奧巴馬成名演講：無畏的希望
Tonight is a particular honor for me because, let's face it, my presence on this stage is pretty unlikely. My father was a foreign student, born and raised in a small village in Kenya. He grew up herding goats, went to school in a tin-roof shack. His father, my grandfather, was a cook, a domestic servant.
今晚對我而言頗不尋常，我們得承認(rèn)，我能站在這里本身就已意義非凡。我父親是一個外國留學(xué)生，他原本生于肯尼亞的一個小村莊，并在那里長大成人。他小的時候還放過羊，上的學(xué)校簡陋不堪，屋頂上僅有塊鐵皮來遮風(fēng)擋雨。而他的父親，也就是我的祖父，不過是個普通的廚子，還做過家傭。
But my grandfather had larger dreams for his son. Through hard work and perseverance my father got a scholarship to study in a magical place: America, which stood as a beacon of freedom and opportunity to so many who had come before. While studying here, my father met my mother. She was born in a town on the other side of the world, in Kansas. Her father worked on oil rigs and farms through most of the Depression. The day after Pearl Harbor he signed up for duty, joined Patton's army and marched across Europe. Back home, my grandmother raised their baby and went to work on a bomber assembly line. After the war, they studied on the GI Bill, bought a house through FHA, and moved west in search of opportunity.
但祖父對父親抱以厚望。憑借不懈的努力和堅忍不拔的毅力，父親榮獲赴美留學(xué)的機會，而且還拿到獎學(xué)金。美國這片神奇的土地，對于很多踏上這片國土的人而言，意味著自由和機遇。還在留學(xué)期間，父親與母親不期而遇。母親來自完全不同的另一個世界，她生于堪薩斯的一個小鎮(zhèn)。大蕭條時期，外祖父為謀生計，曾在石油鉆井打工，還曾在農(nóng)場務(wù)農(nóng)。日軍偷襲珍珠港后的第二天，他就自愿應(yīng)征入伍，在巴頓將軍麾下，轉(zhuǎn)戰(zhàn)南北，橫掃歐洲。在后方的家中，外祖母含辛茹苦，撫養(yǎng)子女，并在轟炸機裝配線上找了份活計。戰(zhàn)后，依據(jù)士兵福利法案,他們通過聯(lián)邦住宅管理局購置了一套房子，并舉家西遷，謀求更大發(fā)展。
And they, too, had big dreams for their daughter, a common dream, born of two continents. My parents shared not only an improbable love; they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation. They would give me an African name, Barack, or "blessed," believing that in a tolerant America your name is no barrier to success. They imagined me going to the best schools in the land, even though they weren't rich, because in a generous America you don't have to be rich to achieve your potential. They are both passed away now. Yet, I know that, on this night, they look down on me with pride.
他們對自己的女兒也寄予厚望，兩家人雖然身在不同的非洲和美洲大陸，卻有著共同的夢想。我的父母不僅不可思議地彼此相愛，而且還對這個國家有了不移的信念。他們賜予我一個非洲名字，巴拉克，意為“上天福佑”,因為他們相信，在如此包容的國度中，這樣的名字不應(yīng)成為成功的羈絆。盡管他們生活并不寬裕，還是想方設(shè)法讓我接受當(dāng)?shù)刈詈玫慕逃驗樵谶@樣一個富足的國度中，無論貧富貴賤，都同樣有機會發(fā)展個人的潛力?，F(xiàn)在他們都已不在人世，不過，我知道，他們的在天之靈，此時此刻正在驕傲地關(guān)注著我。
Istand here today, grateful for the diversity of my heritage, aware that my parents' dreams live on in my precious daughters. I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that, in no other country on earth, is my story even possible. Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation, not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago, "We hold these truths to he self-evident, that all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. That among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."
今天，我站在這里，對自己身上這種特殊的血統(tǒng)而心懷感激，而且我知道父母的夢想將在我的寶貝女兒身上繼續(xù)延續(xù);我站在這里，深知自己的經(jīng)歷只是千百萬美國故事中的滄海一粟，更深知自己無法忘卻那些更早踏上這片土地的先人，因為若不是在美國，我的故事無論如何都不可能發(fā)生。今夜，我們聚集一堂，再次證明這個國度的偉大之處，而這一切并不在于鱗次櫛比的摩天大廈，也不在于傲視群雄的軍備實力，更不在于穩(wěn)健雄厚的經(jīng)濟實力。我們的自豪與榮耀來自一個非常簡單的前提，兩百多年前，它在一個著名的宣言中得以高度的概括:“我們認(rèn)為以下真理不言而喻，人生來平等，造物主賜與他們以下不可剝奪的權(quán)利:生命、自由和對幸福的追求?！?/p>
That is the true genius of America, a faith in the simple dreams of its people, the insistence on small miracles. That we can tuck in our children at night and know they are fed and clothed and safe from harm. That we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door. That we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe or hiring somebody's son. That we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution, and that our votes will he counted - or at least, most of the time.
