Bulletin Board

07/10/12 New Feature: 左键双击任意英文单词就能显示解释
07/11/14 All the articles clipped from other websites are for the mere usage of language learning

显示标签为“speech”的博文。显示所有博文
显示标签为“speech”的博文。显示所有博文

2009年2月17日星期二

温家宝在剑桥大学的演讲(中英双语)

挺早之前就想贴出来了,一直没时间整理. 现在奉上"正餐".

用发展的眼光看中国

━━在剑桥大学的演讲

 中华人民共和国国务院总理 温家宝
Wen Jiabao, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China

 
尊敬的理查德校长,

女士们,先生们:

来到向往已久的剑桥大学,非常高兴。剑桥举世闻名,培养出牛顿、达尔文、培根等许多杰出的科学家、思想家,为人类文明进步作出了重要贡献。今年是剑桥建校800周年,我谨致以热烈祝贺!

Vice Chancellor Alison Richard, Ladies and Gentlemen,

  It gives me great pleasure to come to Cambridge, a world-renowned university that I have long wanted to visit. Cambridge has produced many great scientists and thinkers Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Francis Bacon, to name but a few, and made important contribution to the progress of human civilization. This year marks the 800th anniversary of the university. Please accept my warm congratulations.

这是我第四次访问英国。中英相距遥远,但两国人民的友好交往不断增多。香港问题的圆满解决,经贸、文教、科技等领域的有效合作,为发展中英全面战略伙伴关系奠定了坚实基础。在此,我向长期致力于中英友好的朋友们表示崇高的敬意!

  This is my fourth visit to your country. Despite the great distance between China and Britain, the friendly exchanges between our peoples have been on the rise. The successful resolution of the question of Hong Kong and fruitful cooperation between our two countries in areas such as economy, trade, culture, education, science and technology have cemented the foundation of our comprehensive strategic partnership. Here, I wish to pay high tribute to all those who have been working tirelessly to promote friendly ties between our two countries.

今天,我演讲的题目是:用发展的眼光看中国。

The title of my speech today is "See China in the Light of Her Development".

我深深爱着的祖国——古老而又年轻。

My beloved motherland is a country both old and young.

说她古老,她是一个有着数千年文明史的东方大国。中华民族以自己的勤劳和智慧,创造了灿烂的古代文明,对人类发展作出过重大贡献。

 She is old, because she is a big Oriental country with a civilization stretching back several thousand years. With diligence and wisdom, the Chinese nation created a splendid civilization and made significant contributions to the progress of humanity.

说她年轻,新中国成立才60年,改革开放才30年。中国人民经过长期不懈的斗争建立了新中国,又经过艰苦的探索,终于找到了适合国情的发展道路——中国特色社会主义道路,文明古国焕发了青春活力。

  She is young, because the People's Republic is just 60 years old, and the country began reform and opening-up only 30 years ago. The Chinese people established the New China after unremitting struggles and ultimately found a development path suited to China's national conditions through painstaking efforts. This is the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Following this path, our ancient civilization has been rejuvenated.

中国改革开放,最重要的是解放思想,最根本、最具有长远意义的是体制创新。我们推进经济体制改革,建立了社会主义市场经济体制。在政府的宏观调控下,充分发挥市场对资源配置的基础性作用。我们深化政治体制改革,把发展民主和完善法制结合起来,实行人民当家作主,依法治国,建设社会主义法治国家。


  The key element of China's reform and opening-up is to free people's mind and the most fundamental and significant component is institutional innovation. Through economic reform, we have built a socialist market economy, where the market plays a primary role in allocating resources under government macro-regulation. We have carried out political reform, promoted democracy and improved the legal system. People are the masters of the country. We run the country according to law and endeavor to build a socialist country under the rule of law.


改革开放的实质,就是坚持以人为本,通过解放和发展生产力满足人们日益增长的物质文化需求,在公正的条件下促进人的全面发展;就是保障人民的民主权利,让国家政通人和、兴旺发达;就是维护人的尊严和自由,让每个人的智慧和力量得以迸发,成功地追求自己的幸福生活。


  The essence of China's reform and opening-up is to put people first and meet their ever growing material and cultural needs through releasing and developing productive forces. It aims to give everyone equal opportunities for all-round development. It aims to protect the democratic rights of the people and promote stability, harmony and prosperity across the land. And it aims to safeguard the dignity and freedom of everyone so that he or she may pursue happiness with ingenuity and hard work.

30年来,中国贫困人口减少了2亿多,人均寿命提高了5岁,8300万残疾人得到政府和社会的特殊关爱,这是中国保障人权的光辉业绩。九年免费义务教育的推行,农村合作医疗制度的建立,社会保障体系的完善,使学有所教、病有所医、老有所养的理想,正在变为现实。

Over the past three decades, more than 200 million Chinese have been lifted out of poverty, the average life expectancy has increased by 5 years, and the 83 million people with disabilities in China have received special care from the government and the society. All this points to the tremendous efforts China has made to protect human rights. We have introduced free nine-year compulsory education throughout the country, established the cooperative medical system in the rural areas and improved the social safety net. The age-old dream of the Chinese nation is being turned into reality a dream to see the young educated, the sick treated and the old cared for.

我愿借用两句唐诗形容中国的现状:“潮平两岸阔,风正一帆悬。”中国人正在努力实现现代化,这是一个古而又新的发展中大国进行的一场伟大实践。掌握了自己命运的中国人民,对未来充满信心!
 I want to quote from a Tang Dynasty poem to describe what is happening in China, "From shore to shore it is wide at high tide, and before fair wind a sail is lifting." The Chinese people are working hard to modernize their country. This is a great practice in a large developing country both ancient and new. The Chinese people, with destiny in their own hands, are full of confidence in their future.

我深深爱着的祖国——历经磨难而又自强不息。
 My beloved motherland is a country that stood numerous vicissitudes but never gave up.

