2012年奥巴马就职演讲

Thank you so much.

非常感谢你们。

Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won theright to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting ourunion 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 hastriumphed over war and depression, the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths ofdespair to the great heights of hope, the belief that while each of us will pursue our own individualdreams, 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, andwe know in our hearts that for the United States of America the best is yet to come.

今夜，在此次选举中，你们这些美国人民提醒我们，虽然我们的道路一直艰难，虽然我们的旅程一直漫长，但我们已经让自己振作起来，我们已经发起反击，我们在自己内心深处知道，对美利坚合众国来说，最美好一切属于未来。

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

我想感谢所有参加此次选举的美国人，无论你是首次参加选举还是为投票曾长时间排队等候。顺便说一句，我们需要解决这些问题。无论你是到投票站投票还是发传真投票，无论你选的是奥巴马还是罗姆尼，你都让别人听到了自己的声音，你都让美国因你而不同。

I just spoke with Gov. Romney and I congratulated him and Paul Ryan on a hard-foughtcampaign. We may have battled fiercely, but it's only because we love this country deeply and wecare so strongly about its future. From George to Lenore to their son Mitt, the Romney family haschosen to give back to America through public service and that is the legacy that we honor andapplaud tonight. In the weeks ahead, I also look forward to sitting down with Gov. Romney to talkabout where we can work together to move this country forward.

我要对罗姆尼州长说几句话，我对他和保罗?莱恩在这次竞争激烈的选举中的表现表示祝贺。我们可能争夺得很激烈，但这仅仅是因为我们深爱着这个国家以及我们如此强烈地关心着它的未来。从乔治到勒诺到他们的儿子米特，罗姆尼家族选择了通过公共服务来回报美国，那是一种我们今夜表示敬重和赞许的遗产。我期待着今后几周能与罗姆尼州长坐下来讨论一下我们可以从何处着手一起努力将美国推向前进。

I want to thank my friend and partner of the last four years, America's happy warrior, the best vicepresident anybody could ever hope for, Joe Biden.

我想对我在过去四年中的朋友和伙伴表示感谢。他就是美国的快乐战士、无出其右的最佳副总统乔?拜登。

And I wouldn't be the man I am today without the woman who agreed to marry me 20 years ago.Let me say this publicly: Michelle, I have never loved you more. I have never been prouder towatch the rest of America fall in love with you, too, as our nation's first lady. Sasha and Malia,before our very eyes you're growing up to become two strong, smart beautiful young women,just like your mom. And I'm so proud of you guys. But I will say that for now one dog's probablyenough.

如果不是那位20年前同意嫁给我的女性，我不会成为今天的我。请让我公开说出下面这段话：米切尔，我对你的爱无以复加，我无比骄傲地看到其他美国人也爱上了你这位我们国家的第一夫人。萨沙和玛利亚，在我们所有人的见证下你们正成长为两个坚强、聪明和美丽的年轻女性，就像你们的妈妈一样。我十分以你们为荣。不过我要说的是，眼下家里养一条狗或许已经够了。

To the best campaign team and volunteers in the history of politics. The best. The best ever. Someof you were new this time around, and some of you have been at my side since the verybeginning. But all of you are family. No matter what you do or where you go from here, you willcarry the memory of the history we made together and you will have the lifelong appreciation of agrateful president. Thank you for believing all the way, through every hill, through every valley.You lifted me up the whole way and I will always be grateful for everything that you've done and allthe incredible work that you put in.

在这个有史以来的最佳竞选团队和有史以来的最佳志愿者队伍中，你们有些人是这次新加入进来的，有些人则是一开始就在我身边。但你们所有人都属于一个大家庭。无论你的工作是什么，无论你从哪里来，你们都将获得我们共同创造的历史

记忆，你们都将被一位充满感激之情的总统终生感激。感谢你们始终充满信心，无论是在高峰还是在低谷。你们鼓舞着我走完整个选举过程，我对你们所做的每件事、你们所做的每项不可思议的工作将一直充满感激。

I know that political campaigns can sometimes seem small, even silly. And that provides plenty offodder for the cynics that tell us that politics is nothing more than a contest of egos or the domainof special interests. But if you ever get the chance to talk to folks who turned out at our rallies andcrowded along a rope line in a high school gym, or saw folks working late in a campaign office insome tiny county far away from home, you'll discover something else.

