第一篇：奧巴馬告別演講

farewell speech

1.Hello Chicago.It's good to be home.你好，芝加哥。回家真好。We're on live TV here.我們正在這兒直播呢。

You can tell that I'm a lame duck, because nobody is following instructions.你們可以感覺(jué)到，我現(xiàn)在是只“跛腳鴨”，因?yàn)闆](méi)有人聽我的指示了。

2.Four more years!Four more years!再干四年！再干四年！I can't do that.我不能這么做啊。

3.Michelle – for the past twenty-five years, you’ve been not only my wife and mother of my children, but my best friend.You took on a role you didn’t ask for and made it your own with grace and grit and style and good humor.You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody.And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model.You’ve made me proud.You’ve made the country proud.米歇爾，在過(guò)去25年中，你不僅僅是我的妻子和孩子們的母親，還是我的摯友。你扮演了一個(gè)自己從未尋求過(guò)的角色，盡顯自己的優(yōu)雅、堅(jiān)強(qiáng)、風(fēng)格和幽默感。你讓白宮屬于每一個(gè)人。因?yàn)橛心阕霭駱?，新一代年輕人的眼界更開闊。你讓我驕傲，你讓整個(gè)國(guó)家驕傲。

Malia and Sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women, smart and beautiful, but more importantly, kind and thoughtful and full of passion.You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily.Of all that I’ve done in my life, I’m most proud to be your dad.瑪麗亞和薩爾，在最奇怪的環(huán)境下，你們成長(zhǎng)為了兩位出色的年輕女性，聰穎而美麗，更重要的是，善良、有思想、充滿激情。多年來(lái)你們?cè)诰酃鉄粝律?，學(xué)會(huì)輕松地承受這些重?fù)?dān)?；仡櫸乙簧兴龅氖虑椋钭屛腋械阶院赖哪^(guò)于成為你們的父親。

My fellow Americans, Michelle and I have been so touched by all the well-wishes we've received over the past few weeks.But tonight it's my turn to say thanks.Whether we've seen eye-to-eye or rarely agreed at all, my conversations with you, the American people--in living rooms and schools;at farms and on factory floors;at diners and on distant outposts--are what have kept me honest, kept me inspired, and kept me going.Every day, I learned from you.You made me a better President, and you made me a better man.我的美國(guó)同胞們，米歇爾和我對(duì)過(guò)去幾周內(nèi)收到的所有美好祝福非常感動(dòng)。但今晚，該輪到我說(shuō)聲謝謝了。也許我們未曾見(jiàn)面，也許我們意見(jiàn)不合，但與你們的交談，我的美國(guó)人民——在起居室與學(xué)校、在農(nóng)田與工廠、在餐館與遠(yuǎn)方前哨——讓我保持誠(chéng)實(shí)，讓我備受鼓舞并不斷前進(jìn)。每一天，我都從你們身上學(xué)到很多，是你們讓我成為一個(gè)更好的總統(tǒng)，一個(gè)更好的人。

I first came to Chicago when I was in my early twenties, still trying to figure out who I was;still searching for a purpose to my life.It was in neighborhoods not far from here where I began working with church groups in the shadows of closed steel mills.It was on these streets where I witnessed the power of faith, and the quiet dignity of working people in the face of struggle and loss.This is where I learned that change only happens when ordinary people get involved, get engaged, and come together to demand it.20歲剛出頭的時(shí)候，我第一次來(lái)到芝加哥，那時(shí)我還在摸索自己的身份，還在尋找人生的目標(biāo)。就在離這兒不遠(yuǎn)的一個(gè)社區(qū)，我開始和教會(huì)一起工作，鋼廠倒閉，社區(qū)被陰云籠罩。正是在這些街區(qū)上，我見(jiàn)證了信仰的力量和勞動(dòng)人民在困境與貧窮面前沉默的尊嚴(yán)。正是在這里，我學(xué)會(huì)了，只有當(dāng)百姓共同參與進(jìn)來(lái)，去要求去爭(zhēng)取，改變才可能發(fā)生。

5.If I had told you eight years ago that America would reverse a great recession, reboot our auto industry, and unleash the longest stretch of job creation in our history...if I had told you that we would open up a new chapter with the Cuban people, shut down Iran's nuclear weapons program without firing a shot, and take out the mastermind of 9/11...if I had told you that we would win marriage equality, and secure the right to health insurance for another 20 million of our fellow citizens--you might have said our sights were set a little too high.如果八年前我告訴你們，美國(guó)能逆轉(zhuǎn)經(jīng)濟(jì)大蕭條，能重振汽車業(yè)，能創(chuàng)造史上最長(zhǎng)的就業(yè)增長(zhǎng)期??如果我告訴你們，我們跟古巴人民的關(guān)系會(huì)開啟新的篇章，不用一槍一彈就能關(guān)閉伊朗的核武器項(xiàng)目，還能干掉911的頭目??如果我告訴你們，我們會(huì)贏得婚姻平等，能為2000萬(wàn)人獲得醫(yī)保——你們可能會(huì)說(shuō)，我們的目標(biāo)定得有點(diǎn)太高了。But that's what we did.That's what you did.You were the change.You answered people's hopes, and because of you, by almost every measure, America is a better, stronger place than it was when we started.但那就是我們做到的，我們做到了。你們就是改變，你們回應(yīng)了人民的希望，因?yàn)槟銈儯瑤缀鯚o(wú)論從哪方面來(lái)說(shuō)，美國(guó)都比之前更好更強(qiáng)大了。

6.In ten days, the world will witness a hallmark of our democracy: the peaceful transfer of power from one freely-elected president to the next.I committed to President-Elect Trump that my administration would ensure the smoothest possible transition, just as President Bush did for me.Because it's up to all of us to make sure our government can help us meet the many challenges we still face.還有十天，世界將見(jiàn)證我們民主進(jìn)程中的一件大事：權(quán)力從一屆自由選舉的總統(tǒng)平穩(wěn)交棒給下一屆自由選舉的總統(tǒng)。我曾向當(dāng)選總統(tǒng)特朗普承諾，我的政府將確保此次換屆過(guò)程非常平穩(wěn)，就像當(dāng)初布什總統(tǒng)把權(quán)力交接給我一樣。因?yàn)?，我們每個(gè)人首先要保證美國(guó)政府未來(lái)有能力應(yīng)對(duì)我們現(xiàn)在仍然面臨的諸多挑戰(zhàn)。