我年轻时曾长期工作在中国的西北地区。在那浩瀚的沙漠中,生长着一种稀有的树种,叫胡杨。它扎根地下50多米,抗干旱、斗风沙、耐盐碱,生命力极其顽强。它“生而一千年不死,死而一千年不倒,倒而一千年不朽”,世人称为英雄树。我非常喜欢胡杨,它是中华民族坚韧不拔精神的象征。


  Earlier in my career, I worked in northwest China for many years. There, in the boundless desert, grows a rare variety of tree called euphrates poplar. Rooted over 50 meters down the ground, they thrive in hostile environments, defying droughts, sandstorms and salinization. They are known as the "hero tree", because a euphrates poplar can live for a thousand years. Even after it dies, it stands upright for a thousand years, and even after it falls, it stays intact for another thousand years. I like euphrates poplar because they symbolize the resilience of the Chinese nation.

千百年来,中华民族一次次战胜了天灾人祸,渡过了急流险滩,昂首挺胸地走到今天。深重的灾难,铸就了她百折不挠、自强不息的品格。中华民族的历史证明了一个真理:一个民族在灾难中失去的,必将从民族的进步中得到补偿。

  Over the millennia, the Chinese nation has weathered numerous disasters, both natural and man-made, surmounted all kinds of difficulties and challenges, and made her way to where she proudly stands today. The long sufferings have only made her a nation of fortitude and perseverance. The experience of the Chinese nation attests to a truth: what a nation loses in times of disaster will be made up for by her progress.

此时此刻,我不禁想起在汶川地震灾区的亲身经历。去年5月,四川汶川发生震惊世界的特大地震,北川中学被夷为平地,孩子伤亡惨重。可是,时隔10天,当我第二次来到这里时,乡亲们已在废墟上搭起了板房教室,校园里又回荡着孩子们朗朗的读书声。当时我在黑板上,给同学们写下了“多难兴邦”几个字。地震发生以来,我7次到汶川灾区,碰到这样感人的事迹不胜枚举。我为我们中华民族这种愈挫愈奋的精神深深感动。这种伟大的精神,正是我们的民族饱经忧患而愈益坚强、生生不息的力量源泉。

  I am reminded of the experience that I had in Wenchuan, Sichuan Province after the devastating earthquake there last May. That earthquake shocked the whole world. It flattened Beichuan Middle School and claimed many young lives. But only 10 days after the earthquake, when I went there for the second time, I had before my eyes new classrooms built on debris by local villagers with planks. Once again, the campus echoed with the sound of students reading aloud. I wrote down 4 Chinese characters on the blackboard, meaning "A country will emerge stronger from adversities." I have been to Wenchuan seven times since the earthquake and witnessed countless touching scenes like this. I am deeply moved by the unyielding spirit of my people. This great national spirit is the source of strength which has enabled the Chinese nation to emerge from all the hardships stronger than before.

经过半个多世纪的艰苦奋斗,中国有了比较大的发展,经济总量跃居世界前列,但我们仍然是一个发展中国家,同发达国家相比还有很大的差距。人口多,底子薄,发展不平衡,这种基本国情还没有从根本上得到改变。中国的人均GDP水平,排在世界100位之后,仅为英国的1/16左右。到过中国旅游的朋友,你们所看到的城市是现代的,而我们的农村还比较落后。


  With hard work over the past half century and more, China has achieved great progress. Its total economic output is now one of the largest in the world. However, we remain a developing country and we are keenly aware of the big gap that we have with the developed countries. There has been no fundamental change in our basic national condition: a big population, weak economic foundation and uneven development. China's per capita GDP ranks behind 100 countries in the world and is only about 1/18 that of Britain. Those of you who have been to China as tourists must have seen the modern cities, but our rural areas are still quite backward.

到本世纪中叶,中国要基本实现现代化,面临三大历史任务:既要努力实现欧洲早已完成的工业化,又要追赶新科技革命的浪潮;既要不断提高经济发展水平,又要实现社会公平正义;既要实现国内的可持续发展,又要承担相应的国际责任。中国要赶上发达国家水平,还有很长很长的路要走,还会遇到许多艰难险阻。但是,任何困难都阻挡不住中国人民前进的步伐,只要我们坚持不懈地努力奋斗,中国现代化的目标就一定能够实现。

To basically achieve modernization by the middle of this century, we must accomplish three major tasks: first, achieve industrialization, which Europe has long completed, while keeping abreast of the latest trends of the scientific and technological revolution; second, promote economic growth while ensuring social equity and justice; and third, pursue sustainable development at home while accepting our share of international responsibilities. The journey ahead will be long and arduous, but no amount of difficulty will stop the Chinese people from marching forward. Through persistent efforts, we will reach our goal.

我深深爱着的祖国——珍视传统而又开放兼容。

 My beloved motherland is a country that values her traditions while opening her arms to the outside world.

中华传统文化底蕴深厚、博大精深。“和”在中国古代历史上被奉为最高价值,是中华文化的精髓。中国古老的经典——《尚书》就提出“百姓昭明,协和万邦”的理想,主张人民和睦相处,国家友好往来。

  The traditional Chinese culture is rich, extensive and profound. Harmony, the supreme value cherished in ancient China, lies at the heart of the Chinese culture. The Book of History, an ancient classic in China for example, advocates amity among people and friendly exchanges among nations.

“和为贵”的文化传统,哺育了中华民族宽广博大的胸怀。我们的民族,既能像大地承载万物一样,宽厚包容;又能像苍天刚健运行一样,彰显正义。

 The Chinese cultural tradition values peace as the most precious. This has nurtured the broad mind of the Chinese nation. The Chinese nation is generous and tolerant, just as Mother Earth cares for all living things. She is in constant pursuit of justice, just as the eternal movement of the Universe.

15世纪,中国著名航海家郑和七下西洋,到过三十几个国家。他带去了中国的茶叶、丝绸、瓷器,还帮助沿途有的国家剿灭海盗,真正做到了播仁爱于友邦。

  In the 15th century, the famous Chinese navigator Zheng He led seven maritime expeditions to the Western Seas and reached over 30countries. He took with him Chinese tea, silk and porcelain and helped local people fight pirates as he sailed along. He was truly a messenger of love and friendship.

