奥巴马就职演说翻译全文(Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address)

亲爱的同胞们：


今天，我有幸站在这里，面对摆在我们面前的艰巨任务，深感渺小；对于大家给予的信任，深表感谢；对于先辈们作出的牺牲，深记于心。我要感谢布什总统为我们国家作出的贡献以及在整个过渡阶段体现的大度与合作。



至今已有44位美国人宣誓就任总统。有的宣誓是在蒸蒸日上的繁荣时期进行的，有的宣誓是在风平浪静的和平时期进行的，但是，更多的宣誓是在风起云涌的疾风暴雨时刻进行的。在那些时刻，美利坚仍然继续前进，不仅仅因为位高之人有远见或者有才干，而且是因为我们美国人民始终坚守先驱们的理想信念，始终秉承我们的建国文献精神。



历来如此，我们这一代美国人也必将如此。



当前众所周知，我们正面临危机：我们国家处于战争状态，为的是打击无所不在的仇视和暴力活动；我们的经济遭受重创，这既是某些人贪得无厌和不负责任的结果，也是我们整个国家没有痛下决心做好面对新时代的准备工作的结果；房子没了，工作丢了，企业倒了；我们的医疗保健费用过高，我们的教学质量太差；每天都有新的证据证明，我们利用能源的方式，增强着对手的实力，威胁着地球的安全。





这些都是危机的体现，可用统计数据进行衡量。较难衡量但却同样严重的是，全国各地的信心受到打击，人们一直心怀恐惧：美利坚的衰落是不可避免的，下一代人将不得不放低眼光。





今天，我要告诉大家，我们面临的挑战，是真实存在的。这些挑战，很严峻，也很多；这些挑战，无法轻易征服，也不可能在短期内征服。但是，美利坚，请记住，这些挑战，终将征服。





今天，我们汇聚在一起，因为我们选择了希望而不是恐惧，选择了齐心协力而不是冲突对立。





今天，我们在这里宣告，终结那些长期窒息我们的政治生活的无谓埋怨与虚伪承诺、攻击指摘与陈腔滥调。





我们仍然是年轻的国家，但是，借用《圣经》的话来说，现在是抛弃幼稚的时代。现在是重拾我们的永恒精神的时代，是选择创造更佳历史的时代，是将代代相传的、上帝赋予的人人平等、人人自由和人人享有机会追求最大幸福的宝贵传统和崇高理想发扬光大的时代。





我们仍然是伟大的国家，我们明白，这种伟大从来都不是靠施舍得到的，而是靠拼搏争取的。我们的征程，从来没有什么捷径可走，也从来不满足于小小的成就。它从来不是懦夫——那些好逸恶劳或者追名逐利之人——的道路。带领我们穿越漫长崎岖而通往繁荣自由之路的，从来都是冒险者、实干者和创造者，其中，有些是知名人士，但更多的是默默无闻工作的普通人。





为了我们，他们打点几乎没有什么东西的行囊，漂洋过海，追求新生活。





为了我们，他们忍辱负重，在血汗工厂出卖苦力，在西部拓荒定居，在坚硬的土地上辛勤耕作。





为了我们，他们在康科德、在葛底斯堡、在诺曼底、在溪山等地，战死沙场。





为了让我们拥有更加美好的生活，他们一直不辞辛劳，顽强拼搏，无私奉献，双手都磨出了层层老茧。他们认为，美利坚的强大，超越我们所有个人的理想，超越任何出身、财富或者宗派的差异。





今天，我们将在这一征程上继续前进。我们仍然是世界上最繁荣、最强大的国家：我们的工人的生产力，并不亚于危机开始前的水平；我们的大脑的创造力，并不亚于从前；我们的产品和服务的受欢迎程度，并不亚于上星期、上个月或者上一年。总之，我们的实力，并未削弱。但是，固步自封、保护狭隘利益集团以及推迟艰难决策的时代，毫无疑问已经成为历史。从今天起，我们必须振作起来，奋发起来，再次投入重建美利坚的事业。





放眼望去，到处都有工作必须完成。经济形势要求采取迅速而大胆的行动，我们也定将采取行动，不仅要创造新的就业岗位，而且还要为发展打下新的基础。我们将兴建路桥，铺设电网和数字电缆，促进我们的商贸活动，加强我们之间的联系。我们将恢复科学应有的地位，采用科学技术成果，提高医疗保健质量，降低其成本。我们将利用太阳能、风能和地能为汽车和工厂提供能源。我们还将对中小学和高等院校实行改革，以适应新时代的要求。所有这一切，我们都能做到；所有这一切，我们必将做到。