7.We weaken those ties when we define some of us as more American than others;when we write off the whole system as inevitably corrupt, and blame the leaders we elect without examining our own role in electing them.當(dāng)一些美國(guó)人標(biāo)榜自己比別人“更純正”，當(dāng)我們把整個(gè)民主體制看做是不可避免的腐敗而將其摒棄，當(dāng)我們責(zé)備選出來(lái)的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人卻不反思自己在其中的角色時(shí)，我們之間的紐帶就被削弱了。

If you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, try to talk with one in real life.If something needs fixing, lace up your shoes and do some organizing.If you’re disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself.如果你厭倦了在互聯(lián)網(wǎng)上與陌生人爭(zhēng)辯，那就試試和現(xiàn)實(shí)生活中的人溝通。如果你認(rèn)為一些問(wèn)題需要被解決，那就行動(dòng)起來(lái)做些什么。如果你對(duì)選舉出來(lái)的官員不滿意，那就做好準(zhǔn)備，親自參加競(jìng)選。

8.Rivals like Russia or China cannot match our influence around the world--unless we give up what we stand for, and turn ourselves into just another big country that bullies smaller neighbors.我們?cè)谑澜绶秶鷥?nèi)的影響力，是像俄羅斯或中國(guó)這些對(duì)手無(wú)法匹敵的——除非我們放棄自己的主張，讓自己也變成一個(gè)欺負(fù)弱鄰的大霸主。

9.Going forward, we must uphold laws against discrimination--in hiring, in housing, in education and the criminal justice system.That's what our Constitution and highest ideals require.But laws alone won't be enough.Hearts must change.If our democracy is to work in this increasingly diverse nation, each one of us must try to heed the advice of one of the great characters in American fiction, Atticus Finch, who said “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

為了繼續(xù)前行，我們必須在招工、購(gòu)房、教育和刑事司法系統(tǒng)內(nèi)堅(jiān)持用法律抵抗歧視。這是我們的憲法和最高理念所要求的。但光有法律還不夠。人心要改變才行。如果要讓民主在日益多元的國(guó)家行之有效，我們每一個(gè)人就應(yīng)該謹(jǐn)記美國(guó)小說(shuō)中最著名的人物之一，阿蒂克斯·芬奇說(shuō)過(guò)的一句忠告：“你永遠(yuǎn)無(wú)法真正了解一個(gè)人，除非你爬進(jìn)他的身體，披上他的膚色，以他的身份行走于這個(gè)世界?！?/p>

10.I am asking you to hold fast to that faith written into our founding documents;that idea whispered by slaves and abolitionists;that spirit sung by immigrants and homesteaders and those who marched for justice;that creed reaffirmed by those who planted flags from foreign battlefields to the surface of the moon;a creed at the core of every American whose story is not yet written:

我請(qǐng)求你們堅(jiān)守那些被寫入建國(guó)文獻(xiàn)中的信仰；那些奴隸和廢奴主義者低聲吟誦的思想；那些移民、西部拓荒者和為正義游行的人所歌頌的精神；那些將勝利旗幟插在異國(guó)戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)和月球表面的人所踐行的信條；這個(gè)信條存在于每個(gè)尚未書寫下自己故事的美國(guó)人的內(nèi)心： Yes We Can.是的，我們可以。Yes We Did.是的，我們做到了。Yes We Can.是的，我們能做到。

第二篇：奧巴馬告別演講

奧巴馬告別演講

It’s good to be home.My fellow Americans, Michelle and I have been so touched by all the well-wishes we’ve received over the past few weeks.But tonight it’s my turn to say thanks.Whether we’ve seen eye-to-eye or rarely agreed at all, my conversations with you, the American people – in living rooms and schools;at farms and on factory floors;at diners and on distant outposts – are what have kept me honest, kept me inspired, and kept me going.Every day, I learned from you.You made me a better President, and you made me a better man.你好，芝加哥!回家的感覺(jué)真好!謝謝，謝謝大家!(省略N個(gè)謝謝)

在過(guò)去幾個(gè)星期里，我和Michelle收到了各種美好的祝愿，我們非常感動(dòng)，感謝大家對(duì)我的支持。今晚我仍然要向你們表達(dá)我的感謝，是你們，身處各地，各個(gè)場(chǎng)所的每一位美國(guó)人讓我保持真誠(chéng)，是你們給了我靈感，并一直激勵(lì)著我前進(jìn)。我每天都在向你們學(xué)習(xí)，是你們讓我成為一個(gè)更好的總統(tǒng)，成為一個(gè)更優(yōu)秀的人。

I first came to Chicago when I was in my early twenties, still trying to figure out who I was;still searching for a purpose to my life.It was in neighborhoods not far from here where I began working with church groups in the shadows of closed steel mills.It was on these streets where I witnessed the power of faith, and the quiet dignity of working people in the face of struggle and loss.This is where I learned that change only happens when ordinary people get involved, get engaged, and come together to demand it.我第一次來(lái)到芝加哥還是20歲出頭的時(shí)候，當(dāng)時(shí)我還處在找尋自我的階段，還在為自己的生活尋找方向。就在離這不遠(yuǎn)的一個(gè)社區(qū)，我開始參與教會(huì)團(tuán)體工作。在這些街區(qū)，我看到了信仰的力量，看到了勞動(dòng)人民面對(duì)困境和失意時(shí)那種安靜的尊嚴(yán)。就是在這里，我了解到只有普通民眾都參與進(jìn)來(lái)，變革才會(huì)發(fā)生，只有我們的力量聯(lián)合起來(lái)，社會(huì)才會(huì)進(jìn)步。You’re not the only ones.Michelle – for the past twenty-five years, you’ve been not only my wife and mother of my children, but my best friend.You took on a role you didn’t ask for and made it your own with grace and grit and style and good humor.You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody.And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model.You’ve made me proud.You’ve made the country proud.Malia and Sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women, smart and beautiful, but more importantly, kind and thoughtful and full of passion.You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily.Of all that I’ve done in my life, I’m most proud to be your dad.感謝Michelle，在過(guò)去的25年中，你不僅是我的妻子和我的孩子的母親，也一直是我最好的朋友。你所要承擔(dān)的這個(gè)角色并不是你自己要求的，但你卻用優(yōu)雅、堅(jiān)韌、獨(dú)特的風(fēng)格和幽默感成功地完成了角色轉(zhuǎn)變。你使白宮成為屬于每個(gè)人的地方。而新一代的年輕人視野會(huì)更高，因?yàn)樗麄冇心阕鳛榘駱印?/p>

