If there is anyone out there who still doubts whether America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time;who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.
如果有人懷疑美國(guó)是個(gè)一切皆有可能的地方,懷疑美國(guó)奠基者的夢(mèng)想在我們這個(gè)時(shí)代依然燃燒,懷疑我們民主的力量,那么今晚這些疑問(wèn)都有了答案。
I was never the likeliest candidate for this office.We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington-it be-gan in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.
我從來(lái)不是最有希望的候選人。起初,我們的資金不多,贊助人也不多。我們的競(jìng)選并非始于華盛頓的華麗大廳,而是起于德莫奈地區(qū)某家的后院、康科德地區(qū)的某家客廳、查爾斯頓地區(qū)的某家前廊。
It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to this cause. It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation's apathy ; who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay andless sleep; from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized,and proved that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by thepeopleandforthe people has not perished from thisearth. This is your victory.
勞動(dòng)大眾從自己的微薄積蓄中掏出5美元、10美元、20美元,拿來(lái)捐助我們的事業(yè)。年輕人證明了他們絕非所謂“冷漠的一代”。他們遠(yuǎn)離家鄉(xiāng)和親人,拿著微薄的報(bào)酬,起早摸黑地助選。上了年紀(jì)的人也頂著嚴(yán)寒酷暑,敲開陌生人的家門助選。無(wú)數(shù)美國(guó)人自愿組織起來(lái),充當(dāng)志愿者。正是這些人壯大了我們的聲勢(shì)。他們的行動(dòng)證明了在兩百多年以后,民有、民治、民享的政府并未從地球上消失。這是你們的勝利。
I know you didn't do this just to win an election, and I know you didn't do it for me. You did it because you under- stand the enormity of the task that lies ahead.For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime-two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of lraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and wonder how they'll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor's bills, or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be creat-ed; new schools to build and threats to meet and alliances to repair.
你們這樣做,并不只是為了贏得一場(chǎng)大選,更不是為了我個(gè)人。你們這樣做,是因?yàn)槟銈兦宄磥?lái)的任務(wù)有多么艱巨。今晚我們?cè)跉g慶,明天我們就將面對(duì)一生之中最為嚴(yán)峻的挑戰(zhàn)——兩場(chǎng)戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)、一個(gè)充滿危險(xiǎn)的星球,還有百年一遇的金融危機(jī)。今晚我們?cè)谶@里慶祝,但我們知道在伊拉克的沙漠里,在阿富汗的群山中,許許多多勇敢的美國(guó)人醒來(lái)后就將為了我們而面臨生命危險(xiǎn)。許許多多的父母會(huì)在孩子熟睡后仍難以入眠,他們正在為月供、醫(yī)藥費(fèi)、孩子今后的大學(xué)費(fèi)用而發(fā)愁。我們需要開發(fā)新能源,創(chuàng)造就業(yè)機(jī)會(huì),建造新學(xué)校,迎接挑戰(zhàn)和威脅,并修復(fù)與盟國(guó)的關(guān)系。
This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that's on my mind tonight is
about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She's a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election, except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.
這次大選創(chuàng)造了多項(xiàng)“第一”,誕生了很多將流芳后世的故事,但今晚令我最為難忘的卻是一位在亞特蘭大投票的婦女:安妮·庫(kù)波爾。她和無(wú)數(shù)排隊(duì)等候投票的選民沒(méi)有什么差別,唯一的不同是她高齡106歲。
She was born just a generationpast slavery ; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn't vote for two reasons-because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.
在她出生的那個(gè)時(shí)代,黑奴制剛剛廢除。那時(shí)路上沒(méi)有汽車,天上沒(méi)有飛機(jī)。當(dāng)時(shí)像她這樣的人由于兩個(gè)原因不能投票——第一因?yàn)樗桥?,第二個(gè)原因是她的膚色。
And tonight, I think about all that she's seen throughout her century in America-the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can't and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes, wecan.
今天晚上,我想到了安妮在美國(guó)過(guò)去一百年間的種種經(jīng)歷:心痛和希望,掙扎和進(jìn)步,那些我們被告知我們辦不到的年代,以及我們現(xiàn)在這個(gè)年代?,F(xiàn)在,我們堅(jiān)信美國(guó)式信念——是的,我們能!
At a time when women's voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes, we can.
在那個(gè)年代,婦女的聲音被壓制,她們的希望被剝奪。但安妮活到了今天,看到婦女們站起來(lái)了,可以大聲發(fā)表意見了,有選舉權(quán)了。是的,我們能。
When there was despair in the Dust Bowl and depression across the land,she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs and a new sense of common purpose. Yes, we can.
安妮經(jīng)歷了上世紀(jì)三十年代的大蕭條。農(nóng)田荒蕪,絕望籠罩美國(guó)大地。她看到了美國(guó)以新政、新的就業(yè)機(jī)會(huì)以及嶄新的共同追求戰(zhàn)勝了恐慌。是的,我們能。
When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes. we can.
二戰(zhàn)時(shí)期,炸彈襲擊我們的海港,全世界受到獨(dú)裁專制威脅,安妮見證了一代美國(guó)人的英雄本色,他們捍衛(wèi)了民主。是的,我們能。
She was there for the busses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that "We Shall Overcome." Yes, we can.
安妮經(jīng)歷了蒙哥馬利公交車事件、伯明翰黑人暴動(dòng)事件、塞爾馬血腥周末事件。來(lái)自亞特蘭大的一位牧師告訴人們:我們終將勝利。是的,我們能。
A man touched down on the moon,a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination .And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America,through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change. Yes, we can.
人類登上了月球、柏林墻倒下了,科學(xué)和想象把世界連在了一塊。今年,在這次選舉中,安妮的手指輕觸電子屏幕,投下自己的一票。她在美國(guó)生活了106年,其間有最美好的時(shí)光,也有最黑暗的時(shí)刻,她知道美國(guó)能夠變革。是的,我們能。
America, we have come so far. We have seen so much.But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves: If our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see ? What progress will we have made ?
美利堅(jiān),我們已經(jīng)一路走來(lái),我們已經(jīng)看到了那么多變化,但我們?nèi)杂泻芏嗍虑橐?。今夜,讓我們?wèn)自己這樣一個(gè)問(wèn)題:假如我們的孩子能夠活到下一個(gè)世紀(jì),假如我的女兒們有幸與安妮一樣長(zhǎng)壽,她們將會(huì)看到怎樣的改變?我們又取得了怎樣的進(jìn)步?
This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment. This is our time-to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to re-claim the American Dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth that out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope, and where we are met with cynicism and doubt, and those who tell us that we can't,we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes. we can.
現(xiàn)在,我們獲得了回答這個(gè)問(wèn)題的機(jī)會(huì)。這是我們的時(shí)刻,我們的時(shí)代。讓我們的人民重新就業(yè),為我們的孩子打開機(jī)會(huì)的大門;恢復(fù)繁榮,促進(jìn)和平;讓美國(guó)夢(mèng)重放光芒。再證這一本本性真理,那就是:團(tuán)結(jié)一致,眾志成城;一息尚存,希望就在;倘若有人嘲諷和懷疑,說(shuō)我們不能,我們就以這一永恒信條回應(yīng),因?yàn)樗哿苏麄€(gè)民族的精神——是的,我們能!