這才是真正的美國智慧，堅信自己的國民有著樸素?zé)o華的夢想，堅信點滴的奇跡終會出現(xiàn)在身邊。入夜，當(dāng)我們?yōu)楹⒆右春眯”坏耐瑫r，相信他們不會為衣食所累，不會為安全擔(dān)憂。我們可以暢所欲言，無需擔(dān)心不速之客會不請自來。我們有靈感，有想法，可以去實現(xiàn)，去創(chuàng)業(yè)，無須行賄或雇傭某些人物的子女作為籌碼和條件。我們可以參政議政，不必?fù)?dān)心打擊報復(fù)，我們的選票至關(guān)重要，至少多數(shù)情況下，都是如此。
This year, in this election, we are called to reaffirm our values and commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we are measuring up, to the legacy of our forbearers, and the promise of future generations. And fellow Americans - Democrats, Republicans, Independents - I say to you tonight: we have more work to do. More to do for the workers I met in Gale□□urg, Illinois, who are losing their union jobs at the Maytag plant that's moving to Mexico, and now are having to compete with their own children for jobs that pay seven bucks an hour. More to do for the father I met who was losing his job and choking back tears, wondering how he would pay $4,500 a month for the drugs his son needs without the health benefits he counted on. More to do for the young woman in East St. Louis, and thousands more like her, who has the grades, has the drive, has the will, but doesn't have the money to go to college.
在今年的選舉中，特別重申了我們主張的價值和肩負(fù)的責(zé)任，以此來應(yīng)對當(dāng)下的艱難現(xiàn)實:并希望了解怎樣才能更好秉承前輩的遺產(chǎn)，實現(xiàn)對子孫的承諾。諸位美國國民，無論你是民主黨，還是共和黨，抑或是無黨派人士，今晚我想對大家說的是:我們需要作的事情還有很多很多，在伊利諾伊州蓋爾斯堡(Galesburg),由于Maytag洗衣機廠要遷至墨西哥，很多工人將失去工作，而現(xiàn)在唯一的選擇就是和自己的子女一起競爭每小時7美元的低薪工作。我曾遇到一位強忍淚水的父親，他也因此丟掉了工作，沒有了經(jīng)濟來源，不知怎樣才能為兒子支付得起每月4500美元的高昂醫(yī)藥費用，本可救命的醫(yī)療保險對他而言卻遙不可及，我們應(yīng)該為他們做點什么;在東圣路易斯市，有這樣一個年輕女孩，她品學(xué)兼優(yōu)，成績出色，卻因為沒有錢，無法完成學(xué)業(yè)，與大學(xué)無緣，而像她這樣的孩子還有千千萬萬，我們應(yīng)該為他們做點什么。
Don't get me wrong. The people I meet in small towns and big cities, in diners and office parks, they don't expect government to solve all their problems. They know they have to work hard to get ahead and they want to. Go into the collar counties around Chicago, and people will tell you they don't want their tax money wasted by a welfare agency or the Pentagon. Go into any inner city neighborhood, and folks will tell you that government alone can't teach kids to learn. They know that parents have to parent, that children can't achieve unless we raise their expectations and turn off the television sets and eradicate the slander that says a black youth with a book is acting white. No, people don't expect government to solve all their problems. But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a change in priorities, we can make sure that every child in America has a decent shot at life, and that the doors of opportunity remain open to all. They know we can do better. And they want that choice.