感謝瑪麗亞和薩莎，你們成為了兩個(gè)了不起的年輕女性，聰明和美麗，但更重要的是，善良和周到，充滿激情。你們?cè)诰酃鉄粝鲁惺芰硕嗄甑呢?fù)擔(dān)。在我一生中所做的所有事情中，我最為自豪的是成為你們的父親。

This generation coming up – unselfish, altruistic, creative, patriotic – I’ve seen you in every corner of the country.You believe in a fair, just, inclusive America;you know that constant change has been America’s hallmark, something not to fear but to embrace, and you are willing to carry this hard work of democracy forward.You’ll soon outnumber any of us, and I believe as a result that the future is in good hands.這一代美國(guó)人無(wú)私、富有創(chuàng)造性，并飽含愛(ài)國(guó)精神，你們相信公平、公正和包容，你們知道不斷保持變化是美國(guó)的標(biāo)志，所以不要害怕，擁抱這些變化，你們會(huì)愿意承擔(dān)這項(xiàng)艱巨的民主工作。你們很快就會(huì)超越我們這些人，我相信，未來(lái)在你們手中。

第三篇：奧巴馬告別演講中英對(duì)照原文

中英對(duì)照原文： Hello Skybrook!It's good to be home!Thank you, everybody!Thank you.Thank you.Thank you so much, thank you.Thank you.Thank you.It's good to be home.Thank you.你好，芝加哥！回家的感覺(jué)真好！謝謝，謝謝大家?。ㄊ÷訬個(gè)謝謝）We're on live TV here, I've got to move.我們正在電視直播呢，我要開始演講了。（現(xiàn)場(chǎng)觀眾非常熱情，掌聲不停啊。。）You can tell that I'm a lame duck, because nobody is following instructions.你們叫我“跛腳鴨”總統(tǒng)好了，都沒(méi)有人聽從我的指示。（掌聲依然停不下來(lái)。。）Everybody have a seat.大家都坐下吧。（求你們了。。）

My fellow Americans, Michelle and I have been so touched by all the well-wishes we've received over the past few weeks.But tonight it's my turn to say thanks.Whether we've seen eye-to-eye or rarely agreed at all, my conversations with you, the American people--in living rooms and schools;at farms and on factory floors;at diners and on distant outposts--are what have kept me honest, kept me inspired, and kept me going.Every day, I learned from you.You made me a better President, and you made me a better man.我的美國(guó)同胞們，最近幾周，米歇爾和我收到了無(wú)數(shù)令人感動(dòng)的祝福，今晚輪到我來(lái)表達(dá)謝意了。不管我們?cè)?jīng)意見(jiàn)相合還是相左，各位美國(guó)同胞，我同你們的每一次對(duì)話，不管是在會(huì)客廳還是在學(xué)校，在農(nóng)場(chǎng)還是工廠車間，在餐桌上還是在遙遠(yuǎn)的邊哨，這些交流都讓我保持真誠(chéng)，充滿斗志，勇往直前。每一天，我都從你們身上學(xué)到東西。是你們讓我成為一個(gè)更好的總統(tǒng)，一個(gè)更好的人。

I first came to Chicago when I was in my early twenties, still trying to figure out who I was;still searching for a purpose to my life.It was in neighborhoods not far from here where I began working with church groups in the shadows of closed steel mills.It was on these streets where I witnessed the power of faith, and the quiet dignity of working people in the face of struggle and loss.This is where I learned that change only happens when ordinary people get involved, get engaged, and come together to demand it.我第一次來(lái)到芝加哥的時(shí)候，還是一個(gè)20歲出頭的小伙子，試圖尋找自我定位，尋找生活的目標(biāo)。我最初就是在這附近的街區(qū)，在一個(gè)被關(guān)閉的鋼廠旁，和教會(huì)團(tuán)體一起工作。我就是在這里的街道上見(jiàn)證了信仰的力量，見(jiàn)證了這些靠雙手吃飯的人面對(duì)生活的掙扎和失利時(shí)展現(xiàn)出的那種安靜的尊嚴(yán)。（觀眾：連任！連任！連任！）我不能這樣。（觀眾：連任！連任！連任?。┚褪窃谶@里，我了解到只有普通民眾都參與進(jìn)來(lái)，熱情投入，變革才會(huì)發(fā)生，只有我們的力量聯(lián)合起來(lái)，社會(huì)才會(huì)進(jìn)步。

After eight years as your President, I still believe that.And it's not just my belief.It's the beating heart of our American idea--our bold experiment in self-government.現(xiàn)在八年時(shí)間過(guò)去了，我仍然堅(jiān)信這一點(diǎn)。我相信，這不只是我自己的一個(gè)信念，也是我們整個(gè)美國(guó)思想的核心所在——對(duì)自治進(jìn)行大膽地嘗試。

It's the conviction that we are all created equal, endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights, among them life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.我們的信念一直是，生來(lái)平等，造物者賦予我們一些不可剝奪的權(quán)利，其中包括生命、自由以及對(duì)幸福的追求。