我知道政治角力有时会显得小家子气甚至愚蠢。它为愤世嫉俗者提供了足够的口实，他们告诉我们政治不过是自负者之间的竞争，是特殊利益集团的地盘。但如果你曾经有机会与参加我们集会的那些人以及高中体育馆内挤在隔离绳外的那些人攀谈，或者看到那些在远离家乡的偏远小县的竞选办公室内加班工作的人，你会发现一些别的东西。

You'll hear the determination in the voice of a young field organizer who's working his way throughcollege and wants to make sure every child has that same opportunity. You'll hear the pride in thevoice of a volunteer who's going door to door because her brother was finally hired when the localauto plant added another shift. You'll hear the deep patriotism in the voice of a military spousewho's working the phones late at night to make sure that no one who fights for this country everhas 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。你将从一对军人夫妇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'sbig. 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 toughtimes, 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 ourliberty. We can never forget that as we speak people in distant nations are risking their lives rightnow just for a chance to argue about the issues that matter, the chance to cast their ballots likewe 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 ourkids to grow up in a country where they have access to the best schools and the best teachers. Acountry 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 byinequality, that isn't threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet. We want to pass ona country that's safe and respected and admired around the world, a nation that is defended bythe strongest military on earth and the best troops this ─ this world has ever known. But also acountry that moves with confidence beyond this time of war, to shape a peace that is built on thepromise 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 thedreams of an immigrant's daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to our flag. To theyoung boy on the south side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the nearest street corner. To thefurniture worker's child in North Carolina

who wants to become a doctor or a scientist, an engineeror an entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a president ─ that's the future we hope for. That's thevision 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，让有机会他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 twocenturies, progress will come in fits and starts. It's not always a straight line. It's not always asmooth path.

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。

By itself, the recognition that we have common hopes and dreams won't end all the gridlock orsolve all our problems or substitute for the painstaking work of building consensus and making thedifficult compromises needed to move this country forward. But that common bond is where wemust begin.

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 whetherI earned your vote or not, I have listened to you, I have learned from you, and you've made me abetter president. And with your stories and your struggles, I return to the White House moredetermined and more inspired than ever about the work there is to do and the future that liesahead.

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。

Tonight you voted for action, not politics as usual. You elected us to focus on your jobs, not ours.And in the coming weeks and months, I am looking forward to reaching out and working withleaders of both parties to meet the challenges we can only solve together. Reducing our deficit.Reforming our tax code. Fixing our immigration system. Freeing ourselves from foreign oil. We'vegot more work to do.

今晚你们把票投给了行动，而不是像以往投给了政治。你们选举我们来专注于你们的工作，而不是我们的工作。在未来的几周和几个月内，我将期待与两党领袖接触并合作，以便面对我们团结一致才能解决的问题。减少赤字，改革税法，修改移民制度，摆脱对外国石油的依赖。我们还很更多工作要做。

But that doesn't mean your work is done. The role of citizen in our democracy does not end withyour vote. America's never been about what can be done for us. It's about what can be done byus together through the hard and frustrating, but necessary work of self-government. That's theprinciple we were founded on.

但这并不意味着你们的工作就此结束。民主国家公民的角色并不随着投票完结而结束。美国看重的从来都不是能够为我们个人做些什么，而是我们团结一致通过自治这一艰难、令人倍感挫折但必要的工作能够实现什么。这正是我们的立国之本。

This country has more wealth than any nation, but that’s not what makes us rich. We have themost powerful military in history, but that’s not what makes us strong. Our university, our cultureare all the envy o f the world, but that’s not what keeps the world coming to our shores.

美国的财富多于世界上任何其他国家，但真正让我们富有的并非金钱；我们拥有有史以来最强大的军力，但真正让我们充满力量的并非军队；我们的大学和文化为全世界所艳羡，但美国真正吸引各国人踏上这片土地的魅力也不在于此。

What makes America exceptional are the bonds that hold together the most diverse nation onearth. The belief that our destiny is shared; that this country only works when we accept certainobligations to one another and to future generations. The freedom which so many Americans havefought for and died for come with responsibilities a s well as rights. And among those are love andcharity and duty and patriotism. That’s what makes America great.

