評論
打印
If I've listened to you, I've declared every slave free the minute the first shell struck Fort Sumter.
如果聽了你的 在薩穆特要塞戰役 打響時就宣布奴隸解放
Then the border states would've gone over to the confederacy,the war would've been lost and the Union along with it,
那么邊境州將投向叛軍 我們將輸掉戰爭 失去聯盟
and instead of abolishing slavery,as we hope to do in two weeks,
不僅不能像我們預期那樣 在兩周內廢除奴隸制
we'll be watching helpless as infants as it spread from the American South into South America.
我們將無助地看著 美國南部分裂出去
Oh God, how you have longed to say that to me.
你很渴望對我說這些吧
You claim you trust them.But you know what the people are.
你說你信任他們 可你知道人民是什么樣子
You know that the inner compass that should direct the soul toward justice
在白人的心里本該引導他們的靈魂 通往正義的羅盤
has ossified in white men and women, north and south, unto utter uselessness through tolerating the evil of slavery
已經被邪惡的奴隸制 僵化得毫無用處了
White people cannot bear the thought of sharing this country's infinite abundance with Negroes.
白人不能容忍 與黑人共享這個國家無盡財富的想法
A compass, I learnt when I was surveying,It'll point you True North from where you're standing,
我在外勘測時發現關于羅盤 它會為你指出正北的方向
but it'll got no advice about the swamps and deserts and chasms that you'll encounter along the way.
卻不會指出沿途會遇到的 沼澤 沙漠和深坑
If in pursuit of your destination,you plunge ahead, heedless of obstacles,
如果在追尋目標的途中 你一往無前 不留心障礙困難
and achieve nothing more than to sink in a swamp.
除了陷入沼澤哪里也到不了
What's the use of knowing True North?
那么知道正北又有什么用