国强必霸,不适合中国。称霸,既有悖于我们的文化传统,也违背中国人民意志。中国的发展不损害任何人,也不威胁任何人。中国要做和平的大国、学习的大国、合作的大国,致力于建设一个和谐的世界。

  The argument that a big power is bound to seek hegemony does not apply to China. Seeking hegemony goes against China's cultural tradition as well as the will of the Chinese people. China's development harms no one and threatens no one. We shall be a peace-loving country, a country that is eager to learn from and cooperate with others. We are committed to building a harmonious world.

不同国家、不同民族的文化,需要相互尊重、相互包容和相互学习。今天的中国,有3亿人在学英语,有100多万青年人在国外留学。我们的电视、广播、出版等新闻传媒,天天都在介绍世界各地的文化艺术。正因为我们善于在交流中学习,在借鉴中收获,才有今天中国的繁荣和进步。

 Different countries and nations need to respect, tolerate and learn from each other's culture. Today, 300 million Chinese are learning English and over one million of our young people are studying abroad. The cultures and arts of various parts of the world are featured daily on China's television, radio and print media. Had we not learned from others through exchanges and enriched ourselves by drawing on others' experience, we would not have enjoyed today's prosperity and progress.

进入21世纪,经济全球化、信息网络化,已经把世界连成一体,文化的发展将不再是各自封闭的,而是在相互影响中多元共存。一个国家、一个民族对人类文化贡献的大小,越来越取决于她吸收外来文化的能力和自我更新的能力。中国将永远坚持开放兼容的方针,既珍视传统,又博采众长,用文明的方式、和谐的方式实现经济繁荣和社会进步。

  In the 21st century, economic globalization and the information network have linked us all together. Different cultures live together and influence each other. No culture can flourish in isolation. How much a country or a nation contributes to the culture of humanity is increasingly determined by her ability to absorb foreign cultures and renew herself. That is why China will remain open and receptive, value her own traditions while drawing on others' successful experience, and achieve economic prosperity and social progress in a civilized and harmonious way.

女士们,先生们!

我之所以强调用发展的眼光看中国,就是因为世界在变,中国也在变。如今的中国,早已不是一百年前封闭落后的旧中国,也不是30年前贫穷僵化的中国。经过改革开放,中国的面貌已焕然一新。北京奥运会向世界展示的,就是这样一个古老、多彩和现代的中国。我希望朋友们,多到中国走一走、看一看,了解今天的中国人究竟在想什么、做什么、关心什么。这样,有助于你们认识一个真实的、不断发展变化着的中国,也有助于你们了解中国是如何应对当前这场全球性金融危机的。


 Ladies and Gentlemen,

  I stress the importance of seeing China in the light of her development, because the world is changing and China is changing. China is no longer the closed and backward society it was 100 years ago, or the poor and ossified society 30 years ago. Thanks to reform and opening-up, China has taken on a new look. What the Beijing Olympic Games showcased is a colorful China, both ancient and modern. I therefore encourage you to visit China more often and see more places there. This way, you will better understand what the Chinese people are thinking and doing, and what they are interested in. You will get to know the true China, a country constantly developing and changing. You will also better appreciate how China has been tackling the ongoing global financial crisis.


在这场前所未有的世界金融危机中,中国和包括英国在内的欧洲都受到严重冲击。现在危机尚未见底,由此可能带来的各种严重后果还难以预料。合作应对、共渡难关,是我们的首要任务。


  This unprecedented financial crisis has inflicted a severe impact on both China and Britain as well as other European countries. The crisis has not yet hit the bottom, and it is hard to predict what further damage it may cause. To work together and tide over the difficulties has become our top priority.

我认为,应对全球性危机,需要增进合作。有多大程度的相互信任,就可能有多大程度的合作。中国政府主张:第一,要首先办好各国自己的事情,不把麻烦推给别人;第二,要精诚合作,不搞以邻为壑;第三,要标本兼治,不能头疼医头、脚疼医脚。我在达沃斯会议上已重申,应该对国际货币金融体系进行必要的改革,建立公平、公正、包容、有序的国际金融新秩序,努力营造有利于全球经济发展的制度环境。

  I believe that closer cooperation is needed to meet the global crisis, and the level of cooperation hinges upon the level of mutual trust. The Chinese Government maintains that countries should: first and foremost, run their own affairs well and refrain from shifting troubles onto others; second, carry out cooperation with full sincerity and avoid pursuing one's own interests at the expense of others; and third, address both the symptoms and the root cause of the problem. A palliative approach will not work. We should not treat only the head when the head aches, and the foot when the foot hurts. As I reiterated at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, necessary reform of the international monetary and financial systems should be carried out to establish a new international financial order that is fair, equitable, inclusive and well-managed. We should create an institutional environment conducive to global economic growth.


这里我想谈一谈中国是如何应对这场金融危机的。

Let me talk briefly about how China has been responding to the crisis.

金融危机对中国实体经济的影响日益显现。从去年第三季度以来,出口大幅下滑,经济增速放缓,就业压力加大。中国经济面临着严峻的局面。面对危机,我们果断决策,及时调整宏观经济政策取向,迅速出台扩大国内需求的十项措施,陆续制定了一系列政策,形成了系统完整的促进经济平稳较快发展的一揽子计划。主要包括以下几个方面:

The fallout of the financial crisis on China's real economy is becoming more evident. Since the third quarter of last year, our exports have declined sharply, economic growth has slowed down, and the pressure on employment has been rising. In the face of the grim situation, we have acted decisively. We have made timely adjustment to the direction of our macroeconomic policy, promptly introduced ten measures to expand domestic demand, and formulated a series of related policies. Together, they make up a systematic and comprehensive package plan aimed at promoting steady and relatively fast economic growth. Its main contents are:

一是大规模增加政府支出扩大内需。中国政府推出了以财政支出带动社会投资,总额达4万亿元的两年计划,规模相当于2007年中国GDP的16%。主要投向保障性安居工程、农村民生工程、铁路交通等基础设施、社会事业、生态环保建设和地震灾后恢复重建。中国政府还推出了大规模的减税计划,一年可减轻企业和居民负担约5000亿元。我们还大幅度降息和增加银行体系流动性,出台了一系列金融措施。
  
  First, substantially increase government spending to boost domestic demand. The Chinese Government has announced a two-year investment program that will generate, through fiscal spending, a total investment of RMB 4 trillion nationwide, equivalent to 16% of China's GDP in 2007. The money will mainly go into government-subsidized housing, projects related to the well-being of rural residents, the construction of railway and other infrastructural projects, social development programs, environmental protection and post-earthquake recovery and reconstruction. The Chinese Government has introduced a massive tax-cut program, which will reduce the tax burdens on businesses and individuals by about RMB 500 billion each year. We have also cut interest rates by a large margin, increased liquidity in the banking system and adopted a range of financial measures.


