必須改變，我們都必須改變。
As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honour them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment - a moment that will define a generation - it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.
當(dāng)我們審視前方的道路時，我們會感激那些跨越千山萬水來到這里的人們。今天，他們有話對我們說，也是安息在阿林頓國家公墓里的先烈們時刻提醒我們的。我們尊敬他們不僅因?yàn)槭撬麄兒葱l(wèi)了我們的自由，更因?yàn)樗麄冋欠瞰I(xiàn)精神的化身；他們致力于尋找遠(yuǎn)高于自身的生命真諦。而此時，在這個特殊的時代，我們更需讓這種精神長存。
For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.
因?yàn)闅w根結(jié)底，政府所能做的，也是必須做到的，是體現(xiàn)每個美國人的信念和決心，這也是這個國家賴以生存的精神力量。這種力量是洪災(zāi)泛濫時，陌生人之間的溫暖善舉；是經(jīng)濟(jì)困難時期，人們自損利益保全朋友工作的無私忘我。這是消防員們毅然沖入濃煙火海的勇氣，也是父母培養(yǎng)孩子的無私之心，這些都決定了我們的命運(yùn)。
Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends - hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism - these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility - a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
或許，我們今日遇到挑戰(zhàn)前所未有，所有的情況完全陌生。但是，我們賴以走向成功的價值觀從未改變——誠實(shí)、勤勉、勇敢、公正、寬容、好學(xué)、忠貞和愛國。我們的歷史亦由這些真理推進(jìn)，亙古不變。如今，我們面對的是一個全新的責(zé)任時代——人人都需重視，對我們自己，我們的國家乃至整個世界，都有一份責(zé)任。我們會欣然接受這份責(zé)任，人生也正因此而充實(shí)。
This is the price and the promise of citizenship.
這是公民的價值和承諾。
This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.
這是我們信心的源泉——上帝賜予我們知識以應(yīng)對無常的命運(yùn)。
This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed - why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.
這是我們所崇尚的自由與信念的真諦——這就是為什么今天，不同膚色，不同信仰的男女老少在此匯聚一堂；這就是為什么六十年前，一位父親走入餐廳甚至無人理睬，而今天他的兒子可以站在這里，在你們面前許下最莊嚴(yán)的誓言。
So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
所以讓我們記住這一天，記住自己，記住為此的付出。在我們的國家誕生之初，先輩們在最寒冷的日子里，圍聚在結(jié)冰的河邊靠微弱的篝火取暖。離鄉(xiāng)背井，后有敵軍，鮮血染紅了白雪。就在革命的道路如此模糊，意志也開始躊躇之時，我們的國父有這樣幾句話：
"Let it be told to the future world...that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."
“告訴未來的世界……當(dāng)一切陷入寒冬，萬物俱滅，只有希望和勇氣可以長存……這座城市和這個國家，在共同的危機(jī)下團(tuán)結(jié)起來，共同面對前方的艱難�！�
America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.
美國，面對我們共同的危機(jī)，在這艱難的寒冬，讓我們牢記那些永恒的字句。懷著希望和美德，讓我們再一次勇敢地面對冰冷的現(xiàn)實(shí)，迎接任何可能的風(fēng)浪。讓我們的子孫傳唱，當(dāng)我們面對挑戰(zhàn)時，我們沒有怯懦、沒有退縮，更沒有踟躕不前。我們在上帝的關(guān)愛下眺望遠(yuǎn)方，我們在自由的道路上繼續(xù)前進(jìn)，我們的精神將永遠(yuǎn)閃耀著光芒。
Thank you. God bless you.
謝謝，上帝保佑你們。
And God bless the United States of America.
上帝保佑美利堅(jiān)合眾國。
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