請正面理解我的意思。我在城市與鄉(xiāng)鎮(zhèn)，在餐廳和辦公樓停車場，接觸過很多民眾，他們并不期待由政府出面，幫他們排憂解難。而是清楚地意識到，需要通過努力工作，去面對和解決所有的問題，而這也確實是他們真實的想法和愿望。走進(jìn)芝加哥周邊的城鎮(zhèn)，大家會告訴你，希望自己辛苦繳納的稅款能夠物盡其用，而不是讓社會保障機構(gòu)或五角大樓任意支配。走進(jìn)市中心的街區(qū)，大家會告訴你，讓孩子好好讀書不能僅僅依靠政府的力量，父母也要盡職盡責(zé)，培養(yǎng)下一代，不讓孩子整天沉溺于電視，對于黑人而言，更要和白人一樣，讓子女有接受教育的權(quán)利，而不是相反。人們并不是依賴政府來解決所有問題，但他們真誠地認(rèn)為，只要政府把工作的重點有所調(diào)整，就可以使得每個孩子都能奮發(fā)圖強，積極向上，讓機遇大門向每個人敞開。他們深知，我們有能力做得更好，他們同樣希望如此。
In this election, we offer that choice. Our party has chosen a man to lead us who embodies the best this country has to offer. That man is John Kerry. John Kerry understands the ideals of community, faith, and sacrifice, because they've defined his life. From his heroic service in Vietnam to his years as prosecutor and lieutenant governor, through two decades in the United States Senate, he has devoted himself to this country. Again and again, we've seen him make tough choices when easier ones were available. His values and his record affirm what is best in us.
在本次選舉中，我們做出了這樣的選擇。民主黨已選出一國之中品行最為高尚的人作為我們的領(lǐng)袖，帶領(lǐng)大家實現(xiàn)這樣的選擇。他就是約翰?凱利,他深刻地領(lǐng)悟了社區(qū)、信念和獻(xiàn)身精神這些崇高的理想，因為這些鑄就了他生命的全部。他曾在越南英勇作戰(zhàn)，回國后出任過檢察官和副州長，在美國參議院度過了20個春秋，把全部精力都投入到國家社稷大業(yè)之中。多少次，他面對艱難抉擇，知難而上，不畏艱險，他的閱歷和品行為我們樹立了榜樣。
John Kerry believes in an America where hard work is rewarded. So instead of offering tax breaks to companies shipping jobs overseas, he'll offer them to companies creating jobs here at home. John Kerry believes in an America where all Americans can afford the same health coverage our politicians in Washington have for themselves. John Kerry believes in energy independence, so we aren't held hostage to the profits of oil companies or the sabotage of foreign oil fields. John Kerry believes in the constitutional freedoms that have made our country the envy of the world, and he will never sacrifice our basic liberties nor use faith as a wedge to divide us. And John Kerry believes that in a dangerous world, war must be an option, but it should never he the first option.
約翰?凱利堅信，在美國，付出就會有回報，因此，對于那些在本土創(chuàng)造就業(yè)機會的公司，他會在稅收上給與優(yōu)惠，而將工作機會輸送到海外的公司則不會享受到如此待遇。他堅信，美國應(yīng)該實現(xiàn)標(biāo)準(zhǔn)的醫(yī)療保險，對普通百姓和華盛頓的政治家都一視同仁。他堅信能源自主的重要性，因此我們不會再因石油公司對利潤的追求，或?qū)庥吞锏钠茐亩庵峦{。他堅信美國應(yīng)該成為世人艷羨的國度，因為國民的自由受到憲法的保護。他永遠(yuǎn)都不會讓大家的基本自由受到影響，更不會以信仰為借口，來制造分裂。他還堅信當(dāng)今世界的確存在危險因素，戰(zhàn)爭在所難免，但戰(zhàn)爭永遠(yuǎn)不會成為解決爭端的首選。
Awhile back, I met a young man named Shamus at the VFW Hall in East Moline, Illinois. He was a good-looking kid, six-two or six-three, clear-eyed, with an easy smile. He told me he'd joined the Marines and was heading to Iraq the following week. As I listened to him explain why he'd enlisted, his absolute faith in our country and its leaders, his devotion to duty and service, I thought this young man was all any of us might hope for in a child. But then I asked myself: Are we serving Shamus as well as he was serving us?
前不久，在伊利諾伊州東莫林市的外戰(zhàn)老兵俱樂部里，我偶遇一個年輕人，他叫沙莫斯，身高足有2米，相貌英俊，目光清澈，笑容可掬。他說自己加入了海軍陸戰(zhàn)隊,一周后就將進(jìn)駐伊拉克。當(dāng)我聽他講述入伍的原因時，他講到了對我們國家和領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人的絕對信賴，對軍隊的無上忠誠以及自身強烈的責(zé)任感，這讓我感受到他身上具備的優(yōu)良品質(zhì)正是我們對子女的所有期待。然而，當(dāng)我捫心自問:我們?yōu)樗龅囊磺?，是否能與他的付出相當(dāng)呢?