二是大范围实施产业调整振兴计划。我们全面推进产业结构调整和优化升级,制定汽车、钢铁等十个重点产业的调整和振兴规划。我们采取经济和技术的措施,大力推进节能减排,推进企业兼并重组,提高产业集中度和资源配置效率。我们鼓励和支持企业广泛应用新技术、新工艺、新设备、新材料,开发适销对路产品。


  Second, implement a large-scale industrial restructuring and rejuvenation program. We are pushing forward industrial restructuring and upgrading across the board and formulating plans for the restructuring and revitalization of ten key industries, including automobiles and iron and steel. We will take economic and technological measures to boost energy conservation and reduce emissions, and promote merger and reorganization of enterprises to raise the level of industry concentration and the efficiency of resource allocation. We encourage and support the extensive application of new technologies, techniques, equipment and materials and the development of marketable products by enterprises.

三是大力推进科技进步和创新。科技是克服金融危机的根本力量。每一场大的危机常常伴随一场新的科技革命;每一次经济的复苏,都离不开技术创新。我们加快实施国家中长期科学和技术发展规划,特别是核心电子器件、核能开发利用、高档数控机床等16个重大专项,突破一批核心技术和关键共性技术,为中国经济在更高水平上实现可持续发展提供科技支撑。推动发展高新技术产业群,培育新的经济增长点。我们就是要依靠科学技术的重大突破,创造新的社会需求,催生新一轮的经济繁荣。

  Third, make energetic efforts for progress and innovation in science and technology. Science and technology are of fundamental importance in overcoming the financial crisis. A major crisis is usually followed by a revolution in science and technology, and no economic recovery is possible without technological innovation. We are stepping up the implementation of the National Program for Medium- and Long-Term Scientific and Technological Development, with special emphasis on 16 major projects including core electronic devices, development and use of nuclear energy and advanced numerically controlled machine tools. We will strive to make breakthroughs in a host of core technologies and key generic technologies to support sustainable economic growth at a higher level. We will promote the development of high-tech industrial clusters and cultivate new economic growth areas. All in all, we will rely on major breakthroughs in science and technology to foster new social demand and bring about a new round of economic boom.


四是大幅度提高社会保障水平。继续提高企业退休人员基本养老金,提高失业保险金和工伤保险金标准,提高城乡低保、农村五保等保障水平。积极推进医药卫生体制改革,力争用三年时间基本建成覆盖全国城乡的基本医疗卫生制度,初步实现人人享有基本医疗卫生服务。我们坚持优先发展教育,正在制定《国家中长期教育改革和发展规划纲要》。我们实施更加积极的就业政策,重点解决高校毕业生和农民工就业问题。开辟就业岗位,缓解就业压力。

 Fourth, significantly raise the level of social security. We will continue to increase basic pension for enterprise retirees and upgrade the standard of unemployment insurance and workers' compensation. We will raise the level of basic cost of living allowances in both urban and rural areas and welfare allowances for those rural residents without family support. We are advancing the reform of the medical and health system and working to put in place a nationwide basic medical and health system covering both urban and rural areas within three years and achieve the goal of everyone having access to basic medical and health service. We give priority to education and are now working on the Guidelines of the National Program for Medium- and Long-Term Educational Reform and Development. We are following a more active employment policy with special emphasis on helping college graduates and migrant workers find jobs. We are endeavoring to create more jobs and lessen the impact of the financial crisis on employment. The aforementioned measures will help us boost domestic demand, readjust and reinvigorate industries, enhance the support of science and technology and strengthen social security all at the same time. They will stimulate consumption through increased investment, drive economic growth while improving people's livelihood and creating more jobs, and see us through current difficulties while also improving the long-term prospect of the Chinese economy. They will not only benefit China's development, but also bring enormous business opportunities to other countries, Britain included.

我们采取这些措施,把扩大国内需求、调整振兴产业、加强科技支撑、强化社会保障结合起来,把拉动经济增长和改善民生、增加就业结合起来,把克服当前困难和促进长远发展结合起来。这样做,有利于中国的发展,也将给包括英国在内的世界各国企业带来巨大的商机。  

这场百年一遇的金融危机,留给世人的思考是沉重的。它警示人们,对现行的经济体制和经济理论,应该进行深刻的反思。

This once-in-a-century financial crisis is truly thought-provoking. It reminds us of the need to have serious reflections on the existing economic systems and theories.

  
中国曾长期实行高度集中的计划经济,把计划看成是绝对的,束缚了生产力的发展。这场金融危机使我们看到,市场也不是万能的,一味放任自由,势必引起经济秩序的混乱和社会分配的不公,最终受到惩罚。真正的市场化改革,决不会把市场机制与国家宏观调控对立起来。既要发挥市场这只看不见的手的作用,又要发挥政府和社会监管这只看得见的手的作用。两手都要硬,两手同时发挥作用,才能实现按照市场规律配置资源,也才能使资源配置合理、协调、平衡、可持续。

For many years in the past, China practiced a highly centralized planned economy and regarded planning as being absolute. This hampered the development of productivity. The ongoing financial crisis has made it clear to us, however, that the market is not a cure-all, either. A totally laissez-faire approach will inevitably lead to economic disorder and unfair social distribution, and will eventually take its toll. A credible market-oriented reform should never set the market against government macro-regulation. The invisible hand of the market and the visible hand of government and social supervision should both act, and act vigorously. Only in this way can resources be distributed according to market rules and distributed in a reasonable, coordinated, balanced and sustainable manner.

