常春藤名家散文精選 第20期:林肯蓋茨堡演講詞
第二十課 林肯蓋茨堡演講詞
Fourscore and seven years ago, our fathers broughtforth on this continent a new nation,
八十七年前，我們的祖先在這塊大陸上建立了個新國家，
conceived in liberty and dedicated to theproposition that all men are created equal.
這個國家是以自由為理念，并致力于人生而平等的主張。
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testingwhether that nation，or any nation so conceivedand so dedicated，can long endure.
現(xiàn)在我們投身于這場偉大的內(nèi)戰(zhàn)。這個內(nèi)戰(zhàn)在考驗這個新國家或是任何一個有相同理念、致力于相同主張的國家能否長久存在。
We are met on a great battlefield of that war.
我們相會于這場戰(zhàn)爭的偉大戰(zhàn)場上。
We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who heregave their lives that that nation might live.
我們來到這里，將這戰(zhàn)場上的小塊土地奉獻給那些為國家生存而捐軀的人，以作為他們最后安息之地。
It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
我們這樣做是十分適當(dāng)?shù)?，也是?yīng)該的。
But in a larger sense we cannot dedicate-we cannot consecrate-we cannot hallow-this ground.
但就廣義而言，我們卻無法奉獻這塊土地，無法把這塊土地變得神圣，
The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poorpower to add or detract.
因為在此奮戰(zhàn)過的勇者，不論是生是死，都已經(jīng)將這塊土地變得如此神圣，以致我們薄弱的力量實不能再對它有所揚抑。
The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget whatthey did here.
我們現(xiàn)在在這里所說的話，世人是不太注意的，過不久都會忘記，但這些勇者在此曾有的表現(xiàn)世人將水遠銘記在心。
It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they whofought here have thus far so nobly advanced.
我們活著的人，應(yīng)該在這塊土地上獻身于那些曾被努力推進卻尚未完成的工作。
It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us:
我們實在應(yīng)該獻身于這些勇者所遺留給我們的眼前這個偉大任務(wù):
that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gavethe last full measure of devotion;
這些光榮過世的先烈們曾為國家大業(yè)奉獻到底，而我們則應(yīng)秉承他們的奉獻精神，更加全力以赴;
that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain;
我們決意不計這些先烈白白犧牲;
that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom;
在上帝的庇佑之下，自由將在我國重生，
and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from theearth.
而這個民有、民治、民享的政府將永存于世。
