評論
打印
1. On behalf of the great state of Illinois, crossroads of a nation, Land of Lincoln, let me express my deepest gratitude for the privilege of addressing this convention. Tonight is a particular honor for me because, let's face it, my presence on this stage is pretty unlikely. My father was a foreign student, born and raised in a small village in Kenya. He grew up herding goats, went to school in a tin-roof shack. His father-my grandfather-was a cook, a domestic servant to the British.
1.今晚我將在這里代表（on behalf of）偉大的伊利諾伊州來向大會發表演講，為此我感到無上榮幸(privilege)。眾所周知，伊利諾伊州是全國的交通樞紐(crossroads)，林肯總統的發祥地(ladn)。另外，我能夠站在講臺上向全黨的代表發言實在是有點受寵若驚，(particular honor)因為坦率地講，這對我而言幾乎是做夢都想不到的事情。請允許我先從我的出身講起，我的父親是個外國留學生，他土生土長在肯尼亞的一個小村莊，他從小在那里放羊，在簡陋的鐵皮頂小屋里上學。他的父親，也就是我的爺爺，是一位為別人做飯的家庭傭工(domestic servant)。
2. But my grandfather had larger dreams for his son. Through hard work and perseverance my father got a scholarship to study in a magical place, America, that shone as a beacon of freedom and opportunity to so many who had come before. While studying here, my father met my mother. She was born in a town on the other side of the world, in Kansas. Her father worked on oil rigs and farms through most of the Depression. The day after Pearl Harbor my grandfather signed up for duty; joined Patton's army, marched across Europe. Back home, my grandmother raised a baby and went to work on a bomber assembly line. After the war, they studied on the G.I. Bill, bought a house through F.H.A., and later moved west all the way to Hawaii in search of opportunity.
2.但是我爺爺不想讓我父親步其后塵，他對我的父親有著更大的期許和夢想。艱辛的努力和頑強的毅力(perseverance)使我父親拿到了到美國留學的獎學金(scholarship)。于是我父親漂洋過海，來到了美國這片神奇的國土。美國是自由的燈塔，她給予了早年來這里闖世界的人大量的機會。在留學期間，我父親遇到了我母親。我母親出生在堪薩斯的一個小鎮上，這里和肯尼亞分屬地球的兩端。我的外祖父在大蕭條時期(through most of the Depression)為了養家糊口，不是在石油鉆井架下打工，就是在農場務農。珍珠港事件后他自愿入伍(sign up for duty)，進入巴頓將軍的部隊，曾在整個歐洲大陸輾轉作戰。在后方家中，外祖母養育著他們的孩子，并在一條轟炸機流水線上工作。戰后，他們研究了《退伍軍人權利法案bill》，通過聯邦住宅管理局提供的貸款買了一套房子，并移居到美國西部的夏威夷，以尋找更好的發展機會。
3. And they, too, had big dreams for their daughter. A common dream, born of two continents. My parents shared not only an improbable love, they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this nation. They would give me an African name, Barack, or "blessed," believing that in a tolerant America your name is no barrier to success. They imagined me going to the best schools in the land, even though they weren't rich, because in a generous America you don't have to be rich to achieve your potential. They're both passed away now. And yet, I know that on this night they look down on me with great pride.
3.他們對我的母親也有著同樣的期許和夢想。這是一個來自兩個大洲的共同夢想。我的父母不但共同享受著來自父母們無以復加(improbable)的愛，他們也篤信(an abiding faithi不變的信念)在美國這個國家一切皆有可能（possibility）。他們賜予我一個非洲名字，巴拉克，意為“受神福佑的(blessed)”。他們相信在寬容大度的美國(a tolerant America)，一個人的名字不是通向成功的障礙(barrier)。盡管生活并不富裕，但他們還是想讓我去最好的學校接受最好的教育，因為在慷慨大方的美國(a generous America)，一個人即使不富裕也能淋漓盡致地發揮他的潛能(potential)。現在他們都過世了。不過我知道，在這個夜晚，他們正滿懷驕傲(with great pride)自天堂注視著我(look down on me)。
4. They stand here and I stand here today, grateful for the diversity of my heritage, aware that my parents' dreams live on in my two precious daughters. I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story, that I owe a debt to all of those who came before me, and that, in no other country on earth, is my story even possible. Tonight, we gather to affirm the greatness of our nation, not because of the height of our skyscrapers, or the power of our military, or the size of our economy. Our pride is based on a very simple premise, summed up in a declaration made over two hundred years ago," We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."
