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Obama Re-Election Speech 奥巴马连任演说

导读

贝拉克·侯赛因·奥巴马二世（Barack Hussein Obama II,1961—），美国民主党政治家。第56届、第57届美国总统（连任）。为美国历史上第一位非裔总统，首位同时拥有黑（卢欧族）白（英德爱混血）血统的总统。2007年2月10日，他以侧重完结伊拉克战争及实施全民医疗保险制为竞选纲领，正式宣布参加2008年美国总统选举，并于同年11月4日正式当选。2009年10月9日，获得诺贝尔委员会颁发的诺贝尔和平奖。2012年11月6日（北京时间2012年11月7日），奥巴马在美国总统选举中击败共和党候选人罗姆尼，成功连任。本篇演讲即奥巴马连任时发表的演讲。

Thank you so much.

非常感谢各位。

Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward.

今夜，在当年的殖民地赢得了决定自己命运的权利200多年以后，让美利坚合众国更加完美的任务又向前推进了一步。

It moves forward because of you. It moves forward because you reaffirmed the spirit that has triumphed over war and depression, the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of despair to the great heights of hope, the belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are an American family and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people.

这一进程是因为你们而向前推进的，因为你们再次确认了那种使美国胜利克服了战争和萧条的精神，那种使美国摆脱绝望的深渊并走向希望的最高点的精神，以及那种虽然我们每个人都在追求自己的个人梦想、但我们同属一个美国大家庭、并作为一个国家和民族共同进退的信仰。

Tonight, in this election, you, the American people, reminded us that while our road has been hard, while our journey has been long, we have picked ourselves up, we have fought our way back, and we know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come.

今晚，在选举的过程中，你们——美国的人民，让我们记得我们的道路是非常艰辛的，我们的道路是漫长的，我们重新站了起来，我们也从内心知道，美国还没有迎来最好的时代。

I want to thank every American who participated in this election, whether you voted for the very first time or waited in line for a very long time. By the way, we have to fix that. Whether you pounded the pavement or picked up the phone, whether you held an Obama sign or a Romney sign, you made your voice heard and you made a difference.

我想感谢每一个参与选举的美国人。无论你们是第一次投票，还是（排队）等了很长的时间才投上一票——顺便说一下我会解决这个问题。无论你是自己上门投的票，还是打电话投的票；无论你是投给奥巴马还是投给罗姆尼，你都是为我们国家带来转变的力量。

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You'll hear the determination in the voice of a young field organizer who's working his way through college and wants to make sure every child has that same opportunity. You'll hear the pride in the voice of a volunteer who's going door to door because her brother was finally hired when the local auto plant added another shift. You'll hear the deep patriotism in the voice of a military spouse who's working the phones late at night to make sure that no one who fights for this country ever has to fight for a job or a roof over their head when they come home.

你将从一位年轻的活动现场组织者的声音里听到他的决心，他边在大学里学习边从事助选工作，他希望确保每个孩子都能拥有同样的机会。你将从一位志愿者的声音里听到她的骄傲，她挨门动员选民是因为她哥哥终因当地一家汽车制造厂增加了一个班次而有了工作。你将从一位军嫂的声音里听到深深的爱国情怀。他们深夜时还在接听选举电话，以确保那些曾经为这个国家作战的人不会返回家园时还要为得到一份工作或栖身之所而苦苦争斗。

That's why we do this. That's what politics can be. That's why elections matter. It's not small, it's big. It's important. Democracy in a nation of 300 million can be noisy and messy and complicated. We have our own opinions. Each of us has deeply held beliefs. And when we go through tough times, when we make big decisions as a country, it necessarily stirs passions, stirs up controversy.

正因为如此，我们要进行选举。这是政治所能够实现的。正因为如此，选举很重要。这不是小事，而是大事，是至关重要的事。在一个有三亿人口的国家实行民主制度可能嘈杂不堪、一团混乱、情况复杂。我们有自己的观点。我们每个人都有自己深信的信仰。当我们经历艰难时期，当我们作为一个国家做出重大决定时，这必然会激发热情，也必然会引发争议。

That won't change after tonight, and it shouldn't. These arguments we have are a mark of our liberty. We can never forget that as we speak people in distant nations are risking their lives right now just for a chance to argue about the issues that matter, the chance to cast their ballots like we did today.

今晚过后，这都不会改变，也不应该改变。我们进行的这些争论恰恰体现了我们的自由。我们永远不应忘记，就在我们讲话之际，遥远国度的人们现在正冒着生命危险，仅仅是为了获得一个能够对重要问题进行争论、像我们今天这样投票的机会。

But despite all our differences, most of us share certain hopes for America's future. We want our kids to grow up in a country where they have access to the best schools and the best teachers. A country that lives up to its legacy as the global leader in technology and discovery and innovation, with all the good jobs and new businesses that follow.

不过，尽管我们存在这样那样的分歧，我们大多数人都对美国的未来有着某些共同的希望。我们希望我们的孩子成长的国家能够让他们上最好的学校、接受最好老师的教导。一个无愧于全球技术、探索和创新领袖的光辉历史的国家，倘能如此，各种好工作和新企业将随之而来。

We want our children to live in an America that isn't burdened by debt, that isn't weakened by inequality, that isn't threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet. We want to pass on a country that's safe and respected and admired around the world, a nation that is defended by the strongest military on earth and the best troops this world has ever known. But also a country that moves with confidence beyond this time of war, to shape a peace that is built on the promise of freedom and dignity for every human being.