It's the insistence that these rights, while self-evident, have never been self-executing;that We, the People, through the instrument of our democracy, can form a more perfect union.這些權(quán)利，雖然人人都有，但并不能自動(dòng)實(shí)現(xiàn)。我們，每一個(gè)公民，必須通過(guò)民主的工具，來(lái)創(chuàng)建一個(gè)更加完美的國(guó)家。

This is the great gift our Founders gave us.The freedom to chase our individual dreams through our sweat, toil, and imagination--and the imperative to strive together as well, to achieve a greater good.這是造物者賜予我們的禮物，我們擁有用汗水、辛勞和想象力去追逐我們的個(gè)人夢(mèng)想和自由，以及共同奮斗、實(shí)現(xiàn)更偉大共同利益的責(zé)任。

For 240 years, our nation's call to citizenship has given work and purpose to each new generation.It's what led patriots to choose republic over tyranny, pioneers to trek west, slaves to brave that makeshift railroad to freedom.It's what pulled immigrants and refugees across oceans and the Rio Grande, pushed women to reach for the ballot, powered workers to organize.It's why GIs gave their lives at Omaha Beach and Iwo Jima;Iraq and Afghanistan--and why men and women from Selma to Stonewall were prepared to give theirs as well.240年以來(lái)，我們國(guó)家對(duì)公民使命的召喚使得每一代人都有每一代人的工作和目標(biāo)。正是這一召喚引領(lǐng)著愛(ài)國(guó)者推翻暴政、選擇共和，引領(lǐng)著西進(jìn)運(yùn)動(dòng)，引領(lǐng)著勇敢的奴隸們建造通向自由的地下鐵路。它也吸引著大批移民和難民越過(guò)大洋、越過(guò)格蘭德河（位于美墨之間）來(lái)到這片土地，鼓動(dòng)女性走向投票站，給工人們以團(tuán)結(jié)的動(dòng)力。這是為什么美國(guó)大兵在奧馬哈海灘（譯者注：奧馬哈海灘為二戰(zhàn)諾曼底戰(zhàn)役中盟軍主要登陸點(diǎn)之一的代號(hào)）、硫磺島戰(zhàn)役（譯者注：硫磺島戰(zhàn)役為二戰(zhàn)太平洋戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)中最激烈的戰(zhàn)斗之一）、伊拉克和阿富汗中揮灑鮮血，為什么從塞爾瑪（譯者注：1965年馬丁·路德·金在塞爾瑪領(lǐng)導(dǎo)爭(zhēng)取黑人權(quán)益的抗議游行）到格林尼治石墻（譯者注：1969年美國(guó)同性戀者在格林尼治石墻酒吧進(jìn)行暴力示威，爭(zhēng)取權(quán)利）的男男女女也都準(zhǔn)備好了，要獻(xiàn)出他們的生命。

So that's what we mean when we say America is exceptional.Not that our nation has been flawless from the start, but that we have shown the capacity to change, and make life better for those who follow.這就是為什么我們說(shuō)美國(guó)是獨(dú)一無(wú)二的。我們的國(guó)家并不是一開始就是完美無(wú)瑕，而是我們有能力做出改變，讓追隨美國(guó)夢(mèng)的人擁有更好的生活。

Yes, our progress has been uneven.The work of democracy has always been hard, contentious and sometimes bloody.For every two steps forward, it often feels we take one step back.But the long sweep of America has been defined by forward motion, a constant widening of our founding creed to embrace all, and not just some.是的，我們?nèi)〉玫倪M(jìn)步并不對(duì)每個(gè)人來(lái)說(shuō)都是公平的，民主的事業(yè)總是艱難的、充滿爭(zhēng)議的，有時(shí)甚至是血腥的。每向前邁兩步，給人的感覺(jué)卻是我們退后了一步。但是美國(guó)在漫長(zhǎng)的發(fā)展過(guò)程中，我們一直銳意進(jìn)取，不斷拓寬我們的信條，去擁抱所有人，而不僅僅是其中一部分人。

If I had told you eight years ago that America would reverse a great recession, reboot our auto industry, and unleash the longest stretch of job creation in our history...if I had told you that we would open up a new chapter with the Cuban people, shut down Iran's nuclear weapons program without firing a shot, and take out the mastermind of 9/11...if I had told you that we would win marriage equality, and secure the right to health insurance for another 20 million of our fellow citizens--you might have said our sights were set a little too high.如果八年前，我告訴你們，美國(guó)將扭轉(zhuǎn)大衰退，重振汽車行業(yè)，并創(chuàng)造出歷史以來(lái)最多的就業(yè)機(jī)會(huì)；如果當(dāng)時(shí)我告訴你們，我們將與古巴人民開啟一個(gè)新的篇章，停止伊朗核武器計(jì)劃并揪出9/11事件的幕后主使；如果當(dāng)時(shí)我告訴你們，我們將實(shí)現(xiàn)婚姻平等，為另外2000萬(wàn)的同胞贏得健康保險(xiǎn)的權(quán)利；如果當(dāng)時(shí)我告訴你們這些，你們可能會(huì)說(shuō)我的目標(biāo)定得太高了。

But that's what we did.That's what you did.You were the change.You answered people's hopes, and because of you, by almost every measure, America is a better, stronger place than it was when we started.但是現(xiàn)在這就是我們所做到的，這就是你們所做到的。是你們促成了這些變化，你們讓希望成真，也正是因?yàn)槟銈?，無(wú)論從哪個(gè)角度看，現(xiàn)在的美國(guó)比我上任時(shí)變得更好、更強(qiáng)。

