奥巴马就职演说译文评析.docx
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奥巴马就职演说译文评析
奥巴马就职演说译文第一版本
VicePresidentBiden,Mr.ChiefJustice,MembersoftheUnitedStatesCongress,distinguishedguests,andfellowcitizens:
Eachtimewegathertoinaugurateapresident,webearwitnesstotheenduringstrengthofourConstitution.Weaffirmthepromiseofourdemocracy.Werecallthatwhatbindsthisnationtogetherisnotthecolorsofourskinorthetenetsofourfaithortheoriginsofournames.Whatmakesusexceptional–whatmakesusAmerican–isourallegiancetoanidea,articulatedinadeclarationmademorethantwocenturiesago:
“Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,thattheyareendowedbytheirCreatorwithcertainunalienablerights,thatamongtheseareLife,Liberty,andthepursuitofHappiness.”
Todaywecontinueanever-endingjourney,tobridgethemeaningofthosewordswiththerealitiesofourtime.Forhistorytellsusthatwhilethesetruthsmaybeself-evident,theyhaveneverbeenself-executing;thatwhilefreedomisagiftfromGod,itmustbesecuredbyHispeoplehereonEarth.Thepatriotsof1776didnotfighttoreplacethetyrannyofakingwiththeprivilegesofafewortheruleofamob.TheygavetousaRepublic,agovernmentof,andby,andforthepeople,entrustingeachgenerationtokeepsafeourfoundingcreed.
Formorethantwohundredyears,wehave.
Throughblooddrawnbylashandblooddrawnbysword,welearnedthatnounionfoundedontheprinciplesoflibertyandequalitycouldsurvivehalf-slaveandhalf-free.Wemadeourselvesanew,andvowedtomoveforwardtogether.
Together,wedeterminedthatamoderneconomyrequiresrailroadsandhighwaystospeedtravelandcommerce;schoolsandcollegestotrainourworkers.
Together,wediscoveredthatafreemarketonlythriveswhentherearerulestoensurecompetitionandfairplay.
Together,weresolvedthatagreatnationmustcareforthevulnerable,andprotectitspeoplefromlife’sworsthazardsandmisfortune.
Throughitall,wehaveneverrelinquishedourskepticismofcentralauthority,norhavewesuccumbedtothefictionthatallsociety’sillscanbecuredthroughgovernmentalone.Ourcelebrationofinitiativeandenterprise;ourinsistenceonhardworkandpersonalresponsibility,theseareconstantsinourcharacter.
Butwehavealwaysunderstoodthatwhentimeschange,somustwe;thatfidelitytoourfoundingprinciplesrequiresnewresponsestonewchallenges;thatpreservingourindividualfreedomsultimatelyrequirescollectiveaction.FortheAmericanpeoplecannomoremeetthedemandsoftoday’sworldbyactingalonethanAmericansoldierscouldhavemettheforcesoffascismorcommunismwithmusketsandmilitias.Nosinglepersoncantrainallthemathandscienceteacherswe’llneedtoequipourchildrenforthefuture,orbuildtheroadsandnetworksandresearchlabsthatwillbringnewjobsandbusinessestoourshores.Now,morethanever,wemustdothesethingstogether,asonenation,andonepeople.
ThisgenerationofAmericanshasbeentestedbycrisesthatsteeledourresolveandprovedourresilience.Adecadeofwarisnowending.Aneconomicrecoveryhasbegun.America’spossibilitiesarelimitless,forwepossessallthequalitiesthatthisworldwithoutboundariesdemands:
youthanddrive;diversityandopenness;anendlesscapacityforriskandagiftforreinvention.MyfellowAmericans,wearemadeforthismoment,andwewillseizeit–solongasweseizeittogether.
Forwe,thepeople,understandthatourcountrycannotsucceedwhenashrinkingfewdoverywellandagrowingmanybarelymakeit.WebelievethatAmerica’sprosperitymustrestuponthebroadshouldersofarisingmiddleclass.WeknowthatAmericathriveswheneverypersoncanfindindependenceandprideintheirwork;whenthewagesofhonestlaborliberatefamiliesfromthebrinkofhardship.Wearetruetoourcreedwhenalittlegirlbornintothebleakestpovertyknowsthatshehasthesamechancetosucceedasanybodyelse,becausesheisanAmerican,sheisfree,andsheisequal,notjustintheeyesofGodbutalsoinourown.
Weunderstandthatoutwornprogramsareinadequatetotheneedsofourtime.Wemustharnessnewideasandtechnologytoremakeourgovernment,revampourtaxcode,reformourschools,andempowerourcitizenswiththeskillstheyneedtoworkharder,learnmore,andreachhigher.Butwhilethemeanswillchange,ourpurposeendures:
anationthatrewardstheeffortanddeterminationofeverysingleAmerican.Thatiswhatthismomentrequires.Thatiswhatwillgiverealmeaningtoourcreed.