国际金融危机再次告诉人们,不受监管的市场经济是多么可怕。从上世纪90年代以来,一些经济体疏于监管,一些金融机构受利益驱动,利用数十倍的金融杠杆进行超额融资,在获取高额利润的同时,把巨大的风险留给整个世界。这充分说明,不受管理的市场经济是注定行不通的。因此,必须处理好金融创新与金融监管的关系、虚拟经济与实体经济的关系、储蓄与消费的关系。

The international financial crisis once again shows how dangerous a market economy without regulation can be. Since the 1990s, some profit-driven financial institutions in economies lacking effective regulation have raised massive capital with a leverage of dozens of times. While they reaped huge profits, the world was exposed to enormous risks. This fully demonstrates that a totally unregulated market economy cannot work. We must strike a balance between financial innovation and regulation, between the financial sector and real economy, and between savings and consumption.

有效应对这场危机,还必须高度重视道德的作用。道德是世界上最伟大的,道德的光芒甚至比阳光还要灿烂。真正的经济学理论,决不会同最高的伦理道德准则产生冲突。经济学说应该代表公正和诚信,平等地促进所有人,包括最弱势人群的福祉。被誉为现代经济学之父的亚当·斯密在《道德情操论》中指出:“如果一个社会的经济发展成果不能真正分流到大众手中,那么它在道义上将是不得人心的,而且是有风险的,因为它注定要威胁社会稳定。”道德缺失是导致这次金融危机的一个深层次原因。一些人见利忘义,损害公众利益,丧失了道德底线。我们应该倡导:企业要承担社会责任,企业家身上要流淌着道德的血液。

To effectively meet the crisis, we must fully recognize the role of morality. Nothing is greater than morality. It shines even more brightly than the sun. True economic theories will never come into conflict with the highest moral and ethical standards. Instead, they should stand for justice and integrity, and contribute in an equal way to the well-being of all people, including the most vulnerable ones. Adam Smith, known as the father of modern economics, held the view in The Theory of Moral Sentiments that if the fruits of a society's economic development cannot be shared by all, it is morally unsound and risky, as it is bound to jeopardize social stability. The loss of morality is an underlying cause for the current crisis. Some people have sacrificed principle and sought profits at the expense of public interests. They have crossed the moral baseline. We should call on all enterprises to take up their social responsibilities. Within the body of every businessman should flow the blood of morality.

女士们,先生们!

英国是我这次欧洲之行的最后一站。这次访问,加深了我对欧洲的了解。中欧合作已经站在一个新的历史起点上。我对中欧发展全面战略伙伴关系更加充满信心。我们之间不存在历史遗留问题,也不存在根本利害冲突。中欧合作基础坚实,前景光明。英国是最早进入现代化的国家,你们在发展经济、保护环境等方面,都有许多成功的经验。我们愿意向你们学习,加强交流与合作。

Ladies and Gentlemen,

  Britain is the last leg of my European trip. I have gained a deeper understanding of Europe through this visit. China-EU cooperation is now standing at a new historical starting point and I am all the more confident about the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership. There are no outstanding issues left over from history or conflict of fundamental interests between the two sides. What we have is a solid foundation and a bright future for cooperation. As the first industrialized country, Britain has accumulated rich experience in economic development and environmental protection. We hope to learn from your experience and strengthen exchanges and cooperation with you.

未来属于青年一代。中英关系的美好前景要靠青年去开拓。抚今追昔,我想起对中英文化交流作出重要贡献的剑桥校友李约瑟博士。他的鸿篇巨著《中国科学技术史》,在东西方两大文明之间架起了一座桥梁。继承传统、勇于创新,是剑桥大学的优秀品格。希望更多的剑桥人关注中国,用发展的眼光看中国,做中英交流的友好使者。我相信,只要中英两国青年相互学习,携手共进,一定会谱写出中英关系的崭新篇章。

谢谢大家!

The future belongs to the younger generation. It is incumbent upon you to build an even more splendid future of China-Britain relations. Here and now, I cannot but mention Dr. Joseph Needham, a Cambridge alumnus who made important contribution to cultural exchanges between China and Britain. With his monumental masterpiece, Science and Civilization in China, he built a bridge between the two great civilizations of East and West. To honor tradition and innovation is the outstanding character of Cambridge. I hope more of you will turn your eyes to China, see my country in the light of her development, and act as ambassadors of China-Britain friendship. I believe that as long as you, the young people of China and Britain learn from each other and strive for progress hand in hand, you will add a brilliant new chapter to the annals of our relations.

  Thank you!

2009年1月21日星期三

Text of President Barack Obama's inaugural address 奥巴马就职演讲(英语全文)

网上的中文翻译百花齐放,各有千秋. 没有统一的译法.故这里不贴双语. 精彩的翻译,尽在自己掌握.

Text of President Barack Obama's inaugural address on Tuesday, as delivered.

OBAMA: My fellow citizens:

I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.

Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because we the people have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebears, and true to our founding documents.

So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.

That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.

These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land — a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.

Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America — they will be met.

On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.

On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.

We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.

In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.

For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.

For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sanh.

Time and again these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.

This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions — that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.

For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act — not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. All this we will do.

Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions — who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.

What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them — that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works — whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. Those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account — to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day — because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.

Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control — and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart — not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.

As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our founding fathers ... our found fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all the other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.

Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.

We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort — even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.

To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to the suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.

As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment — a moment that will define a generation — it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.

For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.

Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends — hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism — these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.

This is the price and the promise of citizenship.

This is the source of our confidence — the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.

This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed — why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than sixty years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.

So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it)."