我们希望我们的孩子能够生活在一个没有债务之累、没有不公之苦、没有全球变暖带来的破坏之虞的美国。我们希望留给后代一个安全、受到全球尊重和赞赏的国家，一个由全球有史以来最强大的军事力量和最好的部队保卫的国家，一个满怀信心走过战争、在人人享有自由和尊严的承诺之上构建和平的国家。

We believe in a generous America, in a compassionate America, in a tolerant America，open to the dreams of an immigrant's daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to our flag. To the young boy on the south side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the nearest street corner. To the furniture worker's child in North Carolina who wants to become a doctor or a scientist, an engineer or an entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a president-that's the future we hope for. That's the vision we share. That's where we need to go-forward. That's where we need to go.

我们坚信一个慷慨的美国、一个富有同情心的美国、一个宽容的美国。美国向一位移民的女儿的梦想打开了大门，让她有机会在我们的学校学习、对着我们的国旗宣誓；美国向芝加哥南部地区的一个小男孩打开了大门，让他有机会看到一个最近街角以外的远大人生；美国向北卡罗来纳州的一位家具工人的孩子打开了大门，让他有机会实现自己当医生或科学家、工程师或企业家、外交官甚至是总统的梦想，这是我们希望的未来。这是我们共同的愿景。这是我们奔赴的方向，向前的方向。这是我们需要实现的目标。

Now, we will disagree, sometimes fiercely, about how to get there. As it has for more than two centuries, progress will come in fits and starts. It's not always a straight line. It's not always a smooth path. By itself, the recognition that we have common hopes and dreams won't end all the gridlock or solve all our problems or substitute for the painstaking work of building consensus and making the difficult compromises needed to move this country forward. But that common bond is where we must begin.

现在，我们对如何实现这一目标存在分歧，有时分歧还很严重。正如两个多世纪以来一样，进展的取得将是断断续续，并非总是一条直线，并非总是一帆风顺。承认我们拥有共同的希望和梦想，仅凭这一点不会结束所有的僵局，或解决我们所有的问题，或代替推动这个国家向前所需的达成共识和做出艰难让步的辛苦努力。不过，这一共同的纽带是我们必须开始的地方。

Our economy is recovering. A decade of war is ending. A long campaign is now over. And whether I earned your vote or not, I have listened to you, I have learned from you, and you've made me a better president. And with your stories and your struggles, I return to the White House more determined and more inspired than ever about the work there is to do and the future that lies ahead.

我们的经济正在好转。长达10年的战争即将结束。一场漫长的竞选现已落幕。无论我是否赢得了你们的选票，我一直在倾听你们的故事，向你们学习，是你们使我成为一位更好的总统。听过你们的故事和困难经历，我在重返白宫时对今后需要做的工作和未来将怀着比以往更坚定的决心和更大的热情。

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America, I believe we can build on the progress we've made and continue to fight for new jobs and new opportunity and new security for the middle class. I believe we can keep the promise of our founders, the idea that if you're willing to work hard, it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love. It doesn't matter whether you're black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you're willing to try.

国民们，我相信我们有能力在已经取得的进步的基础上再进一步，继续为了给中产阶级创造新的工作、新的机遇、新的保障而战斗。我相信我们有能力信守开国者们许下的诺言，信守这样一种理念，那就是不管你是谁，不管你来自哪里，不管你长相如何，不管你爱着哪个地方，你所需要做的就是努力工作。不管你的肤色是黑是白，不管你是拉美裔、亚裔还是美国原住民，不管你年轻还是年老，富有还是贫穷，身体健全或是残障，同性恋还是异性恋，只要你愿意努力，就能够在美国大有作为。

I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. We're not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are and forever will be the United States of America.

我相信我们有能力共同握住这样的未来，因为美国人民并不像政界那么严重分歧。美国人民不像某些饱学之士所认为的那样愤世嫉俗。美国的抱负并不是每一个美国人的抱负的简单加总，美国也不是红州和蓝州的简单联合。我们是美利坚合众国，我们将永远是美利坚合众国。

And together with your help and God's grace we will continue our journey forward and remind the world just why it is that we live in the greatest nation on Earth.

有你们的帮助，有上帝的仁慈，我们将继续携手前行，让全世界知道我们生活在全球最伟大的国度的原因到底是什么。

Thank you, America. God bless you. God bless these United States.

谢谢你，国民们。上帝保佑你们。上帝保佑美国。

Cloze 选词填空

What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold 1 the most diverse nation on earth. The belief that our destiny is 2; that this country only works 3 we accept certain obligations to one 4 and to future generations. The freedom which so many Americans have 5 for and died for come 6 responsibilities as well as 7. And among those are love and charity and duty and 8. That's what makes America great.

Key

1. together 2. shared 3. when 4. another

5. fought 6. with 7. rights 8. patriotism

Translation Practices 翻译练习

America, I believe we can build on the progress we've made and continue to fight for new jobs and new opportunity and new security for the middle class. I believe we can keep the promise of our founders, the idea that if you're willing to work hard, it doesn't matter who you are or where you come from or what you look like or where you love. It doesn't matter whether you're black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, disabled, gay or straight, you can make it here in America if you're willing to try.

参考译文

国民们，我相信我们有能力在已经取得的进步的基础上再进一步，继续为了给中产阶级创造新的工作、新的机遇、新的保障而战斗。我相信我们有能力信守开国者们许下的诺言，信守这样一种理念，那就是不管你是谁，不管你来自哪里，不管你长相如何，不管你爱着哪个地方，你所需要做的就是努力工作。不管你的肤色是黑是白，不管你是拉美裔、亚裔还是美国原住民，不管你年轻还是年老，富有还是贫穷，身体健全或是残障，同性恋还是异性恋，只要你愿意努力，就能够在美国大有作为。

Emulation 美文自己写得出——学生仿写

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