In ten days, the world will witness a hallmark of our democracy: the peaceful transfer of power from one freely-elected president to the next.I committed to President-Elect Trump that my administration would ensure the smoothest possible transition, just as President Bush did for me.Because it's up to all of us to make sure our government can help us meet the many challenges we still face.十天之內(nèi)，世界將會(huì)見(jiàn)證我們民主的一個(gè)標(biāo)志：（觀眾：不——）自由選舉選出的總統(tǒng)之間，權(quán)力交接應(yīng)當(dāng)是和平的。我已向即將就職總統(tǒng)的特朗普先生承諾，我的團(tuán)隊(duì)將會(huì)盡己所能保證平穩(wěn)交接，就像布什總統(tǒng)之前為我做的一樣。因?yàn)槲覀兯腥硕夹枰_保政府可以幫助我們應(yīng)對(duì)目前面臨的諸多挑戰(zhàn)。

We have what we need to do so.After all, we remain the wealthiest, most powerful, and most respected nation on Earth.Our youth and drive, our diversity and openness, our boundless capacity for risk and reinvention mean that the future should be ours.我們擁有這些，我們擁有一切應(yīng)對(duì)挑戰(zhàn)的武器。畢竟，我們?nèi)匀皇沁@個(gè)世界上最富有、最強(qiáng)大、最受尊敬的國(guó)家。我們的青年和發(fā)展動(dòng)力，我們的多樣性和開放程度，我們應(yīng)對(duì)風(fēng)險(xiǎn)和進(jìn)行革新的能力，都在向我們表明未來(lái)應(yīng)該是屬于我們的。

But that potential will be realized only if our democracy works.Only if our politics reflects the decency of the our people.Only if all of us, regardless of our party affiliation or particular interest, help restore the sense of common purpose that we so badly need right now.但是，只有我們保持民主這些潛力才會(huì)發(fā)揮出來(lái)。只有當(dāng)我們的政治反映出人民的正直，只有我們所有人，不論黨派關(guān)系或特殊利益，都有助于推動(dòng)我們實(shí)現(xiàn)共同目的的渴望時(shí)，這些潛力才會(huì)發(fā)揮出來(lái)。

That's what I want to focus on tonight--the state of our democracy.這就是今晚我想說(shuō)的重點(diǎn)——我們的民主體制。

Understand, democracy does not require uniformity.Our founders quarreled and compromised, and expected us to do the same.But they knew that democracy does require a basic sense of solidarity--the idea that for all our outward differences, we are all in this together;that we rise or fall as one.要知道，民主并不強(qiáng)求一致。我們的領(lǐng)袖會(huì)爭(zhēng)吵，會(huì)妥協(xié)，但他們知道民主需要一種基本的團(tuán)結(jié)意識(shí)，雖然我們存在各種差異，但我們卻是一個(gè)整體，我們共興亡。

There have been moments throughout our history that threatened to rupture that solidarity.The beginning of this century has been one of those times.A shrinking world, growing inequality;demographic change and the specter of terrorism--these forces haven't just tested our security and prosperity, but our democracy as well.And how we meet these challenges to our democracy will determine our ability to educate our kids, and create good jobs, and protect our homeland.In other words, it will determine our future.歷史上，我們國(guó)家的團(tuán)結(jié)曾多次受到威脅。在本世紀(jì)初，我們的國(guó)家就面臨了這樣的挑戰(zhàn)：世界不斷變小，不平等持續(xù)擴(kuò)大，人口變化以及恐怖主義蔓延，這些因素不只是對(duì)我們國(guó)家安全和經(jīng)濟(jì)繁榮的考驗(yàn)，也是對(duì)我們民主體制的考驗(yàn)。我們?nèi)绾蝸?lái)應(yīng)對(duì)這些挑戰(zhàn)，將決定我們是否有能力教育好我們的孩子，創(chuàng)造新的就業(yè)機(jī)會(huì)，并保護(hù)我們的家園。換言之，怎樣應(yīng)對(duì)挑戰(zhàn)將決定我們的未來(lái)。

Our democracy won't work without a sense that everyone has economic opportunity.Today, the economy is growing again;wages, incomes, home values, and retirement accounts are rising again;poverty is falling again.The wealthy are paying a fairer share of taxes even as the stock market shatters records.The unemployment rate is near a ten-year low.The uninsured rate has never, ever been lower.首先，我們的民主政體發(fā)揮作用的前提是我們承認(rèn)每個(gè)人都在經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展中享有機(jī)會(huì)。值得高興的是今天的美國(guó)經(jīng)濟(jì)正在增長(zhǎng)。薪資水平、房產(chǎn)價(jià)值和退休金都在增長(zhǎng)。貧困率正在降低。股價(jià)實(shí)現(xiàn)歷史新高，而富裕階層的交稅比例也日趨合理。失業(yè)率實(shí)現(xiàn)了十年最低。參保比例達(dá)到了從未有過(guò)的高水平。

Health care costs are rising at the slowest rate in fifty years.And if anyone can put together a plan that is demonstrably better than the improvements we've made to our health care system--that covers as many people at less cost--I will publicly support it.醫(yī)療成本的增長(zhǎng)速度實(shí)現(xiàn)了半個(gè)世紀(jì)以來(lái)的最低水平。如我之前所說(shuō)，如果有哪個(gè)方案可以實(shí)現(xiàn)醫(yī)療體系的更大提升，實(shí)現(xiàn)以更低成本覆蓋更多人群，那么我一定會(huì)公開支持這一方案，我當(dāng)時(shí)所說(shuō)是認(rèn)真的。

That, after all, is why we serve--to make people's lives better, not worse.But for all the real progress we've made, we know it's not enough.Our economy doesn't work as well or grow as fast when a few prosper at the expense of a growing middle class.But stark inequality is also corrosive to our democratic principles.While the top one percent has amassed a bigger share of wealth and income, too many families, in inner cities and rural counties, have been left behind--the laid-off factory worker;the waitress and health care worker who struggle to pay the bills--convinced that the game is fixed against them, that their government only serves the interests of the powerful--a recipe for more cynicism and polarization in our politics.我當(dāng)選后，出現(xiàn)了一種說(shuō)法是美國(guó)進(jìn)入后種族時(shí)代（種族歧視已經(jīng)不存在），這只是一個(gè)愿景，并不是現(xiàn)實(shí)。因?yàn)榉N族問(wèn)題在我們的社會(huì)中仍然是一種強(qiáng)有力的分裂力量。雖然這一問(wèn)題得到了某種程度的改善，但我們每一個(gè)人都需要做出更多的努力。畢竟，如果每一個(gè)經(jīng)濟(jì)問(wèn)題都被看作是勤勞的白人中產(chǎn)階級(jí)和不受歡迎的少數(shù)民族之間的矛盾，那所有種族的工人只能是爭(zhēng)奪蠅頭小利，而富人坐收漁翁之利。