4.今天他們站在這里，我站在這里，為我血液里流淌著多樣遺傳基因而滿懷感激，我知道我父母的夢想正在我的兩個寶貝(precious)女兒身上延續(live on)。我站在這里，知道我的故事是更宏大的美國故事集里的一部分，也知道我應該感激那些在我之前來到這里的先輩們，更知道我的故事在這個世界的任何其他地方都不可能發生。今晚，我們歡聚一堂，更加堅定地相信我們國家的偉大，這個偉大并不在于(不是因為)我們的摩天大樓(skyscraper)有多高，也不在于我們的軍備（military）實力有多強，更不在于我們的經濟規模有多大。我們對這個偉大的國家的自豪感建筑在一個相當簡單的前提(premise)之上，用兩百多年前先輩們寫就的《獨立宣言》里的話概括起來(sum up)就是：“我們堅信以下真理(truth)不言而喻(self-evident)：人人生而平等。造物主賦予(endow)他們某些不可剝奪的(inalienable)權利，包括生命權、自由權和追求幸福的權利。”
5.That is the true genius of America, a faith in simple dreams, an insistence on small miracles; that we can tuck in our children at night and know that they are fed and clothed and safe from harm; that we can say what we think, write what we think, without hearing a sudden knock on the door; that we can have an idea and start our own business without paying a bribe; that we can participate in the political process without fear of retribution, and that our votes will be counted-at least most of the time.
5.這就是美國的本質(genius)之所在：我們對簡單夢想的無比信任，我們對生命中小小奇跡(miracle)的執著追求。我們能在深夜給孩子掖好(tuck in)被子時確信他們衣食無憂且遠離傷害(safe from harm)；我們能言吾所想，寫吾所悟，而毋庸擔心因言獲罪；我們一旦有了某種奇思妙想，就可以大干一場，開創自己的事業而無須去行賄(bribe)。我們能參與(participate in)政治進程而不必擔心被報復(retribution)，也無需擔心我們的投票是否有效（至少絕大多數時候，我們的選票是被計票的）。
6. This year, in this election we are called to reaffirm our values and our commitments, to hold them against a hard reality and see how we're measuring up to the legacy of our forbearers and the promise of future generations. And fellow Americans, Democrats, Republicans, Independents, I say to you tonight: We have more work to do-more work to do for the workers I met in Galesburg, Illinois, who are losing their union jobs at the Maytag plant that's moving to Mexico, and now are having to compete with their own children for jobs that pay seven bucks an hour; more to do for the father that I met who was losing his job and choking back the tears, wondering how he would pay 4,500 dollars a month for the drugs his son needs without the health benefits that he counted on; more to do for the young woman in East St. Louis, and thousands more like her, who has the grades, has the drive, has the will, but doesn't have the money to go to college.
6.在今年這次選舉中，我們要重申(reaffirm)我們的價值觀和承諾(commitment)，秉持它們去對抗(against)艱難時局；并繼承(measure up to)先輩的精神遺產，謹守對后世子孫(future gendrations)的諾言。所有的美國公民們，無論你是民主黨人(democrat)、共和黨人(republican)還是無黨派人士，今晚我要對你們說：我們還有更多的工作要做。(1)伊利諾伊州蓋爾斯堡市的那些工人們需要我們做更多的努力，他們正面臨無法在美泰格工廠里工作的危險，該工廠正準備搬遷到墨西哥，因此他們現今被迫同他們的子女爭搶每小時7美金的工作機會；(2)一位失業的父親需要我們做更多的工作，當我遇到他時，他勉強克制住(choke back)淚水向我敘述他的不幸遭遇，他在擔心他如何負擔(pay for)兒子每個月多需要的4500美金的醫藥費，而原本這些費用是可以指望他的醫療保險(health benefits)報銷的；(3)伊利諾伊州東圣路易斯市的一個年輕女孩需要我們做更多的工作，她有成績、有動力，也愿意去上大學，但她卻沒錢去實現她的大學夢，處境像她這樣的人還有成千上萬。(舉了三個例子)
7. Now, don't get me wrong. The people I meet-in small towns and big cities, in diners and office parks- they don't expect government to solve all their problems. They know they have to work hard to get ahead, and they want to. Go into the collar counties around Chicago, and people will tell you they don't want their tax money wasted, by a welfare agency or by the Pentagon. Go into any inner city neighborhood, and folks will tell you that government alone can't teach our kids to learn; they know that parents have to teach, that children can't achieve unless we raise their expectations and turn off the television sets and eradicate the slander that says a black youth with a book is acting white. They know those things. People don't expect-People don't expect government to solve all their problems. But they sense, deep in their bones, that with just a slight change in priorities, we can make sure that every child in America has a decent shot at life, and that the doors of opportunity remain open to all. They know we can do better. And they want that choice.
