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八段經典演講節(jié)選（中英文對照）
一．
Man’s dearest possession is life. It is given to him but once, and he must live it so as to feel no torturing
regrets for wasted years, never know the burning shame of a mean and petty past; so live that, dying, he might
say: all my life, all my strength were given to the finest cause in all the world—the fight for the Liberation
of Mankind.
人生最寶貴的是生命。生命對于人來說只有一次。一個人的生命應該這樣度過：當他回首往事時，不因虛度年華而悔恨；也不會
因為碌碌無為而羞恥。在臨死的時候他能夠說：我的整個生命和全部精力都已經獻給了世界上最壯麗的事業(yè)――為人類的解放事業(yè)
而斗爭！
HELP：
possession: n.財產
torturing : adj. 使痛苦的
二．
Happiness lies not in the mere possession of money, it lies in the joy of achievement, in the thrill of creative
efforts, the joy and moral stimulation of work no longer must be forgotten in the mad chase of evanescent profits.
These dark days, my friends, will be worth all they cost us, if they teach us that our true destiny is not to be
ministered on to , but to minister to ourselves, to our fellow men.
幸福并不在于單純的占有金錢，幸福還在于取得成功后的喜悅，在于創(chuàng)造努力時的激情。務必不能再忘記勞動帶來的喜悅和激勵，
而去瘋狂追逐那轉瞬即逝的利潤。如果這些黯淡的日子能使我們認識到，我們真正的使命不是要別人侍奉，而是要為自己和同胞們
服務的話，那么，我們付出的代價是完全值得的。
HELP:
stimulation: n.激勵，刺激
evanescent: adj.漸漸消失的，易消散的
profit： vi.得益，利用
三．
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed-we hold theses
truths to be self-Oevident, that all men are created equal. I have a dream that one day on the red hills of
Georgia, sons of former slaves and sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of
brotherhood. I have a dream my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by
the color of their skin but by the content of their character. i have a dream today! When we allow freedom to
ring, when we let it ring from every village and hamlet, from every state and city, we will be able to speed up
that day when all of God’s children-black men and white men , jews and Gentiles, Catholics and Protestants-will
be able to join hands and to sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “free at least ,free at last . Thank
God Almighty, we are free at last.”
我有一個夢：有一天，這個國家將站起來，并實現(xiàn)他的信條的真正含義：我們將捍衛(wèi)這些不言而喻的真理，即所有人生來平等。我
有一個夢：有一天在喬治亞洲紅色的山丘上，從前的奴隸的子孫們能和奴隸主的子孫們像兄弟一樣坐在同一張桌旁；我有一個夢我
的四個孩子有一天將生活在這樣一個國度，在那里，人們不以膚色，而是以品格來評價他們。當自由的鐘聲響起的時候，當我們讓
它從每一個村莊，每一個州，每一個城市響起的時候 ，我們將能夠加速這一天的到來。那是，上帝所有的孩子，無論黑人白人還
是猶太人，異教徒。天主教徒，還是新教徒，他們都能夠手挽手歌唱那古老的黑人圣歌：“終于自由了，終于自由了，感謝上帝，
我們終于自由了！”
HELP：
Creed： n.信條
Brotherhood : n.手足情意， 兄弟關系
四．
I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We
have before us many, many months of struggle and suffering. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word,
it is victory. Victory at all costs—victory in spite of all terrors—victory, however long and hard the road may
be, for without victory there is no survival. Let that be realized, no survival for the British Empire, no
survival for all that British Empire has stood for , no survival for the urge, the impulse of the ages, that
mankind shall more forward toward his goal. I take up my task in buoyancy and hope. I feel sure that our cause
will not be suffered to fail among men. I feel entitled at this juncture, at this time, to claim the aid of all
and to say, “Come then, let us go forward together with our united strength.”
我能奉獻的唯有熱血、辛勞、淚水和汗水。我們所面臨的將是一場極為殘酷的考驗，我們面臨的將是曠日持久的斗爭和苦難。你若
問我們的目標是什么？我可以用一個詞來概括，那就是勝利。不惜一切代價去奪取勝利，不畏懼一切恐怖去奪取勝利，不論前路再
長再苦也要多去勝利，因為沒有勝利糾無法生存！我們必須意識到，沒有勝利就沒有大英帝國，沒有勝利就沒有大英帝國所象征的
一切，沒有勝利就沒有多少世紀以來強烈的要求和沖動：人類應當向自己的目標邁進。此刻，我的精神振奮，滿懷信心地承當起自
己的人物。我確信，只要我們大家聯(lián)合，我們的事業(yè)就不會挫敗。此時此刻千鈞一發(fā)之際，我覺得我有權要求各方面的支持。我要
呼吁：“來吧，讓我們群策努力，并肩邁進！”
HELP：
Grievous: adj. 令人憂傷的
Buoyancy: n. 浮性 浮力 輕快
Entitled： adj. 有資格的
五.
My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. My fellow
citizens of the world, ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of men.