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

2009年1月16日星期五

布什告别演说 President Bush Final Farewell Speech(转)

The video is linked here:http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/15/politics/bush_legacy/main4726092.shtml

Transcript:

Fellow citizens: For eight years, it has been my honor to serve as your president. The first decade of this new century has been a period of consequence - a time set apart. Tonight, with a thankful heart, I have asked for a final opportunity to share some thoughts on the journey we have traveled together and the future of our nation.

各位同胞:在过去的八年间作为你们的总统,是我的荣幸。新世纪的第一个十年,是重要的十年——一个与众不同的十年。今晚,怀着感恩之心,请允许我在这最后的机会分享一些想法,一些有关总统历程和国家未来的想法。

Five days from now, the world will witness the vitality of American democracy. In a tradition dating back to our founding, the presidency will pass to a successor chosen by you, the American people. Standing on the steps of the Capitol will be a man whose story reflects the enduring promise of our land. This is a moment of hope and pride for our whole nation. And I join all Americans in offering best wishes to President-elect Obama, his wife Michelle, and their two beautiful girls.

五天之后,世界将目击美国民主的一个重要时刻。按照建国伊始的传统,总统之职将传递给你们——美国人民选择的继任者。这位即将站在国会台阶上的人,他的故事正彰显了我们这块土地所延续的承诺。对我们整个国家来说,这是一个充满希望与自豪的时刻。我与全体美国人民一道,对候任总统奥巴马、他的妻子米歇尔和他们那一双美丽的女儿,致以最美好的祝愿。


Tonight I am filled with gratitude - to Vice President Cheney and members of the Administration; to Laura, who brought joy to this house and love to my life; to our wonderful daughters, Barbara and Jenna; to my parents, whose examples have provided strength for a lifetime. And above all, I thank the American people for the trust you have given me. I thank you for the prayers that have lifted my spirits. And I thank you for the countless acts of courage, generosity, and grace that I have witnessed these past eight years.

今晚,让我表达对副总统切尼和内阁成员的感激之情;我还要感谢劳拉(译者注:布什的夫人),是你为我们的家庭带来欢乐,为我的生活带来爱;还要感谢我们的女儿,芭芭拉和詹纳;以及我的父母――是他们的榜样为我提供了一生的力量。而最重要的,我要感谢你们――美国人民,感谢你们给予我的信任。感谢你们的祈祷,它振奋着我的灵魂。感谢在过去八年间我所见证过的,无以计数的勇气、慷慨、和仁爱。

This evening, my thoughts return to the first night I addressed you from this house - Sept. 11, 2001. That morning, terrorists took nearly 3,000 lives in the worst attack on America since Pearl Harbor. I remember standing in the rubble of the World Trade Center three days later, surrounded by rescuers who had been working around the clock. I remember talking to brave souls who charged through smoke-filled corridors at the Pentagon and to husbands and wives whose loved ones became heroes aboard Flight 93. I remember Arlene Howard, who gave me her fallen son’s police shield as a reminder of all that was lost. And I still carry his badge.

今晚,我的思绪回到2001年9月11日,我第一次在这里向全国发表讲话。那个早上,恐怖分子在那次自珍珠港事件以来,美国所遭受过的最严重的袭击中夺去了近3000名美国人民的生命。我记得三天后,我站在世贸中心的废墟之中,身边是加班加点连续作战的救援人员。我记得与那些穿越五角大楼浓烟的勇士们的对话,以及与93航班上殉难英雄们的妻子或丈夫们的交谈。我记得艾琳•霍华德。她把她逝去的儿子的警徽送给我。那个警徽提示我们所有失去的记忆――我至今仍然随身携带他的徽章。

As the years passed, most Americans were able to return to life much as it had been before 9/11. But I never did. Every morning, I received a briefing on the threats to our nation. And I vowed to do everything in my power to keep us safe.

随着时间的逝去,大多数美国人能够恢复到9.11之前的正常生活中去。但我不能。每天早上,我都会收到一份对我国威胁状况的简报。我发誓尽我的一切力量保卫美国的安全。

Over the past seven years, a new Department of Homeland Security has been created. The military, the intelligence community, and the FBI have been transformed. Our nation is equipped with new tools to monitor the terrorists’ movements, freeze their finances, and break up their plots. And with strong allies at our side, we have taken the fight to the terrorists and those who support them. Afghanistan has gone from a nation where the Taliban harbored al Qaeda and stoned women in the streets to a young democracy that is fighting terror and encouraging girls to go to school. Iraq has gone from a brutal dictatorship and a sworn enemy of America to an Arab democracy at the heart of the Middle East and a friend of the United States.


在过去的八年间,一个新的部门——国土安全部成立了。军队、情报部门、FBI都发生了改观。我们的国家掌握了新的手段来监视恐怖分子的活动、冻结他们的财务、打破他们的图谋。而有坚强的盟友与我们一道,我们对恐怖分子和他们的支持者宣战。

阿富汗,从一个塔利班袒护基地组织、妇女当街遭乱石致死的国家,转变为一个对抗恐怖主义、支持女孩子们走进校门的年轻民主国家。

伊拉克从一个残酷的独裁国家、美国的宿敌,转变为位于中东心脏的阿拉伯民主国家,和美国的朋友。对于这些决策进行辩论是完全合理的,但其结果是不可辩驳的.

There is legitimate debate about many of these decisions. But there can be little debate about the results. America has gone more than seven years without another terrorist attack on our soil. This is a tribute to those who toil day and night to keep us safe - law enforcement officers, intelligence analysts, homeland security and diplomatic personnel, and the men and women of the United States Armed Forces.

在过去的七年间没有发生一起在美国土地上的恐怖袭击活动。这是那些夜以继日保障我们安全者的功劳——执法官员、情报分析员、国土安全与外交人士,和美国武装部队中服役的男女士兵。


Our nation is blessed to have citizens who volunteer to defend us in this time of danger. I have cherished meeting these selfless patriots and their families. America owes you a debt of gratitude. And to all our men and women in uniform listening tonight: There has been no higher honor than serving as your Commander in Chief.

