第一节 小布什回耶鲁
美国耶鲁大学建校300周年时，刚当选总统的小布什，应邀担任毕业礼演讲嘉宾。根据耶鲁大学的规定，正式毕业礼是没有演讲嘉宾的，除非校方决定对现任总统授予名誉学位，在小布什以前肯尼迪和老布什都曾如此发过言。
小布什对耶鲁的态度和感情是十分复杂的。他的大学生活远不如他的父亲精彩风光，但小布什与人交往大度的天性并没有因此受到影响。他开始结识很多人并与他们建立了亲密的友谊。他凭着对棒球浓厚的兴趣及高超的球技，跟他的父亲老布什一样也当上了棒球队队长。他在大一时就为耶鲁大学棒球队效力，担任投球手，吸引了不少少女的目光。在某些方面，小布什也显出过人的才华。他刚被吸纳为大学生联谊会会员时，老生们给新会员出难题，叫他们背诵联谊会的创始会员的名字，别人只能背出三四个，而小布什竟然一口气说出了全部人的名字，毕业的时候，他已经是联谊会的会长了，这个联谊会是最崇拜运动员的校园团体。
在耶鲁时，小布什由于受学校反叛文化影响，表现出他生活中叛逆的一面，他曾两次被抓到警察局，一次是在一家商店门口偷走了圣诞花环挂在他们联谊会的门上；第二次是在一次足球比赛后和一帮朋友推倒了普林斯顿大学的球门柱子，为此，他还被《耶鲁时报》评为公众人物。
虽然，小布什在学习方面一直不是很长进，但他极受欢迎，人缘很好。美国人非常看重别人对自己的印象，他们一直非常推崇那种受大家喜欢的人，因此，他们总是希望能同别人无拘无束地接触，甚至结识更多的朋友。他们在互相交往时，不喜欢服从别人，也不喜欢别人过分客气地恭维自己，他们最担心的是被别人视为不易亲近而受到孤立，这对平民百姓来说，意味着寂寞；对于政客们来说，则代表着竞选的失败。而这一点对于小布什无论从政前还是从政后都不成问题，他极具亲和力，他那乐观开朗的性格成为他后来投入政界后广受群众爱戴的资本。
当天，小布什在耶鲁大学的发言，为他赢尽了掌声。他在致辞中回忆了自己的耶鲁岁月，还不断自嘲，拿自己的C平均分作笑话，坦承读书时只顾着去派对，耽误了学业。小布什还开起了中途退学的耶鲁旧生副总统切尼的玩笑，说自己因为有耶鲁学位，就做了总统，切尼没有拿到学位，就只能当副总统。这类美式幽默令场内人士十分受用，除了缓和气氛，也巧妙地显出自己不是以总统身份说话，而是以一个成绩糟糕的师兄身份来自白的，他说自己从小就不确定自己要当什么。他在祝福成绩优秀的毕业生之余，更要祝福那些以C成绩毕业的学生，因为人人都有可以当总统。他的演讲惹来多次大笑和掌声，连当天在场的示威者也忍俊不禁。
最后，演讲在出奇和谐的气氛中结束。无论是校方还是小布什，既要做门面功夫，又对这种行为自嘲，对示威学生的态度更是唯恐他们不来，这样可以确保大学里的批判思维能得以被同时尊重。这是毕业前的最后一课，就是四年大学生涯一课也没上，这一课也值了。
第二节 布什在耶鲁大学毕业典礼上的演讲
President Levin， thank you very much. Dean Brodhead， fellows of the Yale Corporation， fellow Yale parents， families， and graduates： It's a special privilege to receive this honorary degree.I was proud 33 years ago to receive my first Yale degree.I'm even prouder that in your eyes I've earned this one.
I congratulate my fellow honorees. I'm pleased to share this honor with such a distinguished group.I'm particularly pleased to be here with my friend， the former of Mexico.Senor Presidente， usted es un verdadero lider， y un gran amigo. (Applause.)
I congratulate all the parents who are here. It's a glorious day when your child graduates from college.It's a great day for you； it's a great day for your wallet. (Laughter.)
Most important， congratulations to the class of 2001. (Applause.)To those of you who received honors， awards， and distinctions， I say， well done. And to the C students-(applause)-I say， you， too， can be President of the United States. (Laughter and applause.) A Yale degree is worth a lot， as I often remind Dick Cheney-(laughter)-who studied here， but left a little early.So now we know-if you graduate from Yale， you become President.If you drop out， you get to be Vice President. (Laughter.)
