书城英文图书那些激励你前行的声音
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第17章 青春不老,理想不死(4)

And they, too, had big dreams for theirdaughter, a common dream, born of twocontinents. My parents shared not only animprobable love; they shared an abidingfaith in the possibilities of this nation. Theywould give me an African name, Barack,or “blessed,” believing that in a tolerantAmerica your name is no barrier to success. They imagined me going to the best schoolsin the land, even though they werent rich,because in a generous America you donthave to be rich to achieve your potential. They are both passed away now. Yet, Iknow that, on this night, they look down onme with pride.

I stand here today, grateful for thediversity of my heritage, aware that myparents dreams live on in my preciousdaughters. I stand here knowing that mystory is part of the larger American story,that I owe a debt to all of those who camebefore me, and that, in no other country onearth, 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 ofour economy. Our pride is based on a verysimple premise, summed up in a declarationmade over two hundred years ago, “Wehold these truths to be self-evident, thatall men are created equal and that theyare endowed by their Creator with certaininalienable rights, that among these are life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

他们对他们的女儿也很大的梦想。一个共同的梦想,在两个不同的大陆生发。我的父母不仅共享不可思议的爱恋,他们还共同坚守这个国家具有巨大潜力的不渝信念。他们赐予我一个非洲名字,巴拉克,意为“受神福佑的”。他们相信在宽容大度的美国,一个人的名字不是通向成功的障碍。尽管生活并不富裕,但他们想让我去这片土地最好的学校就读,因为在富足的美国,你即使不富裕也能发掘你的潜力。现在他们都过世了。不过我知道,在这个夜晚,他们满怀骄傲自天堂注视我。

今天我站在这里,为我独特的血统满怀感激,并知道我父母的愿望正在我的两个宝贝女儿身上延续。我站在这里,知道我的故事是更宏伟的美国故事的一部分,也知道我们不能忘却那些在我之前来到这里的人,更知道我的故事在这个世界的任何其他地方都不可能发生。今晚,我们欢聚一堂重申我们民族的荣耀,这个荣耀并不在于我们的摩天大楼有多高,也不在于我们的军备实力有多强,更不在于我们经济的规模有多大。我们的自豪感建筑在一个相当简单的前提上,两百多年前它就在一个宣言中被这样概括:“我们坚持以下真理不言而喻:众生平等。造物主赋予他们某些不可剥夺的权利,它们包括:生命权、自由权和追求幸福的权利。”

That is the true genius of America, afaith in the simple dreams of its people, theinsistence on small miracles. That we cantuck in our children at night and know theyare fed and clothed and safe from harm.

That we can say what we think; write whatwe think, without hearing a sudden knockon the door. That we can have an idea andstart our own business without paying abribe or hiring somebodys son. That wecan participate in the political processwithout fear of retribution, and that ourvotes will be counted-or at least, most ofthe time.

This year, in this election, we are calledto reaffirm our values and commitments,to hold them against a hard reality and seehow we are measuring up, to the legacy ofour forbearers, and the promise of futuregenerations. And fellow Americans-Democrats, Republicans, Independents-I say to you tonight: we have more work to do.

More to do for the workers I met in Galesburg,Illinois, who are losing their union jobs at theMaytag plant thats moving to Mexico, and noware having to compete with their own childrenfor jobs that pay seven bucks an hour. More to dofor the father I met who was losing his job andchoking back tears, wondering how he wouldpay $4,500 a month for the drugs his son needswithout the health benefits he counted on. Moreto 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 doesnt have themoney to go to college.

这是美国真正的精神:坚信她的人民简单而纯朴的梦想,坚信小小的奇迹会发生。我们能在深夜给孩子掖好被子时确信他们衣食无忧且远离伤害。我们能想到什么就说什么,想到什么就写什么,而毋庸担心突然被政府找上门来。我们能生发一个想法后就去开创自己的生意,而无须行贿或雇佣某人的子女。我们能参与政治过程而不必担心被惩罚,并且,至少多数时候,我们的选票是有用的。

今年,在这次选举中,我们要重申我们的价值观和责任,秉持它们去对抗艰难时局;并留心我们怎样才能继承先辈的遗产,实现对子孙的承诺。美国公民们——民主党人、共和党人、无党派人士——今晚我想对你们说:我们还有更多的工作要做。要为我在伊利诺斯州盖尔斯堡市遇到工人们做更多的努力,他们丢失了在即将搬迁到墨西哥的美泰格洗衣机工厂车间的工作,现今被迫同他们的子女争抢每小时7美金的工作机会。要为我遇到的一个失了业、克制住不流泪的父亲做更多的努力,他在担心没有他可以依赖的医疗保险他如何负担儿子每个月所需的4500美金的医药费。要为东圣路易斯市的一个年轻女孩和千千万万和她一样的人做更多的努力,——她有成绩、有动力和意愿,却没有钱去读大学。

In the end, that is Gods greatest gift to us,the bedrock of this nation; the belief in thingsnot seen; the belief that there are better daysahead. I believe we can give our middle classrelief and provide working families with a roadto opportunity. I believe we can provide jobs tothe jobless, homes to the homeless, and reclaimyoung people in cities across America fromviolence and despair. I believe that as we stand onthe crossroads of history, we can make the rightchoices, and meet the challenges that face us.

其实,希望是上帝赐予我们的最好礼物,是这个民族的基石,是坚信不曾见到的前景,是坚信明天会更好的信念。我相信我们能为中产阶级提供帮助,为工薪阶层制造更多的机会;我相信我们能为失业者提供工作,让无家可归者有家,从暴力和绝望中挽救美国都市里的年轻人。我相信当我们站在历史的十字路口时,我们能做出正确的抉择,并迎接我们面临的挑战。

At Barnard College for womens speech

在巴纳德女子学院的演讲

[雪莉·桑德伯格 / Sheryl Sandberg]

Today is a day of celebration, aday to celebrate all the hard work thatgot you to this place where you can sit,kind of sweltering in that gown. Todayis a day of thanks, a day to thank allthe people that helped you get here, thepeople who nurtured you and taughtyou, who held your hand, who driedyour tears. Today is a day of reflection.

今天是值得庆祝的日子,在这一天,大家付出的所有努力都得到了回报,所以才能够坐在这里,穿着这身让我们引以为荣的长袍。当然,可能有的人已经汗流浃背了。今天也是感恩的一天,让我们一起感谢那些曾经帮助过你的人、养育你长大的人、向你传授知识的人,以及在困难时握着你的手为你擦干眼泪的人。今天是一个需要思考的一天。

As you leave Barnard today,you leave not just with an education,but you take your place amongst thefortunate. Some of you came herefrom families where education wasexpected and emphasized. Others ofyou had to overcome far more obstaclesto get here, and today you becomethe very first member of your familyto graduate from college. What anamazing accomplishment. But no matterwhere you started, as of today youare all privileged. You are privilegedin the most important sense of theword, which is that you have almostboundless opportunity in front of you.So, the question is, what are you goingto do with it? What will you do withthis education you worked so hard toachieve? What in the world needs tochange, and what part do you plan onplaying in changing it?