这些在危难时志愿保卫我们国家的公民是美国之福。我记忆中珍藏着与这些无私的爱国者,以及他们的家人的见面的情景。美国感谢你们。对于今晚正在收听讲话的部队中的男女士兵,我要说:没有比作为你们的最高统帅更荣耀的事了。

The battles waged by our troops are part of a broader struggle between two dramatically different systems. Under one, a small band of fanatics demands total obedience to an oppressive ideology, condemns women to subservience, and marks unbelievers for murder. The other system is based on the conviction that freedom is the universal gift of Almighty God and that liberty and justice light the path to peace.

我们的战士所进行的战争,在广义上,是这样两个截然不同的体系间的斗争。在一个体系中,是一小撮狂热分子,追求对一种压迫性的意识形态的绝对服从;女性只能屈从附属;异教徒遭到谋杀。而另一个系统是基于这样的信念:自由是全能的上帝赐予我们的普世礼物;自由与公证将点亮通往和平之路。

This is the belief that gave birth to our nation. And in the long run, advancing this belief is the only practical way to protect our citizens. When people live in freedom, they do not willingly choose leaders who pursue campaigns of terror. When people have hope in the future, they will not cede their lives to violence and extremism. So around the world, America is promoting human liberty, human rights, and human dignity. We are standing with dissidents and young democracies, providing AIDS medicine to bring dying patients back to life, and sparing mothers and babies from malaria. And this great republic born alone in liberty is leading the world toward a new age when freedom belongs to all nations.

我们的国家正是诞生于这样的信仰之中。而从长远来看,只有发扬这样的信仰,才能实实在在保护我们公民的安全。

当人们生活在自由中,他们不会去选择那些发动恐怖战争的领袖。当人们对未来充满希望时,他们不会令生活向暴力与极端主义俯首。因此在世界范围内,美国推崇人类自由、人权与尊严。

我们与持不同政见者和年轻的民主力量并肩作战;我们提供艾滋病药品挽救垂危的病人;我们挽救患疟疾的母亲与婴儿。我们这个与自由共同降生的伟大共和国,正引领世界走向一个自由属于所有国家的新时代。

For eight years, we have also strived to expand opportunity and hope here at home. Across our country, students are rising to meet higher standards in public schools. A new Medicare prescription drug benefit is bringing peace of mind to seniors and the disabled. Every taxpayer pays lower income taxes. The addicted and suffering are finding new hope through faith-based programs. Vulnerable human life is better protected. Funding for our veterans has nearly doubled. America’s air, water, and lands are measurably cleaner. And the Federal bench includes wise new members like Justice Sam Alito and Chief Justice John Roberts.

在过去的八年间,我们还努力在美国本土扩展机会和希望。在美国各地,公立学校的学生们获得提升,达到更高的标准。一个新的医疗福利计划让老年人和残障人士无后顾之忧。每位纳税人的所得税更低。瘾君子与其他处在痛苦中的人士从基于信仰的组织中找到新希望.人类脆弱的生命获得了更好的保护。安置退伍老兵的资金几乎倍增。美国的空气、水与土地更清洁。睿智的新法官,如山姆•阿利托法官和约翰•罗伯茨首席法官加入联邦法院。

When challenges to our prosperity emerged, we rose to meet them. Facing the prospect of a financial collapse, we took decisive measures to safeguard our economy. These are very tough times for hardworking families, but the toll would be far worse if we had not acted. All Americans are in this together. And together, with determination and hard work, we will restore our economy to the path of growth. We will show the world once again the resilience of America’s free enterprise system.

当影响美国繁荣的挑战出现时,我们直面之。当面对金融崩溃的前景时,我们采取果断措施,保卫我们的经济.对于那些努力工作的家庭来说,这一时刻相当艰难。但如果我们不采取任何行动的话,情况会糟糕得多。对此,全美国凝聚在一起。信念、苦干和团结,将让我们把经济重新带回增长的轨道。我们会再次向世界展示美国自由企业系统的韧性。

Like all who have held this office before me, I have experienced setbacks. There are things I would do differently if given the chance. Yet I have always acted with the best interests of our country in mind. I have followed my conscience and done what I thought was right. You may not agree with some tough decisions I have made. But I hope you can agree that I was willing to make the tough decisions.

如同所有我的前任一样,我也经历过挫折。如果还能有机会,有些事我会做出不同的选择。然而,我始终是以我们国家的利益为考虑标准。我跟随良知的指引,做我认为正确的选择。你可能不同意我曾经做出的一些强硬的决定。但是我希望你能相信,那是出自我的真实意愿。

The decades ahead will bring more hard choices for our country, and there are some guiding principles that should shape our course.

未来的十年里,我们将面临更多的艰难抉择,我们应该有一些原则来决定我们的方针政策。

While our nation is safer than it was seven years ago, the gravest threat to our people remains another terrorist attack. Our enemies are patient and determined to strike again. America did nothing to seek or deserve this conflict. But we have been given solemn responsibilities, and we must meet them. We must resist complacency. We must keep our resolve. And we must never let down our guard.

虽然我们的国家比七年前更加安全,但恐怖袭击依然是我们面临的最大威胁。我们的敌人极富耐心地等待下一次袭击。美国人本不应该承受这种灾难。但是我们有责任,也必须去面对这些威胁。我们要避免自满,我们要坚定决心,我们决不能放松警惕。

At the same time, we must continue to engage the world with confidence and clear purpose. In the face of threats from abroad, it can be tempting to seek comfort by turning inward. But we must reject isolationism and its companion, protectionism. Retreating behind our borders would only invite danger. In the 21st century, security and prosperity at home depend on the expansion of liberty abroad. If America does not lead the cause of freedom, that cause will not be led.

同时,我们还应该继续怀着自信和清晰的目标来参与世界各地的事务。面对来自外面的威胁,人们很容易畏缩不前。但是我们必须杜绝孤立主义和保护主义,闭门造车无异于玩火自焚。在21世纪里,一个国家的稳定和繁荣,取决于整个世界的自由进程。如果美国不能引导自由,那就没有人可以做到。

As we address these challenges - and others we cannot foresee tonight - America must maintain our moral clarity. I have often spoken to you about good and evil. This has made some uncomfortable. But good and evil are present in this world, and between the two there can be no compromise. Murdering the innocent to advance an ideology is wrong every time, everywhere. Freeing people from oppression and despair is eternally right. This nation must continue to speak out for justice and truth. We must always be willing to act in their defense and to advance the cause of peace.