There are no quick fixes to this long-term trend.I agree that our trade should be fair and not just free.But the next wave of economic dislocation won't come from overseas.It will come from the relentless pace of automation that makes many good, middle-class jobs obsolete.但是針對(duì)這種長(zhǎng)期形成的問(wèn)題，沒(méi)有快速解決方案。我同意我們應(yīng)該在推行自由貿(mào)易的同時(shí)重視貿(mào)易公平。但是其他國(guó)家的影響不會(huì)是下一次經(jīng)濟(jì)危機(jī)爆發(fā)的原因，持續(xù)的自動(dòng)化發(fā)展才會(huì)帶來(lái)這樣的后果。自動(dòng)化將使許多優(yōu)質(zhì)崗位上的中產(chǎn)階級(jí)工人被取代。

And so we must forge a new social compact--to guarantee all our kids the education they need;to give workers the power to unionize for better wages;to update the social safety net to reflect the way we live now and make more reforms to the tax code so corporations and individuals who reap the most from the new economy don't avoid their obligations to the country that's made their success possible.We can argue about how to best achieve these goals.But we can't be complacent about the goals themselves.For if we don't create opportunity for all people, the disaffection and division that has stalled our progress will only sharpen in years to come.因此，我們必須達(dá)成一份新的社會(huì)契約以保證所有孩子能夠接受他們所需的教育，以給予工人聯(lián)合在一起的力量從而爭(zhēng)取更高薪資，以完善社會(huì)保障從而使其更加適應(yīng)我們現(xiàn)在的生活狀況，以推進(jìn)稅收改革，從而使那些在我們經(jīng)濟(jì)體中攫取最多的公司和個(gè)人承擔(dān)起對(duì)國(guó)家的義務(wù)，因?yàn)樗麄冋茄鲑噰?guó)家才得以取得成功。我們可以就如何才能更好地實(shí)現(xiàn)這些目標(biāo)展開討論。但是我們不能因這些目標(biāo)本身而感到自滿。因?yàn)槿绻覀儾荒転樗腥藙?chuàng)造機(jī)會(huì)的話，不滿和分裂會(huì)阻礙我們的進(jìn)步，并且這種阻力會(huì)逐年增強(qiáng)。

There's a second threat to our democracy--one as old as our nation itself.After my election, there was talk of a post-racial America.Such a vision, however well-intended, was never realistic.For race remains a potent and often divisive force in our society.I've lived long enough to know that race relations are better than they were ten, or twenty, or thirty years ago--you can see it not just in statistics, but in the attitudes of young Americans across the political spectrum.我們的民主政體還面臨第二道威脅，這一威脅幾乎和我們的國(guó)家一樣古老。我當(dāng)選總統(tǒng)之后，出現(xiàn)了后種族時(shí)代的說(shuō)法。這樣的圖景是美好的，但從未實(shí)現(xiàn)。種族問(wèn)題依然是造成我們社會(huì)分裂的一股強(qiáng)力?，F(xiàn)在，不管有些人持怎樣的說(shuō)法，我的閱歷告訴我種族間的關(guān)系比10年、20年或30年前都要融洽。你可以從數(shù)據(jù)中看到這一點(diǎn)，不同政治背景的年輕美國(guó)人所持的態(tài)度也可以證實(shí)這一點(diǎn)。

But we're not where we need to be.All of us have more work to do.After all, if every economic issue is framed as a struggle between a hardworking white middle class and undeserving minorities, then workers of all shades will be left fighting for scraps while the wealthy withdraw further into their private enclaves.If we decline to invest in the children of immigrants, just because they don't look like us, we diminish the prospects of our own children--because those brown kids will represent a larger share of America's workforce.And our economy doesn't have to be a zero-sum game.Last year, incomes rose for all races, all age groups, for men and for women.但是我們現(xiàn)在所實(shí)現(xiàn)的仍不夠，我們還應(yīng)付出更多努力。如果把每個(gè)經(jīng)濟(jì)問(wèn)題都視為努力工作的白人中產(chǎn)階級(jí)和不付出勞動(dòng)的少數(shù)群體之間的斗爭(zhēng)，那么各個(gè)階層工人的努力都只是徒勞，富裕階層卻得以進(jìn)一步堅(jiān)守他們的既得利益。如果我們單憑移民群體的孩子和我們相貌不同便不愿意投資在他們身上，那么我們將同時(shí)損害我們自己孩子的前途。因?yàn)槟切┳厣つw的孩子將逐漸成為美國(guó)勞動(dòng)力中越來(lái)越重要的一部分。經(jīng)濟(jì)并不一定是一場(chǎng)零和博弈，這一點(diǎn)已經(jīng)被證實(shí)了。去年，不同種族、年齡和性別群體的收入都實(shí)現(xiàn)了增長(zhǎng)。

Going forward, we must uphold laws against discrimination--in hiring, in housing, in education and the criminal justice system.That's what our Constitution and highest ideals require.所以如果我們想要嚴(yán)肅地對(duì)待種族問(wèn)題，我們就應(yīng)該支持反歧視的相關(guān)法律。這些法律包括雇傭、住房、教育和司法體系方面的反歧視。這是我們憲法的要求，也是我們最高理想的要求。