真正让美国与众不同的，是将这个地球上最多元化的国家的人民团结到一起的那些纽带。是我们共命运的信念，是只有当我们肩负某些对彼此以及对后代的责任美国才能走下去的信念，是无数的美国人前赴后继为之奋斗的自由──它既赋予了我们权利，也给我们带来了责任；是爱、慈善、义务和爱国。正是这些让美国变得伟大。

I am hopeful tonight because I’ve seen the spirit at work in America. I’ve seen it in the familybusiness whose owners would rather cut their own pay than lay off their neighbors, and in theworkers who would rather cut back their hours than see a frie nd lose a job. I’ve seen it in thesoldiers who reenlist after losing a limb

and in those SEALs who charged up the stairs into darknessand danger because they knew there was a buddy behind them watching their back.

今晚，我满怀希望，因为我已经看到美国精神正在得以发扬。我看到有些家族企业，所有者宁可减少自己的薪酬也不愿让邻居丢掉工作；我看到有些工人宁愿缩减自己的工时也不愿看到朋友没有活干；我看到有些士兵在失去一条腿或胳膊之后又选择再次入伍；我看到海豹突击队员不避危险冲上楼梯、冲入黑暗，因为他们知道有一个兄弟在做他的后盾。

I’ve seen it on the shores of New Jersey and New York, where leaders from every party and levelof government have swept aside their differences to help a community rebuild from the wreckageof a terrible storm. And I saw just the other day, in Mentor, Ohio, where a father told the story ofhis 8-year-old daughter, whose long battle with leukemia nearly cost their family everything had itnot been for health care reform passing just a few months before the insurance company wasabout to stop paying for her care.

在新泽西和纽约的海岸，我也看到了美国精神。每一个政党和各级政府的领导者都捐弃分歧，为在骇人风暴过后的废墟上重建社区各尽己力。就在不久前的一天，在俄亥俄的门托，我看到一位父亲在讲述他8岁女儿的故事。这个女孩与白血病进行了长期的斗争，如果不是因为几个月前通过的医改法案，保险公司就会停止支付医疗费用，他们的家庭就将失去一切。

I had an opportunity to not just talk to the father, but meet this incredible daughter of his. Andwhen he spoke to the crowd listening to that father’s story, every parent in that room had tears intheir eyes, because we knew that little girl could be our own. And I know that every Americanwants her future to be just as bright. That’s who we are. That’s the country I’m so proud to leadas your president.

我曾有机会与这位父亲攀谈，不仅如此，我还见到了他的女儿，这个非常了不起的小姑娘。当这位父亲向倾听他的故事的人讲述时，每一位在场的父母的眼里都含着泪水，因为我们知道，我们自己的孩子也有可能遇到这种状况。而且我知道，每一位美国人都希望这位小女孩的未来能像所有人的未来一样光明。这就是美国人，这就是美国，我为自己能够成为这个国家的总统、带领这个国家前行感到无比光荣。

And tonight, despite all the hardship we’ve been through, despite all the frustrations ofWashington, I’ve never been more hopeful about our future. I have never been more hopefulabout America. And I ask you to sustain that hope. I’m not talking about blind optimism, the kindof hope that just ignores the enormity of the tasks ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path.I’m not talking about the wishf ul idealism that allows us to just sit on the sidelines or shirk from afight.

今晚，尽管我们遭遇了很多困难，尽管华盛顿有诸多不尽人意之处，我仍从未像现在这样对未来充满希望。我从未像现在这样对美国充满希望。我请大家也保持这样的希望。我所说的并非盲目的乐观主义，不是那种看不到眼前的任务有多么艰巨、看不到前行的路上有什么样的障碍的希望；我所说的并非作壁上观或是临战退缩的一厢情愿的理想主义。

I have always believed that hope is that stubborn thing inside us that insists, despite all theevidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us so long as we have the courage to keepreaching, to keep working, to keep fighting.

我一直相信，所谓希望就是我们内心倔强地坚持的力量，相信不管有多少相反的证据，都要相信有更好的东西在等着我们，只要我们有勇气不断前行、不懈工作、不停战斗。

America, I believe we can build on the progress we’ve made and continue to fight for new jobs andnew opportunity and new security for the middle class. I believe we can keep the promise of ourfounders, the idea tha t if you’re willing to work hard, it doesn’t matter who you are or where youcome from or what you look like or where you love. It doesn’t matter whether you’re black orwhite or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or young or old or rich or poor, able, dis abled, gay orstraight, 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 individualambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are and foreverwill 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 w ith your help and God’s grace we will continue our journey forward and remind theworld 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。