当我们谈论这些问题的时候——还有那些我们今晚无法预测的问题——美国人必须保持明确的道德性。我曾经无数次地跟你们讨论过善与恶。这个话题可能过于沉重,但世界上的确是善恶并存,并且没有妥协。

依靠残害无辜来推进意识形态在任何时候、任何地方都是错误的。将人们从压迫和绝望中解救出来才是正确的。这个国家必须继续宣扬真理和正义。我们要继续坚持推进和平。

President Thomas Jefferson once wrote, “I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.” As I leave the house he occupied two centuries ago, I share that optimism. America is a young country, full of vitality, constantly growing and renewing itself. And even in the toughest times, we lift our eyes to the broad horizon ahead.

托马斯·杰斐逊总统曾经写道:“我不缅怀过去的历史,而致力于未来的梦想。”当我要离开两个世纪前他住过的这座建筑的时候,我希望能够与你们分享这种乐观。美国是个年轻的国家,充满活力,不断成长,不断创新。即使在最艰难的时刻,我们仍昂首望着远方。

I have confidence in the promise of America because I know the character of our people. This is a nation that inspires immigrants to risk everything for the dream of freedom. This is a nation where citizens show calm in times of danger and compassion in the face of suffering. We see examples of America’s character all around us. And Laura and I have invited some of them to join us in the White House this evening.

我对美国的承诺充满信心,因为我知道美国人的精神。这是一个能够激励移民冒所有的风险来追求自由的国家。这是一个人民在危机中仍保持镇静,在痛苦中仍怀有同情的国家。我们周围都是这样的人。今晚,劳拉和我邀请了一些人来白宫加入我们。

We see America’s character in Dr. Tony Recasner, a principal who opened a new charter school from the ruins of Hurricane Katrina. We see it in Julio Medina, a former inmate who leads a faith-based program to help prisoners returning to society. We see it in Staff Sergeant Aubrey McDade, who charged into an ambush in Iraq and rescued three of his fellow Marines.

我们在托尼·雷卡斯纳尔博士身上看到了美国精神,他在卡特里娜飓风的废墟中建立起一座崭新的学校。我们在胡里奥·梅迪纳身上看到了美国精神,他出狱后怀着信仰,领导了一个帮助犯人重返社会的帮助计划。我们在奥布里·麦克戴德身上看到了美国精神,他在伊拉克勇闯敌阵救出了三个战友。我们在比尔·克里索夫身上看到了美国精神,这位来自加利福尼亚的外科医生,他的儿子牺牲在了伊拉克的战场。

We see America’s character in Bill Krissoff, a surgeon from California. His son Nathan, a Marine, gave his life in Iraq. When I met Dr. Krissoff and his family, he delivered some surprising news: He told me he wanted to join the Navy Medical Corps in honor of his son. This good man was 60 years old - 18 years above the age limit. But his petition for a waiver was granted, and for the past year he has trained in battlefield medicine. Lieutenant Commander Krissoff could not be here tonight, because he will soon deploy to Iraq, where he will help save America’s wounded warriors and uphold the legacy of his fallen son.

当我见到克里索夫医生和他的家人时,他告诉我一个令人惊异的消息:为了纪念他的儿子,他希望加入海军医疗队。这位老人已经60岁了——比参军年龄上限大了整整18岁。但是他的请求被允许了,过去几年里他一直在战地医院接受培训。克里索夫海军少校今天无法来到现场,因为他马上就要开赴伊拉克,在那里,他将帮助受伤的勇士们,并以此来纪念他的儿子。

In citizens like these, we see the best of our country - resilient and hopeful, caring and strong. These virtues give me an unshakable faith in America. We have faced danger and trial, and there is more ahead. But with the courage of our people and confidence in our ideals, this great nation will never tire … never falter … and never fail.

在这些美国人的身上,我们看到了我们国家的精髓——百折不挠而又充满希望,心存善良而又生性坚强。这些美德使得我对美国的信心不可动摇。我们经历了危机与考验,而前方还会有诸多凶险。但是有了我们的勇气和信念,这个伟大的国家将不知疲倦……毫不犹豫……永不言败。

It has been the privilege of a lifetime to serve as your president. There have been good days and tough days. But every day I have been inspired by the greatness of our country and uplifted by the goodness of our people. I have been blessed to represent this nation we love. And I will always be honored to carry a title that means more to me than any other: citizen of the United States of America.

我很荣幸有生之年能够成为总统,我体会过快乐,也经历过艰难。但是每天我都为这个伟大的国家和善良的人民所振奋。我非常幸运地能够代表这个我们深爱的国家。我将永远为这个对我意味着更多的头衔而感到骄傲:美利坚合众国公民。

And so, my fellow Americans, for the final time: Good night. May God bless this house and our next president. And may God bless you and our wonderful country.

所以,美国人民,在这最后的时刻:晚安。愿上帝保佑下一任总统。愿上帝保佑我们和这个美丽的国家。

2008年6月18日星期三

英语演讲之 J.K.罗琳在哈佛大学校友会上的演讲

The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination

June 5, 2008

I would like to make it clear, in parenthesis, that I do not blame my parents for their point of view. There is an expiry date on blaming your parents for steering you in the wrong direction; the moment you are old enough to take the wheel, responsibility lies with you.

You might never fail on the scale I did, but some failure in life is inevitable. It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously that you might as well not have lived at all - in which case, you fail by default.

The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive. You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is a true gift, for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more to me than any qualification I ever earned.

What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.

As is a tale, so is life: not how long it is, but how good it is, is what matters.

从以下连接摘抄了以上部分的演讲.
http://harvardmagazine.com/go/jkrowling.html

Music Box

Followers