7.請不要誤解我說的話，(認為政府應該包攬一切)。事實上，我所接觸的人們，無論是在大城還是小鎮，無論是在餐廳還是在辦公樓停車場(office parks)偶然遇到的，他們并未期待政府去解決他們所有的困難。他們清楚他們自己必須勤勞工作去克服難關，他們也真的想這樣做。你若走進芝加哥周邊的衛星城鎮(the ollar counties)，人們會告訴你他們不愿讓政府的福利機構或是五角大樓浪費自己所納的稅款。走進市中心的任何街區，人們會告訴你僅僅靠政府是不可能讓孩子好好讀書的。他們知道父母需要教育孩子，需要提高(raise)孩子的期望值(expectation)，需要關掉電視機，需要消除誹謗--一個讀過書的黑人小孩，其行為舉止就會變得和白人青年--只有這樣孩子才能進步。(讓步狀語從句unless)他們什么都知道，人們并不指望政府解決他們面臨的困難。但他們從骨子里認為(sense)，只要是政府理順執政的輕重緩急(priority)，它就能確保美國的每個孩子的生活有個像樣的(decent)目標，讓機遇向所有人敞開大門。他們知道我們能做的更好。他們選擇的就是我們。
8. John Kerry believes in America. And he knows that it's not enough for just some of us to prosper-for alongside our famous individualism, there's another ingredient in the American saga, a belief that we're all connected as one people. If there is a child on the south side of Chicago who can't read, that matters to me, even if it's not my child. If there is a senior citizen somewhere who can't pay for their prescription drugs, and having to choose between medicine and the rent, that makes my life poorer, even if it's not my grandparent. If there's an Arab American family being rounded up without benefit of an attorney or due process, that threatens my civil liberties. It is that fundamental belief-I am my brother's keeper. I am my sister's keeper-that makes this country work. It's what allows us to pursue our individual dreams and yet still come together as one American family. "E pluribus unum."(拉丁詞語) Out of many, one.
8.約翰克里相信美國。他也知道僅僅一部分公民的富足遠遠不夠，與我們聞名于世的個人主義(individualism)如影隨形的(alongside)，是美國激蕩的歷史中的另一種元素(ingredient)。這個元素就是我們的信仰，即我們形形色色的人心心相通，凝聚成一個民族。(1)假如芝加哥南部的一個小朋友不識字，即使那不是我的孩子，我也會因此惴惴不安。(2)如果一個年事已高的老人付不起他(她)的診療費(prescription drug)而被迫在醫療費和房租(the rent)之間進行選擇，即使她不是我的祖母，也會使我羞愧難當。(3)如果一個阿拉伯裔的美國家庭未經律師辯護(benefit of an attorney)或訴訟程序(due process)就遭到驅逐(being rounded up)，我也會感到我的公民自由(civil liberty)受到了威脅(threathen)。正是這個基本的(fundamental)信仰使我們美國國祚棉長(work)--“我是我的兄弟的守護人，我是我的姐妹的守護人”。這樣的信念確保我們在被允許追逐個人夢想的同時，還能緊密團結成一個美利堅大家庭。“合眾為一”，眾志成城。
9. In the end, that's what this election is about. Do we participate in a politics of cynicism or do we participate in a politics of hope? I'm not talking about blind optimism here-the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don't think about it, or the health care crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it. That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about something more substantial. It's the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores; the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta; the hope of a mill worker's son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too. Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope!
9.一言以蔽之，這才是這次選舉的意義：我們投入憤世嫉俗的(cynicism)政治還是參與滿懷希望的政治？我不是在談盲目的樂觀主義。不要以為如果我們不討論失業問題它便會自動消失，不要以為只要是我們無視醫療保險中存在的問題它就會自行解除，那是一廂情愿的(willful)無知(ignorance)。我要說的不是這個，我在此談論的都是實質性問題。我談的是希望，希望就是奴隸們圍坐在篝火旁吟唱自由的歌曲；希望就是移民們(immigrants)背井離鄉駕船出發(set out)駛向遙遠的彼岸；希望就是年輕的海軍上尉勇敢地(bravely)在湄公河三角洲巡邏(patrol)；希望就是一個工廠工人的兒子對厄運(the odds)的不屈抗爭(defy)；希望就是一個有著怪怪(funny)名字的、干瘦的(skinny)小孩也相信美國會有一片屬于他的天地。有希望則無所畏懼！
10. In the end, that is God's greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation. A belief in things not seen. A belief that there are better days ahead. I believe that we can give our middle class relief and provide working families with a road to opportunity. I believe we can provide jobs to the jobless, homes to the homeless, and reclaim young people in cities across America from violence and despair. I believe that we have a righteous wind at our backs and that as we stand on the crossroads of history, we can make the right choices, and meet the challenges that face us.
10.其實，希望是上帝賜予我們的最好禮物，是這個民族的基石(bedrock)，是對未來的愿景，是對明天更美好的堅信。我相信我們民主黨人能為中產階級(middle class)提供幫助，為工薪階層(working families)制造更多的機會；我相信我們能為失業者提供工作，為無家可歸者提供歸宿，能把陷于暴力(violence)和絕望(despair)中的美國都市里的年輕人挽救出來(reclaim)。我相信(我們會相互支持,把握正確的方向),我相信當我們站在歷史的十字路口時，我們能做出正確的抉擇，并迎接(meet)我們面臨的挑戰。