I appreciate so very much the chance to say a few words on this occasion. I know Yale has a tradition of having no commencement speaker.I also know that you've carved out a single exception.Most people think that to speak at Yale's commencement， you have to be President.But over the years， the specifications have become far more demanding.Now you have to be a Yale graduate， you have to be President， and you have had to have lost the Yale vote to Ralph Nader. (Applause.)
This is my first time back here in quite a while. I'm sure that each of you will make your own journey back at least a few times in your life.If you're like me， you won't remember everything you did here. (Laughter.) That can be a good thing. (Laughter.) But there will be some people， and some moments， you will never forget.
Take， for example， my old classmate， Dick Brodhead， the accomplished dean of this great university. (Applause.) I remember him as a young scholar， a bright lad-(laughter)-a hard worker. We both put a lot of time in at the Sterling Library， in the reading room， where they have those big leather couches. (Laughter.) We had a mutual understanding-Dick wouldn't read aloud， and I wouldn't snore. (Laughter.)
Our course selections were different， as we followed our own path to academic discovery. Dick was an English major， and loved the classics.I loved history， and pursued a diversified course of study.I like to think of it as the academic road less traveled. (Laughter.)
For example， I took a class that studied Japanese Haiku. Haiku， for the uninitiated， is a 15th century form of poetry， each poem having 17 syllables.Haiku is fully understood only by the Zen masters.As I recall， one of my academic advisers was worried about my selection of such a specialized course.He said I should focus on English. (Laughter.) I still hear that quite often. (Laughter.) But my critics don't realize I don't make verbal gaffes.I'm speaking in the perfect forms and rhythms of ancient Haiku. (Applause.)
I did take English here， and I took a class called"The History and Practice of American Oratory， "taught by Rollin G. Osterweis. (Applause.) And， President Levin， I want to give credit where credit is due.I want the entire world to know this-everything I know about the spoken word， I learned right here at Yale. (Laughter.)
As a student， I tried to keep a low profile. It worked.Last year the New York Times interviewed John Morton Blum because the record showed I had taken one of his courses.Casting his mind's eye over the parade of young faces down through the years， Professor Blum said， and I quote， "I don't have the foggiest recollection of him."（Laughter.)
But I remember Professor Blum. And I still recall his dedication and high standards of learning.In my time there were many great professors at Yale.And there still are.They're the ones who keep Yale going after the commencements， after we have all gone our separate ways.I'm not sure I remembered to thank them the last time I was here， but now that I have a second chance， I thank the professors of Yale University. (Applause.)
That's how I've come to feel about the Yale experience-grateful. I studied hard， I played hard， and I made a lot of lifelong friends.What stays with you from college is the part of your education you hardly ever notice at the time.It's the expectations and examples around you， the ideals you believe in， and the friends you make.
In my time， they spoke of the"Yale man."I was really never sure what that was. But I do think that I'm a better man because of Yale.All universities， at their best， teach that degrees and honors are far from the full measure of life.Nor is that measure taken in wealth or in titles.What matters most are the standards you live by， the consideration you show others， and the way you use the gifts you are given.
Now you leave Yale behind， carrying the written proof of your success here， at a college older than America. When I left here， I didn't have much in the way of a life plan.I knew some people who thought they did.But it turned out that we were all in for ups and downs， most of them unexpected.Life takes its own turns， makes its own demands， writes its own story.And along the way， we start to realize we are not the author.
We begin to understand that life is ours to live， but not to waste， and that the greatest rewards are found in the commitments we make with our whole hearts-to the people we love and to the causes that earn our sacrifice. I hope that each of you will know these rewards.I hope you will find them in your own way and your own time.
For some， that might mean some time in public service. And if you hear that calling， I hope you answer.Each of you has unique gifts and you were given them for a reason.Use them and share them.Public service is one way-an honorable way-to mark your life with meaning.
Today I visit not only my alma mater， but the city of my birth. My life began just a few blocks from here， but I was raised in West Texas.From there， Yale always seemed a world away， maybe a part of my future.Now it's part of my past， and Yale for me is a source of great pride.
I hope that there will come a time for you to return to Yale to say that， and feel as I do today. And I hope you won't wait as long.Congratulations and God bless. (Applause.)