Finally whether you are citizens of America, or citizens of the world, ask of us here, the same high standards of
strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience of our only sure reward, with history the final
judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that
here on earth, God's work must truly be our own.--By John F. Kennedy
譯文：
美國同胞們，不要問美國能為你們做些什么，應該問你們能為美國貢獻些什么。全世界的同胞們，不要問美國將為你做些什
么，應該問我們一同能為人類的自由做些什么。最后，無論你是美國公民還是其他國家的同胞，你們應該要求我們獻出我們同樣要
求于你們的高度的力量和犧牲。無愧于心是我們惟一可靠的獎賞，歷史是我們行動最終的裁判。這一切讓我們大步向前，去引領我
們所熱愛的這片土地。我們祈求上帝的保佑和幫助，但我們很清楚，上帝在塵世的工作必定是我們自己的工作。
--[美]約翰·肯尼迪
citizen: n.市民,公民
sacrifice: n./ v.犧牲,獻身
conscience: n.良心,道德心
六、
Let me express my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself-nameless, unreasoning,
unjustified terror, which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our
national life, a leadership of frankness and vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people
themselves, which is essential to victory and I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership
in these critical days. In such a spirit on my part and on yours, we face our common difficulties. They concern,
thank God, only material things.--By Franklin D. Roosevelt
譯文：
讓我來表明我堅定的信念：我們不得不害怕的其實就是害怕本身--一種莫名奇妙的、喪失理智的、毫無根據(jù)的恐懼。它把人們
轉退為進所需要的種種努力化為泡影。但凡在我國生活陰云密布的時刻，坦率而有活力的領導都得到過人民的理解和支持，從而為
勝利準備了不可缺少的必要條件。我相信，在目前危機的時刻，大家會再次給與同樣的支持。我和你們都要以這種精神來共同面對
困難。感謝上帝，這些困難只是物質方面的。
--[美]弗蘭克林·羅斯福
unreasoning: adj.喪失理智的
unjustified: adj.毫無根據(jù)的
frankness: n.率直,坦白
七、
In this symposium, better is it to only sit in silence. To express one's feelings as the end draws near is too
intimate a task. That I would mention only one thought that comes to me as a listener-in: the riders in a race do
not stop short when they reach the goal, there is a little finishing canter before coming to a standstill, there
is time to hear the kind voice of friends, and to say to oneself, the work is done. But just as one says that, the
answer comes, the race is over, but the work never is done while the power to work remains. The canter that
brings you to a standstill need not be only coming to rest; it cannot be while you still live. But to live is to
function, that is all there is in living. So I end with a land from a Latin voice: death, death, clutches my ear,
and says, live, I am coming.--By Oliver Wendell Holmes
譯文：
此刻，沉默是金。要在生命即將完結之時表達個人感受并非易事。但我只是想談談作為一名傾聽者的看法。騎士們并非一到終
點就立刻止步。他們繼續(xù)緩步向前，傾聽朋友們的歡呼。他們雖然告訴自己行程已經結束了。正如人們所說結果出來了,比賽結束
了。但只要動力仍在，人生之旅就尚未結束。終點之后的慢跑并非停止不前，因為活著便不能如此。活著就要有所作為，這才是生
命的真諦。最后謹以一句古拉丁格言與各位共勉：死神不止，奮斗不止。
--[美]奧利佛·文德爾·荷默斯
in this symposium:此刻
At this timegoal: n.目的,目標
standstill: n.停止
八、
The grandest of these ideals is an unfolding American promise that everyone belongs, that everyone deserves
a chance that no insignificant person was ever born. Americans are called to enact this promise in our lives and
in our laws. And though our nation has sometimes halted, and sometimes delayed, we must follow no other course.
Through much of the last century, America's faith in freedom and democracy was a rock in a raging sea. Now it is
a seed upon the wind, taking root in many nations. Our democratic faith is more than the creed of our country, it
is the inborn hope of our humanity, an ideal we carry but do not own, a trust we bear and pass along. And even
after nearly 225 years, we have a long way yet to travel. --By George W.Bush
譯文：
這些理想中最偉大的是正在慢慢實現(xiàn)的美國的承諾，這就是：每個人都有自身的價值，每個人都有成功的機會，每個人天生都
會有所作為的。美國人民肩負著一種使命，那就是要竭力將這個諾言變成生活中和法律上的現(xiàn)實。雖然我們的國家過去在追求實現(xiàn)
這個承諾的途中停滯不前甚至倒退，但我們仍將堅定不移地完成這一使命。在上個世紀的大部分時間里，美國自由民主的信念猶如
洶涌大海中的巖石。現(xiàn)在它更像風中的種子，把自由帶給每個民族。在我們的國家，民主不僅僅是一種信念，而是全人類的希望；
民主，我們不會獨占，而會竭力讓大家分享；民主，我們將銘記于心并且不斷傳播。225年過去了，我們仍有很長的路要走。
--[美]喬治·布什
insignificant: adj.無關緊要的、可忽略的 | 