Ithought of more than 900 service men and women, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, friends and neighbors, who will not be returning to their hometowns. I thought of families I had met who were struggling to get by without a loved one's full income, or whose loved ones had returned with a limb missing or with nerves shattered, but who still lacked long-term health benefits because they were reservists. When we send our young men and women into harm's way, we have a solemn obligation not to fudge the numbers or shade the truth about why they're going, to care for their families while they're gone, to tend to the soldiers upon their return, and to never ever go to war without enough troops to win the war, secure the peace, and earn the respect of the world.
我想到這次戰(zhàn)爭中已有900多名軍人戰(zhàn)死沙場，他們也有自己的家人和鄰友，也許已是為人父母，還有年邁的雙親，卻再也無法回到這些關(guān)愛他們的人身邊。我想到自己遇到的那些家庭，他們或是要應(yīng)對親人陣亡，收入銳減所來的經(jīng)濟窘境，或是要面對肢體殘缺的家人復(fù)原歸來，甚至精神崩潰，卻因其預(yù)備役軍人的身份而無法享受長期的健康補貼，生活變得舉步維艱。當(dāng)這些可愛的年輕人舍身踏上征程，我們責(zé)無旁貸地要確認(rèn)做出出兵決定的所有數(shù)據(jù)和理由確鑿無誤;我們責(zé)無旁貸地要替他們照顧好家人，而當(dāng)他們榮歸故里時，要關(guān)照他們的生活;當(dāng)決定要介入戰(zhàn)爭、保衛(wèi)和平和贏得世界的尊重之時，我們責(zé)無旁貸地要派駐足夠數(shù)量的軍隊，以確保戰(zhàn)士能凱旋而歸。
Now let me be clear. We have real enemies in the world. These enemies must be found. They must be pursued and they must be defeated. John Kerry knows this. And just as Lieutenant Kerry did not hesitate to risk his life to protect the men who served with him in Vietnam, President Kerry will not hesitate one moment to use our military might to keep America safe and secure. John Kerry believes in America. And he knows it's not enough for just some of us to prosper. For alongside our famous individualism, there's another ingredient in the American saga.
請允許我闡明下述觀點:在世界上，確實有人與我們?yōu)閿?，我們必須找到他們，并予以堅決打擊，獲取勝利。約翰?凱利深知這一點，正如身為上尉的他在越南戰(zhàn)場上出生入死，保護自己的下屬一樣，若他身為總統(tǒng)，也同樣會義無反顧地運用軍隊的力量確保國家的安全。他對美國充滿信心，而且深知僅有部分公民實現(xiàn)生活的富足還遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不夠，而這要仰仗與我們聞名于世的個人主義相伴的另一種元素，正是因為它們，美國史冊才熠熠生輝。
Abelief that we are connected as one people. If there's a child on the south side of Chicago who can't read, that matters to me, even if it's not my child. If there's a senior citizen somewhere who can't pay for her preion and has to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it's not my grandmother. If there's an Arab American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties. It's that fundamental belief - I am my brother's keeper, I am my sister's keeper - that makes this country work. It's what allows us to pursue our individual dreams, yet still come together as a single American family. "E pluribus unum." Out of many, one.
這就是我們作為一個民族榮辱與共的信仰。假如，芝加哥南部的一個孩子無法讀書識字，即便他與我非親非故，我也會心懷忐忑。如果有位老人因無法支付高昂的醫(yī)療費用，不得不在治病和租房之間痛苦抉擇，即便她與我素未謀面，我也會如坐針氈，。假如，一個阿拉伯裔的美國家庭未經(jīng)律師辯護，或訴訟程序就遭受不公正待遇，同樣會讓我寢食難安。正是這個基本信仰讓這個國家發(fā)展到今天:我們都是一家人，我們都是兄弟姐妹。只有這樣我們才能實現(xiàn)個人的夢想，才能成為一個美利堅大家庭。獨木不成林，單弦不成音。
Yet even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us, the spin masters and negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of anything goes. Well, I say to them tonight, there's not a liberal America and a conservative America - there's the United States of America. There's not a black America and white America and Latino America and Asian America; there's the United States of America. The pundits like to slice-and-dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans, Blue States for Democrats. But I've got news for them, too. We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don't like federal agents poking around our libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and have gay friends in the Red States. There are patriots who opposed the war in Iraq and patriots who supported it. We are one people, all of us pledging allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.
