克林顿就职演说.docx

克林顿就职演说.docx

《克林顿就职演说.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《克林顿就职演说.docx（9页珍藏版）》请在冰豆网上搜索。

克林顿就职演说

FirstInauguralAddressofWilliamJ.Clinton

January20,1993

Myfellowcitizens:

TodaywecelebratethemysteryofAmericanrenewal.

Thisceremonyisheldinthedepthofwinter.But,bythewordswespeakandthefacesweshowtheworld,weforcethespring.Aspringrebornintheworld'soldestdemocracy,thatbringsforththevisionandcouragetoreinventAmerica.

WhenourfoundersboldlydeclaredAmerica'sindependencetotheworldandourpurposestotheAlmighty,theyknewthatAmerica,toendure,wouldhavetochange.Notchangeforchange'ssake,butchangetopreserveAmerica'sideals;life,liberty,thepursuitofhappiness.Thoughwemarchtothemusicofourtime,ourmissionistimeless.EachgenerationofAmericansmustdefinewhatitmeanstobeanAmerican.

Onbehalfofournation,Isalutemypredecessor,PresidentBush,forhishalf-centuryofservicetoAmerica.AndIthankthemillionsofmenandwomenwhosesteadfastnessandsacrificetriumphedoverDepression,fascismandCommunism.

Today,agenerationraisedintheshadowsoftheColdWarassumesnewresponsibilitiesinaworldwarmedbythesunshineoffreedombutthreatenedstillbyancienthatredsandnewplagues.

Raisedinunrivaledprosperity,weinheritaneconomythatisstilltheworld'sstrongest,butisweakenedbybusinessfailures,stagnantwages,increasinginequality,anddeepdivisionsamongourpeople.

WhenGeorgeWashingtonfirsttooktheoathIhavejustsworntouphold,newstraveledslowlyacrossthelandbyhorsebackandacrosstheoceanbyboat.Now,thesightsandsoundsofthisceremonyarebroadcastinstantaneouslytobillionsaroundtheworld.

Communicationsandcommerceareglobal;investmentismobile;technologyisalmostmagical;andambitionforabetterlifeisnowuniversal.Weearnourlivelihoodinpeacefulcompetitionwithpeopleallacrosstheearth.

Profoundandpowerfulforcesareshakingandremakingourworld,andtheurgentquestionofourtimeiswhetherwecanmakechangeourfriendandnotourenemy.

ThisnewworldhasalreadyenrichedthelivesofmillionsofAmericanswhoareabletocompeteandwininit.Butwhenmostpeopleareworkingharderforless;whenotherscannotworkatall;whenthecostofhealthcaredevastatesfamiliesandthreatenstobankruptmanyofourenterprises,greatandsmall;whenfearofcrimerobslaw-abidingcitizensoftheirfreedom;andwhenmillionsofpoorchildrencannotevenimaginetheliveswearecallingthemtolead,wehavenotmadechangeourfriend.

Weknowwehavetofacehardtruthsandtakestrongsteps.Butwehavenotdoneso.Instead,wehavedrifted,andthatdriftinghaserodedourresources,fracturedoureconomy,andshakenourconfidence.

Thoughourchallengesarefearsome,soareourstrengths.AndAmericanshaveeverbeenarestless,questing,hopefulpeople.Wemustbringtoourtasktodaythevisionandwillofthosewhocamebeforeus.

Fromourrevolution,theCivilWar,totheGreatDepressiontothecivilrightsmovement,ourpeoplehavealwaysmusteredthedeterminationtoconstructfromthesecrisesthepillarsofourhistory.

ThomasJeffersonbelievedthattopreservetheveryfoundationsofournation,wewouldneeddramaticchangefromtimetotime.Well,myfellowcitizens,thisisourtime.Letusembraceit.

Ourdemocracymustbenotonlytheenvyoftheworldbuttheengineofourownrenewal.ThereisnothingwrongwithAmericathatcannotbecuredbywhatisrightwithAmerica.