But laws alone won't be enough.Hearts must change.If our democracy is to work in this increasingly diverse nation, each one of us must try to heed the advice of one of the great characters in American fiction, Atticus Finch, who said “You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” 但是僅僅依靠法律是不夠的。我們必須轉(zhuǎn)變觀念，當(dāng)然這種轉(zhuǎn)變不會(huì)在一朝一夕間實(shí)現(xiàn)。社會(huì)觀念的轉(zhuǎn)變一般通過(guò)幾代人的努力才能完成。但是我們的民主制度將繼續(xù)在這個(gè)多元的國(guó)家中發(fā)揮作用。而我們每一個(gè)人都應(yīng)該從一部美國(guó)小說(shuō)中的主角身上吸取教訓(xùn)，這一角色是阿提克斯·芬奇（譯者注：阿提克斯·芬奇為作家哈珀·李的小說(shuō)《殺死一只知更鳥》中塑造的正直律師的典范形象），他曾說(shuō)“除非你站在另一個(gè)人的角度考慮問(wèn)題，除非你爬進(jìn)他的身體并來(lái)回走動(dòng)，否則你是不會(huì)真正了解這個(gè)人的。”

For blacks and other minorities, it means tying our own struggles for justice to the challenges that a lot of people in this country face--the refugee, the immigrant, the rural poor, the transgender American, and also the middle-aged white man who from the outside may seem like he's got all the advantages, but who's seen his world upended by economic, cultural, and technological change.對(duì)于黑人和其他少數(shù)群體來(lái)說(shuō)，應(yīng)該將我們?yōu)檎x而進(jìn)行的奮斗同其他群體正面臨的挑戰(zhàn)聯(lián)系在一起。這些群體不僅包括難民、移民、城市里的貧窮家庭和跨性別美國(guó)人，還包括中年白人，因?yàn)樗麄円苍S看起來(lái)具有優(yōu)勢(shì)，但他們同時(shí)也正面臨經(jīng)濟(jì)、文化和技術(shù)方面的變革。我們應(yīng)該關(guān)注他們，傾聽他們的想法。

For white Americans, it means acknowledging that the effects of slavery and Jim Crow didn't suddenly vanish in the '60s;that when minority groups voice discontent, they're not just engaging in reverse racism or practicing political correctness;that when they wage peaceful protest, they're not demanding special treatment, but the equal treatment our Founders promised.對(duì)于美國(guó)白人來(lái)說(shuō)，這意味著我們要明白奴隸制的影響和吉姆·克勞法（譯者注：吉姆·克勞法為1876年至1965年間美國(guó)南部及邊境各州對(duì)有色人種實(shí)行的種族隔離制度的法律）并不是在60年代憑空消失的，我們要明白少數(shù)群體發(fā)出不滿時(shí)，他們不是為了反對(duì)種族主義或倡導(dǎo)政治正確。當(dāng)他們發(fā)起和平示威時(shí)，他們不是在要求特殊對(duì)待，他們只是在要求國(guó)父?jìng)兂兄Z的平等對(duì)待。

For native-born Americans, it means reminding ourselves that the stereotypes about immigrants today were said, almost word for word, about the Irish, Italians, and Poles.America wasn't weakened by the presence of these newcomers;they embraced this nation's creed, and it was strengthened.對(duì)于本土美國(guó)人來(lái)說(shuō)，這意味著我們要認(rèn)識(shí)到自己今天對(duì)于移民的種種偏見(jiàn)，如針對(duì)愛(ài)爾蘭人、意大利人和波蘭人的偏見(jiàn)，將摧毀美國(guó)最本質(zhì)的精神。正如我們所見(jiàn)，美國(guó)并沒(méi)有因?yàn)檫@些移民而走向衰落；這些移民忠于美國(guó)倡導(dǎo)的宗旨，他們的到來(lái)使美國(guó)變得更強(qiáng)。

So regardless of the station we occupy;we have to try harder;to start with the premise that each of our fellow citizens loves this country just as much as we do;that they value hard work and family like we do;that their children are just as curious and hopeful and worthy of love as our own.因此無(wú)論我們持什么立場(chǎng)，我們都應(yīng)該更加努力。我們都應(yīng)該以這樣的認(rèn)知為出發(fā)點(diǎn)：每一個(gè)公民都同我們一樣熱愛(ài)著這個(gè)國(guó)家，同我們一樣努力工作、一樣重視家庭；他們的孩子也像我們的孩子一樣，充滿好奇、前途無(wú)量并且值得愛(ài)護(hù)。

None of this is easy.For too many of us, it's become safer to retreat into our own bubbles, whether in our neighborhoods or college campuses or places of worship or our social media feeds, surrounded by people who look like us and share the same political outlook and never challenge our assumptions.The rise of naked partisanship, increasing economic and regional stratification, the splintering of our media into a channel for every taste--all this makes this great sorting seem natural, even inevitable.And increasingly, we become so secure in our bubbles that we accept only information, whether true or not, that fits our opinions, instead of basing our opinions on the evidence that's out there.要做到這一點(diǎn)并非易事。對(duì)于我們中的太多人來(lái)說(shuō)，躲進(jìn)我們自己的圈子是更安全，這些圈子包括我們的鄰里、大學(xué)校園、教堂或是社交網(wǎng)絡(luò)，在安全地帶我們周圍盡是和我們相像、有相同政治立場(chǎng)和從不挑戰(zhàn)我們觀點(diǎn)的人。赤裸裸的黨爭(zhēng)、經(jīng)濟(jì)和地域方面不斷攀升的自滿情緒、迎合不同人群造成的媒體間的分裂，這些都使區(qū)別對(duì)待的做法看起來(lái)是自然的，甚至是不可避免的。于是我們?cè)谧约旱陌踩貛г絹?lái)越感到安心，于是我們開始只接受迎合我們的觀點(diǎn)，無(wú)論這些觀點(diǎn)是對(duì)是錯(cuò)，而不是接受那些基于現(xiàn)有證據(jù)的說(shuō)法。This trend represents a third threat to our democracy.Politics is a battle of ideas;in the course of a healthy debate, we'll prioritize different goals, and the different means of reaching them.But without some common baseline of facts;without a willingness to admit new information, and concede that your opponent is making a fair point, and that science and reason matter, we'll keep talking past each other, making common ground and compromise impossible.這一趨勢(shì)構(gòu)成了對(duì)我們民主體制的第三道威脅。但是政治就是一場(chǎng)有關(guān)理念的戰(zhàn)斗。我們的民主體制設(shè)計(jì)便是基于此。在針對(duì)醫(yī)療方面的爭(zhēng)論中，我們?yōu)椴煌繕?biāo)劃分了優(yōu)先次序并制定了實(shí)現(xiàn)它們的不同方案。但是如果沒(méi)有對(duì)底線的堅(jiān)守和接受新信息的意愿，如果我們不承認(rèn)我們對(duì)手的觀點(diǎn)也許是公正的，不承認(rèn)科學(xué)和理性的重要性，那么我們便不能實(shí)現(xiàn)真正的溝通，不能相互妥協(xié)并建立共同立場(chǎng)。