目前，有些人怀疑我们的计划规模，认为我们的体制难以承载如此宏大的计划。他们太健忘了，忘记了这个国家已经取得的成就，忘记了一旦共同目标插上理想的翅膀、现实要求鼓起勇气的风帆，自由的人民就能取得辉煌的业绩。





那些怀疑悲观之人不明白，他们脚下的地基已被更换——那些长期空耗我们精力的陈腐政治观点不再拥有市场。我们如今面临的，不是我们的政府是太大还是太小的问题，而是我们的政府能否有效运作的问题——能否为诸多家庭创造收入体面的工作岗位，能否为他们提供负担得起的医疗服务，能否确保他们退休后不失尊严。只要答案是肯定的，我们就会向前推进；只要答案是否定的，我们就会停止有关计划项目。我们之中掌管公共财政的人员，必须承担责任：花钱要明智，坏习惯要改掉，做事要光明磊落。唯有如此，才能重塑政府与人民之间生死攸关的信任关系。





我们面临的也不是市场力量是好是坏的问题。在创造财富和发展自由方面，市场具有无与伦比的力量，但是，这场危机提醒我们：缺乏严格监管，市场就会失控；一味迁就富人，国家不可能长期繁荣。我们的经济之所以成功，从来不是仅仅取决于国内生产总值的规模，而且还取决于繁荣的受惠范围，即取决于我们为每一个积极肯干之人提供机会的能力。这绝不是大发慈悲，而是实现共同福祉的必由之路。





在共同防御方面，我们绝不会在安全与理想之间作出非此即彼之类的错误选择。我们的立国之父们，在面临我们难以想象的危险之时，起草了一部旨在保障法治与人权的宪章，一部几代人用鲜血加以完善的宪章。那些理想至今仍然照耀着世界。我们绝不会为了权宜之计而抛弃那些理想。今天正在关注就职典礼的其他各国政府及其人民，无论身处繁华的大都市，还是身处我父亲出生地那样的小村庄，请记住，所有追求和平与尊严的国家以及男女老少，美利坚都是你们的朋友，我们已经作好准备再次引领你们前进。





回顾往昔，数代人坚定而勇敢地征服法西斯主义和共产主义，依靠的不仅仅是坦克和导弹，还有稳定坚固的联盟和永恒不变的信念。他们明白，单凭实力无法保护我们，有实力也不能为所欲为；他们明白，慎用实力可以增强实力，我们的安全源于我们的事业的正义性、我们的榜样的感召力、我们谦卑而克制的品质。





我们是这种传统的守护人。只要再次以上述原则为指导，我们就可以征服那些需要付出更大努力即需要国家之间进一步加强理解与合作的新威胁。我们将负责任地把伊拉克移交给伊拉克人民，巩固阿富汗来之不易的和平。我们将与老朋友和昔日仇敌一道不懈努力，减缓核威胁，扭转全球变暖的梦魇。我们不会为我们的生活方式道歉，我们也绝不会动摇捍卫它的决心。那些妄图通过煽动恐怖和滥杀无辜达到目的之人，我们现在就可以告诉你们，我们的意志如今更加坚不可摧，你们无法拖垮我们，我们必将战胜你们。





我们知道，我们海纳百川的传统是一种优势而不是劣势。我们是由基督教徒、伊斯兰教徒、犹太教徒、印度教徒以及无宗教信仰人士组成的国家。我们是由源自世界各地的语言和文化熏陶而成的国家。我们曾经饱尝内战和种族隔离的苦水，历经那个黑暗时代的磨砺而变得更加强大、更加团结，所以，我们不能不相信：昔日的仇恨有朝一日终将成为历史；部族之间的界线很快就会消融；随着世界变小，我们的共同人性必将彰显；美利坚必将为迎接和平的新纪元发挥自己的作用。