Andsotoday,wepledgeanendtotheeraofdeadlockanddrift;anewseasonofAmericanrenewalhasbegun.TorenewAmerica,wemustbebold.Wemustdowhatnogenerationhashadtodobefore.Wemustinvestmoreinourownpeople,intheirjobs,intheirfuture,andatthesametimecutourmassivedebt.Andwemustdosoinaworldinwhichwemustcompeteforeveryopportunity.Itwillnotbeeasy;itwillrequiresacrifice.Butitcanbedone,anddonefairly,notchoosingsacrificeforitsownsake,butforourownsake.Wemustprovideforournationthewayafamilyprovidesforitschildren.

OurFounderssawthemselvesinthelightofposterity.Wecandonoless.Anyonewhohaseverwatchedachild'seyeswanderintosleepknowswhatposterityis.Posterityistheworldtocome;theworldforwhomweholdourideals,fromwhomwehaveborrowedourplanet,andtowhomwebearsacredresponsibility.WemustdowhatAmericadoesbest:

offermoreopportunitytoallanddemandresponsibilityfromall.

Itistimetobreakthebadhabitofexpectingsomethingfornothing,fromourgovernmentorfromeachother.Letusalltakemoreresponsibility,notonlyforourselvesandourfamiliesbutforourcommunitiesandourcountry.TorenewAmerica,wemustrevitalizeourdemocracy.

Thisbeautifulcapital,likeeverycapitalsincethedawnofcivilization,isoftenaplaceofintrigueandcalculation.Powerfulpeoplemaneuverforpositionandworryendlesslyaboutwhoisinandwhoisout,whoisupandwhoisdown,forgettingthosepeoplewhosetoilandsweatsendsushereandpaysourway.

Americansdeservebetter,andinthiscitytoday,therearepeoplewhowanttodobetter.AndsoIsaytoallofushere,letusresolvetoreformourpolitics,sothatpowerandprivilegenolongershoutdownthevoiceofthepeople.LetusputasidepersonaladvantagesothatwecanfeelthepainandseethepromiseofAmerica.LetusresolvetomakeourgovernmentaplaceforwhatFranklinRooseveltcalled"bold,persistentexperimentation,"agovernmentforourtomorrows,notouryesterdays.Letusgivethiscapitalbacktothepeopletowhomitbelongs.

TorenewAmerica,wemustmeetchallengesabroadaswellathome.Thereisnolongerdivisionbetweenwhatisforeignandwhatisdomestic;theworldeconomy,theworldenvironment,theworldAIDScrisis,theworldarmsrace;theyaffectusall.

Today,asanoldorderpasses,thenewworldismorefreebutlessstable.Communism'scollapsehascalledfortholdanimositiesandnewdangers.ClearlyAmericamustcontinuetoleadtheworldwedidsomuchtomake.

WhileAmericarebuildsathome,wewillnotshrinkfromthechallenges,norfailtoseizetheopportunities,ofthisnewworld.Togetherwithourfriendsandallies,wewillworktoshapechange,lestitengulfus.

Whenourvitalinterestsarechallenged,orthewillandconscienceoftheinternationalcommunityisdefied,wewillact;withpeacefuldiplomacywheneverpossible,withforcewhennecessary.ThebraveAmericansservingournationtodayinthePersianGulf,inSomalia,andwhereverelsetheystandaretestamenttoourresolve.

Butourgreateststrengthisthepowerofourideas,whicharestillnewinmanylands.Acrosstheworld,weseethemembraced,andwerejoice.Ourhopes,ourhearts,ourhands,arewiththoseoneverycontinentwhoarebuildingdemocracyandfreedom.TheircauseisAmerica'scause.

TheAmericanpeoplehavesummonedthechangewecelebratetoday.Youhaveraisedyourvoicesinanunmistakablechorus.Youhavecastyourvotesinhistoricnumbers.AndyouhavechangedthefaceofCongress,thepresidencyandthepoliticalprocessitself.Yes,you,myfellowAmericanshaveforcedthespring.Now,wemustdotheworktheseasondemands.

