奥巴马就职演讲稿
mr.obama:thankyou.thankyousomuch.vicepresidentbiden,mr.chiefjustice,membersoftheunitedstatescongress,distinguishedguests,andfellowcitizens:
谢谢,非常感谢大家。拜登副总统、首席大法官先生、国会议员们、尊敬的各位嘉宾、亲爱的公民们。
eachtimewegathertoinaugurateapresident,webearwitnesstotheenduringstrengthofourconstitution.weaffirmthepromiseofourdemocracy.
werecallthatwhatbindsthisnationtogetherisnotthecolorsofourskinorthetenetsofourfaithortheoriginsofournames.whatmakesusexceptional–whatmakesusamerican–isourallegiancetoanidea,articulatedinadeclarationmademorethantwocenturiesago:
每一次我们集会庆祝总统就职都是在见证美国宪法的持久力量。我们都是在肯定美国民主的承诺。我们重申,将这个国家紧密联系在一起的不是我们的肤色,也不是
我们信仰的教条,更不是我们名字的来源。让我们与众不同,让我们成为美国人的是我们对于一种理念的恪守。200多年前,这一理念在一篇宣言中被清晰阐述:
“weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,thattheyareendowedbytheircreatorwithcertainunalienablerights,thatamongthesearelife,liberty,andthepursuitofhappiness.”
“我们认为下述真理是不言而喻的,人人生而平等。造物主赋予他们若干不可剥夺的权利,包括生存、自由和追求幸福的权利。”
todaywecontinueanever-endingjourney,tobridgethemeaningofthosewordswiththerealitiesofourtime.forhistorytellsusthatwhilethesetruthsmaybeself-evident,theyhaveneverbeenself-executing;thatwhilefreedomisagiftfromgod,itmustbesecuredbyhispeoplehereonearth.thepatriotsof1776didnotfighttoreplacethetyrannyofakingwiththeprivilegesofafewortheruleofamob.theygavetousarepublic,agovernmentof,andby,andforthepeople,entrustingeachgenerationtokeepsafeourfoundingcreed.
今天,我们继续着这一未竟的征程,架起这些理念与我们时代现实之间的桥梁。因为历史告诉我们,即便这些真理是不言而喻的,它们也从来不会自动生效。因为虽然自由是上帝赋予的礼物,但仍需要世间的子民去捍卫。1776年,美国的爱国先驱们不是只为了推翻国王的暴政而战,也不是为赢得少数人的特权,建立暴民的统治。先驱们留给我们一个共和国,一个民有、民治、民享的政府。他们委托每一代美国人捍卫我们的建国信条。
formorethantwohundredyears,wehave.
在过去的200多年里,我们做到了。
throughblooddrawnbylashandblooddrawnbysword,welearnedthatnounionfoundedontheprinciplesoflibertyandequalitycouldsurvivehalf-slaveandhalf-free.wemadeourselvesanew,andvowedtomoveforwardtogether.