我知道，耶鲁向来不邀请毕业典礼演讲人，但近几年来却有例外。虽然破了例，但条件却更加严格——演讲人必须同时具备两种身份：耶鲁校友、美国总统。我很骄傲在33年前领取到第一个耶鲁大学的学位。此次，我又荣获耶鲁荣誉学位感到光荣。
今天是诸位学友毕业的日子，在这里我首先要恭喜家长们：恭喜你们的子女修完学业顺利毕业，这是你们辛勤栽培后享受收获的日子，也是你们钱包解放的大好日子！最重要的是，我要恭喜耶鲁毕业生们：对于那些表现杰出的同学，我要说，你真棒！对于那些丙等生，我要说，你们将来也可以当美国总统！
耶鲁学位价值不菲。我时常这么提醒切尼（现任美国副总统），他在早年也短暂就读于此。所以，我想提醒正就读于耶鲁的莘莘学子，如果你们从耶鲁顺利毕业，你们也许可以当上总统；如果你们中途辍学，那么你们只能当副总统了。
这是我毕业以来第二次回到这里。不过，一些人，一些事至今让我念念不忘。举例来说，我记得我的老同学狄克·布洛德翰，如今他是伟大学校的杰出校长，他读书时的聪明与刻苦至今让我记忆犹新。那时，我们经常泡在校图书馆那个有着大皮沙发的阅读室里。我们有个默契：他不大声朗读课文，我睡觉不打呼噜。
后来，随着学术探索的领域不同，我们选修的课程也各不相同，狄克主修英语，我主修历史。有趣的是，我选修过15世纪的日本俳句——每首诗只有17个音节，我想其意义只有禅学大师才能明了。我记得一位学科顾问对我选修如此专精的课程表示担忧，他说我应该选修英语。现在，我仍然时常听到这类建议。我在其他场合演讲时，在语言表达上曾被人误解过，我的批评者不明白：我不是说错了字，我是在复诵古代俳句的完美格式与声韵呢。
我很感激耶鲁大学给我们提供了这么好的读书环境。读书期间，我坚持“用功读书，努力玩乐”的思想，虽然不是很出色地完成了学业，但结交了许多让我终生受益的朋友。也许有的同学会认为，大学只是人生受教育的重要部分，殊不知，“大学生活”这四个字的内涵十分深厚，它既包含丰富的学科知识和学术氛围，也蕴涵着许多支撑人生成败的观念，还有那丰富多彩的生活以及许多值得结交的朋友……
大家常说，“耶鲁人”，我从不确定那是什么意思。但是我想，这一定是含着无限肯定与景仰的褒义词。是的，因为耶鲁，因为有了在耶鲁深造的经历，你、我、他变成了一个个更加优秀的人！你们离开耶鲁后，我希望你们牢记“我的知识源自耶鲁”，并以你们自己的方式、自己的时间、自己的奋斗来体现对母校的热爱，听从时代的召唤，用信心与行动予以积极响应。
你们每个人都有独特的天赋，你们拥有的这些天赋就是你们参与竞争、实现人生价值的资本，好好利用它们，与人分享它们，将它们转化为推进时代前进的动力吧！人生是要让我们去生活、而不是用来浪费的，只要肯争上游，人人都可当总统！
这次我不仅回到母校，也是回到我的出生地，我就是在几条街之外出生的。在那时，耶鲁与无知的我仿佛要隔了一个世界之遥，而现在，她是我过去的一部分。对我而言，耶鲁是我知识的源泉，力量的源泉，令我极度骄傲的源泉。我希望，将来你们以另外一种身份回到耶鲁时，能有与我一样的感受并说出相同的话。我希望你们不要等太久，我也坚信耶鲁邀请你回校演讲的日子也不会等太久。
第三节 精彩语录
What stays with you from college is the part of your education you hardly ever notice at the time. It's the expectations and examples around you， the ideals you believe in， and the friends you make.
也许有的同学会认为，大学只是人生受教育的重要部分，殊不知，“大学生活”这四个字的内涵十分深厚，它既包含丰富的学科知识和学术氛围，也蕴涵着许多支撑人生成败的观念，还有那丰富多彩的生活以及许多值得结交的朋友。
Each of you has a unique talent， you have the talent that you participate in the competition， realize the value of life of the capital， make good use of them， share them with the people， turning them into promoting the motive force of the era！ Life is for us to live， but not to waste， as long as willing to do， everyone can become president！
你们每个人都有独特的天赋，你们拥有的这些天赋就是你们参与竞争、实现人生价值的资本，好好利用它们，与人分享它们，将它们转化为推进时代前进的动力吧！人生是要让我们去生活、而不是用来浪费的，只要肯争上游，人人都可当总统！