TothatworkInowturn,withalltheauthorityofmyoffice.IasktheCongresstojoinwithme.Butnopresident,noCongress,nogovernment,canundertakethismissionalone.MyfellowAmericans,you,too,mustplayyourpartinourrenewal.IchallengeanewgenerationofyoungAmericanstoaseasonofservice;toactonyouridealismbyhelpingtroubledchildren,keepingcompanywiththoseinneed,reconnectingourtorncommunities.Thereissomuchtobedone;enoughindeedformillionsofotherswhoarestillyounginspirittogiveofthemselvesinservice,too.

Inserving,werecognizeasimplebutpowerfultruth,weneedeachother.Andwemustcareforoneanother.Today,wedomorethancelebrateAmerica;werededicateourselvestotheveryideaofAmerica.

Anideaborninrevolutionandrenewedthroughtwocenturiesofchallenge.Anideatemperedbytheknowledgethat,butforfatewe,thefortunateandtheunfortunate,mighthavebeeneachother.Anideaennobledbythefaiththatournationcansummonfromitsmyriaddiversitythedeepestmeasureofunity.AnideainfusedwiththeconvictionthatAmerica'slongheroicjourneymustgoforeverupward.

Andso,myfellowAmericans,attheedgeofthe21stcentury,letusbeginwithenergyandhope,withfaithanddiscipline,andletusworkuntilourworkisdone.Thescripturesays,"Andletusnotbewearyinwell-doing,forindueseason,weshallreap,ifwefaintnot."

Fromthisjoyfulmountaintopofcelebration,wehearacalltoserviceinthevalley.Wehaveheardthetrumpets.Wehavechangedtheguard.Andnow,eachinourway,andwithGod'shelp,wemustanswerthecall.

Thankyou,andGodblessyouall.

【中文译文】：

美国复兴的新时代

比尔•克林顿第一次就职演讲

星期三,1993年1月20日

同胞们：

今天，我们庆祝美国复兴的奇迹。

这个仪式虽在隆冬举行，然而，我们通过自己的言语和向世界展示的面容、却促使春回大地--回到了世界上这个最古老的民主国家，并带来了重新创造美国的远见和勇气。

当我国的缔造者勇敢地向世界宣布美国独立，并向上帝表明自己的目的时，他们知道，美国若要永存，就必须变革。

不是为变革而变革，而是为了维护美国的理想--为了生命、自由和追求幸福而变革。

尽管我们随着当今时代的节拍前进，但我们的使命永恒不变。

每一代美国人，部必须为作为一个美国人意味着什么下定义。

今天，在冷战阴影下成长起来的一代人，在世界上负起了新的责任。

这个世界虽然沐浴着自由的阳光，但仍受到旧仇宿怨和新的祸患的威胁。

我们在无与伦比的繁荣中长大，继承了仍然是世界上最强大的经济。

但由于企业倒闭，工资增长停滞、不平等状况加剧，人民的分歧加深，我们的经济已经削弱。

当乔治•华盛顿第一次宣读我刚才宜读的誓言时，人们骑马把那个信息缓慢地传遍大地，继而又来船把它传过海洋。

而现在，这个仪式的情景和声音即刻向全球几十亿人播放。

通信和商务具有全球性，投资具有流动性；技术几乎具有魔力；改善生活的理想现在具有普遍性。

今天，我们美国人通过同世界各地人民进行和平竞争来谋求生存。

各种深远而强大的力量正在震撼和改造我们的世界，当今时代的当务之急是我们能否使变革成为我们的朋友，而不是成为我们的敌人。

这个新世界已经使几百万能够参与竞争并且取胜的美国人过上了富裕的生活。

但是，当多数人干得越多反而挣得越少的时候，当有些人根本不可能工作的时候，当保健费用的重负使众多家庭不堪承受、使大大小小的企业濒临破产的时候，当犯罪活动的恐惧使守法公民不能自由行动的时候，当千百万贫穷儿童甚至不能想象我们呼唤他们过的那种生活