We,thepeople,stillbelievethateverycitizendeservesabasicmeasureofsecurityanddignity.Wemustmakethehardchoicestoreducethecostofhealthcareandthesizeofourdeficit.ButwerejectthebeliefthatAmericamustchoosebetweencaringforthegenerationthatbuiltthiscountryandinvestinginthegenerationthatwillbuilditsfuture.Forwerememberthelessonsofourpast,whentwilightyearswerespentinpoverty,andparentsofachildwithadisabilityhadnowheretoturn.Wedonotbelievethatinthiscountry,freedomisreservedforthelucky,orhappinessforthefew.Werecognizethatnomatterhowresponsiblyweliveourlives,anyoneofus,atanytime,mayfaceajobloss,orasuddenillness,orahomesweptawayinaterriblestorm.Thecommitmentswemaketoeachother–throughMedicare,andMedicaid,andSocialSecurity–thesethingsdonotsapourinitiative;theystrengthenus.Theydonotmakeusanationoftakers;theyfreeustotaketherisksthatmakethiscountrygreat.
We,thepeople,stillbelievethatourobligationsasAmericansarenotjusttoourselves,buttoallposterity.Wewillrespondtothethreatofclimatechange,knowingthatthefailuretodosowouldbetrayourchildrenandfuturegenerations.Somemaystilldenytheoverwhelmingjudgmentofscience,butnonecanavoidthedevastatingimpactofragingfires,andcripplingdrought,andmorepowerfulstorms.Thepathtowardssustainableenergysourceswillbelongandsometimesdifficult.ButAmericacannotresistthistransition;wemustleadit.Wecannotcedetoothernationsthetechnologythatwillpowernewjobsandnewindustries–wemustclaimitspromise.Thatishowwewillmaintainoureconomicvitalityandournationaltreasure–ourforestsandwaterways;ourcroplandsandsnowcappedpeaks.Thatishowwewillpreserveourplanet,commandedtoourcarebyGod.That’swhatwilllendmeaningtothecreedourfathersoncedeclared.
We,thepeople,stillbelievethatenduringsecurityandlastingpeacedonotrequireperpetualwar.Ourbravemenandwomeninuniform,temperedbytheflamesofbattle,areunmatchedinskillandcourage.Ourcitizens,searedbythememoryofthosewehavelost,knowtoowellthepricethatispaidforliberty.Theknowledgeoftheirsacrificewillkeepusforevervigilantagainstthosewhowoulddousharm.Butwearealsoheirstothosewhowonthepeaceandnotjustthewar,whoturnedswornenemiesintothesurestoffriends,andwemustcarrythoselessonsintothistimeaswell.
Wewilldefendourpeopleandupholdourvaluesthroughstrengthofarmsandruleoflaw.Wewillshowthecouragetotryandresolveourdifferenceswithothernationspeacefully–notbecausewearenaïveaboutthedangersweface,butbecauseengagementcanmoredurablyliftsuspicionandfear.Americawillremaintheanchorofstrongalliancesineverycorneroftheglobe;andwewillrenewthoseinstitutionsthatextendourcapacitytomanagecrisisabroad,fornoonehasagreaterstakeinapeacefulworldthanitsmostpowerfulnation.WewillsupportdemocracyfromAsiatoAfrica;fromtheAmericastotheMiddleEast,becauseourinterestsandourconsciencecompelustoactonbehalfofthosewholongforfreedom.Andwemustbeasourceofhopetothepoor,thesick,themarginalized,thevictimsofprejudice–notoutofmerecharity,butbecausepeaceinourtimerequirestheconstantadvanceofthoseprinciplesthatourcommoncreeddescribes:
toleranceandopportunity;humandignityandjustice.
We,thepeople,declaretodaythatthemostevidentoftruths–thatallofusarecreatedequal–isthestarthatguidesusstill;justasitguidedourforebearsthroughSenecaFalls,andSelma,andStonewall;justasitguidedallthosemenandwomen,sungandunsung,wholeftfootprintsalongthisgreatMall,tohearapreachersaythatwecannotwalkalone;tohearaKingproclaimthatourindividualfreedomisinextricablyboundtothefreedomofeverysoulonEarth.
Itisnowourgeneration’stasktocarryonwhatthosepioneersbegan.Forourjourneyisnotcompleteuntilourwives,ourmothers,anddaughterscanearnalivingequaltotheirefforts.Ourjourneyisnotcompleteuntilourgaybrothersandsistersaretreatedlikeanyoneelseunderthelaw–forifwearetrulycreatedequal,thensurelythelovewecommittooneanothermustbeequalaswell.Ourjourneyisnotcompleteuntilnocitizenisforcedtowaitforhourstoexercisetherighttovote.Ourjourneyisnotcompleteuntilwefindabetterwaytowelcomethestriving,hopefulimmigrantswhostillseeAmericaasalandofopportunity;untilbrightyoungstudentsandengineersareenlistedinourworkforceratherthanexpelledfromourcountry.Ourjourneyisnotcompleteuntilallourchildren,fromthestreetsofDetroittothehillsofAppalachiatothequietlanesofNewtown,knowthattheyarecaredfor,andcherished,andalwayssafefromharm.
Thatisourgeneration’stask–tomakethesewords,theserights,thesevalues–ofLife,andLiberty,andthePursuitofHappiness–realforeveryAmerican.Beingtruetoourfoundingdocumentsdoesnotrequireustoagre