对于穆斯林世界，我们将在互相尊重和共同利益的基础上，探索新的发展道路。对于那些妄图制造矛盾冲突或者把自身社会存在的弊端归咎于西方的世界各地领导人，奉劝你们：你们的人民，将根据你们可以建设什么，而不是你们可以破坏什么，评判你们。对于那些通过腐败、欺骗以及压制不同意见而摄取权力之人，提醒你们：你们站在历史的错误一边，但是，只要你们愿意松开拳头，我们就会伸出援助之手。





对于贫困国家的人民，我们保证与你们一道共同努力，让你们的农田丰收，让你们的河流洁净，让饥饿的身体有饭可吃，让饥渴的心灵得到滋润。对于那些与我们一样比较富裕的的国家，我们要说的是，我们再也不能漠视我们国界之外的苦难，我们再也不能无视效益而消耗地球资源。世界已经改变，我们必须随之改变。





在审视我们面前的道路之际，我们怀着崇高敬意问候那些英勇无畏的美国人，此时此际，他们正在遥远的沙漠和偏僻的山区巡逻。正如长眠于阿灵顿公墓的阵亡英雄在漫漫岁月中轻语一样，他们今天有话向我们诉说。我们敬重他们，不仅仅因为他们是自由的捍卫者，而且因为他们体现着奉献精神，体现着追求超越自身的更伟大意义的主动精神。此时此刻，在这个划时代的时刻，我们所有人必须具备的正是这种精神。





虽然政府大有作为，而且政府必须大有作为，但是，国家最终离不开美国人民的信心和决心。那就是决堤之时收留陌生人的关爱精神；那就是宁愿削减自己的工作时间，也不愿看到朋友失去工作的共度时艰的无私精神；那就是冲进浓烟滚滚的楼道的消防队员的勇敢精神，就是父母培育孩子的甘于奉献精神，最终决定着我们的命运。





我们面临的挑战可能是前所未有的，我们征服这些挑战的手段也可能是前所未有的，但是，我们取得成功的价值观，即勤奋与诚实、勇敢与公平、宽容与求知、忠诚与爱国，是亘古不变的。这些东西是真理，是贯穿我们整个历史的无声进步力量。目前，所需要的就是重拾这些真理，所要求我们去做的就是开创负责任的新时代—— 每一位美国人都必须认识到我们对自己、对国家、对世界都负有义务。这种义务，不能勉强接受，而必须愉快地主动承担。我们坚信，没有什么比全身心地投入这一艰巨任务，更能塑造我们的品格，更能满足我们的精神需求。





这就是公民的承诺和价值。





这就是我们自信的源泉——认识到是上帝召唤我们去把握不确定的命运。





这就是我们的自由与信条的真谛——这就是为什么不同种族、不同信仰的男女老少，可以欢聚在这个盛大的草坪参加庆典的缘故；这就是为什么不到六十年前，有一个人的父亲也许不能在当地餐馆就餐，而如今这个人却可以站在你们面前庄严宣誓的缘故。





因此，让我们铭记这一天，铭记我们是谁，铭记我们已经走过了多么漫长的历程。在美利坚诞生的那年，在那最寒冷的几个月，有一小群爱国者聚集在冰封河畔即将熄灭的篝火旁。首都已经失守，敌人正在逼近，白雪染上了鲜血。在我们的独立战争结局最难预料的时刻，建国之父命令向人民宣读如下一段话：





“让我们昭告未来世界……在这个数九寒冬，万物萧条，唯有希望与美德同存……这个城市和这个国家，在共同危难的召唤下，挺身而战。”



美利坚，在面临共同危难之际，在这个艰难的冬日，让我们牢记这些永恒的话语。让我们胸怀希望与美德，再次搏击严寒，经受任何风暴的考验。让子孙后代传颂：在面临考验时，我们没有半途而废，没有退缩不前，没有踌躇犹豫；在上帝的恩泽下，我们双眼紧盯地平线，推进了自由这一伟大传统，并把它安全地传承给了未来几代人。

附英文原文：
Barack Obama’s Inaugural Address

My fellow citizens:

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.

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.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

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 health care 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.

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.

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.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

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.

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.

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 labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.

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.

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.

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 health care’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.

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.

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.

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 favors 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.

As for our common defense, 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.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism 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.

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 apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, 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.

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.

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.

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 favors 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.

As for our common defense, 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.

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 apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, 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.

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.

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.

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.

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 honor 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.

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.

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.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence - the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

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.

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:

"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]."

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.