當(dāng)我們在這里聚會的時候，也有人正準(zhǔn)備分裂我們，那些操縱輿論的人和制作負(fù)面宣傳的人，他們投身沒有原則和不擇手段的政治。今晚，我需要對這些人講得是，美國人沒有所謂自由和保守之分，世間只存在一個美利堅合眾國。更沒有所謂美國白人黑人之分，拉丁裔和亞裔之分，有的只是美利堅合眾國一國的國民。有博學(xué)家愿意將我們的國家分成紅藍(lán)兩色，紅色代表共和黨，藍(lán)色代表民主黨。但我想說得是即便在民主黨中，我們也都信奉萬能的主，我們不喜歡聯(lián)邦的機構(gòu)在共和黨中間對我們的藏書指指點點，我們在民主黨中也有人執(zhí)教少年棒球聯(lián)盟，在共和黨中也有同性戀朋友，有愛國人士支持伊拉克戰(zhàn)爭，也有愛國人士反對就伊出兵。我們都是一國之民，都效忠于偉大的星條旗，所有的人都熱愛我們的祖國--美利堅合眾國。
In the end, that's what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or a politics of hope?
說到底，這才是本次選舉的意義所在:我們所參與的政治應(yīng)該是憤世嫉俗還是充滿希望?
John Kerry calls on us to hope. John Edwards calls on us to hope. I'm not talking about blind optimism here - the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don't talk about it, or the health care crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it. No, I'm talking about something more substantial. It's the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores; the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta; the hope of a millworker's son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too. The audacity of hope!
約翰?凱利號召我們要對未來滿懷希望。這并不是說要盲目樂觀。以為只要不談?wù)撌I(yè)問題，這個問題就會自行消失;認(rèn)為只要無視醫(yī)療危機的存在，它也會煙消云散。我所談的是更為根本的問題。是因為存在希望，奴隸們圍坐在火堆邊，才會吟唱自由之歌;是因為存在希望才使得人們愿意遠(yuǎn)涉重洋，移民他鄉(xiāng);是因為希望，年輕的海軍上尉才會在湄公河三角州勇敢的巡邏放哨，是因為希望，出身工人家庭的孩子才會敢于挑戰(zhàn)自己的命運;是因為希望，我這個名字怪怪的瘦小子才相信美國這片熱土上也有自己的容身之地。這就是無畏的希望。
In the end, that is God's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation; the belief in things not seen; the belief that there are better days ahead. I believe we can give our middle class relief and provide working families with a road to opportunity. I believe we can provide jobs to the jobless, homes to the homeless, and reclaim young people in cities across America from violence and despair. I believe that as we stand on the crossroads of history, we can make the right choices, and meet the challenges that face us. America!
最后，感謝上蒼賜予我們最好的禮物，也就是這個國家賴以生存的基石，因為我們相信最好的東西尚未出現(xiàn)，更好的日子就在明天，我相信我們可以為中產(chǎn)階級減負(fù)，讓工人家庭走上希望之路，我相信我們可以為無業(yè)者創(chuàng)造就業(yè)機會，為無家可歸者帶來可以遮風(fēng)擋雨的屋頂，讓美國城市中年輕人從暴力和絕望的陰影中走出來。我相信今天的我們就站在歷史的十字街頭，我們可以做出正確的選擇，迎接面臨的挑戰(zhàn)。
Tonight, if you feel the same energy I do, the same urgency I do, the same passion I do, the same hopefulness I do - if we do what we must do, then I have no doubt that all across the country, from Florida to Oregon, from Washingtion to Maine, the people will rise up in November, and John Kerry will be sworn in as president, and John Edwards will be sworn in as vice president, and this country will reclaim its promise, and out of this long political darkness a brighter day will come. Thank you and God bless you.
今晚，如果你我感同身受，有同樣的力量、同樣的急迫感、同樣的沖動和同樣的希望;如果我們都能行動起來，那么我相信，從佛羅里達(dá)到俄勒岡，從華盛頓到緬因州，全國人民將會在11月積極行動起來，使得 約翰凱利、約翰愛德華茲分別宣誓就任總統(tǒng)、副總統(tǒng)之職，而國家也將就此走出低谷、重振旗鼓。暗夜即將過去，黎明即將到來。謝謝大家，愿上帝保佑你們。
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