Isn't that part of what makes politics so dispiriting? How can elected officials rage about deficits when we propose to spend money on preschool for kids, but not when we're cutting taxes for corporations? How do we excuse ethical lapses in our own party, but pounce when the other party does the same thing? It's not just dishonest, this selective sorting of the facts;it's self-defeating.Because as my mother used to tell me, reality has a way of catching up with you.不正是這些因素使人們對(duì)政治感到失望的嗎？如果政客沒(méi)有對(duì)削減企業(yè)稅感到不滿的話，那我們提議增加對(duì)學(xué)齡前兒童的支出時(shí)，他們憑什么感到憤怒呢？在抨擊其他政黨腐敗的同時(shí)，我們?cè)趺茨軐掑饵h內(nèi)腐敗呢？這些行為不只是不誠(chéng)實(shí)，更是對(duì)事實(shí)的區(qū)別對(duì)待，是自我毀滅的行徑。因?yàn)?，就像我母親曾經(jīng)告訴我的，現(xiàn)實(shí)總能讓你自食其果。Take the challenge of climate change.In just eight years, we've halved our dependence on foreign oil, doubled our renewable energy, and led the world to an agreement that has the promise to save this planet.But without bolder action, our children won't have time to debate the existence of climate change;they'll be busy dealing with its effects: environmental disasters, economic disruptions, and waves of climate refugees seeking sanctuary.讓我們接受氣候變化帶來(lái)的挑戰(zhàn)吧。僅僅八年，我們對(duì)國(guó)外石油的需求量就削減了一半，可再生能源的產(chǎn)量也翻了一倍。我們領(lǐng)導(dǎo)世界各國(guó)達(dá)成協(xié)議，承諾拯救我們生活的星球。但是如果不堅(jiān)決地采取行動(dòng)，我們的孩子將沒(méi)有時(shí)間再討論氣候變化問(wèn)題是否存在，他們將忙于應(yīng)對(duì)氣候變化帶來(lái)的各種影響——更多的環(huán)境問(wèn)題，更多對(duì)經(jīng)濟(jì)的阻礙和一撥又一撥尋求美好生活環(huán)境的氣候移民。

Now, we can and should argue about the best approach to the problem.But to simply deny the problem not only betrays future generations;it betrays the essential spirit of innovation and practical problem-solving that guided our Founders.現(xiàn)在，我們可以并且應(yīng)該討論解決環(huán)境問(wèn)題的最佳方案。單純地否認(rèn)問(wèn)題的存在是對(duì)后人的不負(fù)責(zé)，是對(duì)我們開國(guó)元?jiǎng)椎膭?chuàng)新與解決實(shí)際問(wèn)題精神的背離，而這一精神是我們國(guó)家精神的實(shí)質(zhì)。

It's that spirit, born of the Enlightenment, that made us an economic powerhouse--the spirit that took flight at Kitty Hawk and Cape Canaveral;the spirit that that cures disease and put a computer in every pocket.這一精神起源于啟蒙時(shí)代。正是這一精神使我們國(guó)家成為世界經(jīng)濟(jì)的引擎。小鷹鎮(zhèn)和卡納維拉爾角起飛的航天飛機(jī)承載的也正是這一精神。在這一精神的指導(dǎo)下，我們治愈了疾病、將智能手機(jī)放進(jìn)了每個(gè)人的口袋。

It's that spirit--a faith in reason, and enterprise, and the primacy of right over might, that allowed us to resist the lure of fascism and tyranny during the Great Depression, and build a post-World War II order with other democracies, an order based not just on military power or national affiliations but on principles--the rule of law, human rights, freedoms of religion, speech, assembly, and an independent press.這一精神是一種信念，是對(duì)理性、進(jìn)取心的信念，對(duì)權(quán)利應(yīng)始終高于權(quán)力的信念，這一信念引導(dǎo)我們?cè)诮?jīng)濟(jì)蕭條時(shí)期拒絕了法西斯和專制的誘惑，引導(dǎo)我們?cè)诙?zhàn)后同其他民主政體一起建立了戰(zhàn)后秩序。我們建立的戰(zhàn)后秩序不僅基于軍事力量和國(guó)家的團(tuán)結(jié)，更是基于我們堅(jiān)守的原則——法制、人權(quán)、宗教自由、言論自由、集會(huì)自由和媒體自由。

That order is now being challenged--first by violent fanatics who claim to speak for Islam;more recently by autocrats in foreign capitals who see free markets, open democracies, and civil society itself as a threat to their power.The peril each poses to our democracy is more far-reaching than a car bomb or a missile.It represents the fear of change;the fear of people who look or speak or pray differently;a contempt for the rule of law that holds leaders accountable;an intolerance of dissent and free thought;a belief that the sword or the gun or the bomb or propaganda machine is the ultimate arbiter of what's true and what's right.這一秩序現(xiàn)在正經(jīng)受挑戰(zhàn)。首先，挑戰(zhàn)來(lái)自號(hào)稱伊斯蘭代言人的狂熱暴力分子；如今外國(guó)資本中的獨(dú)裁者將自由市場(chǎng)、開放的民主政體和公民社會(huì)視為威脅他們權(quán)力的眼中釘，他們開始挑戰(zhàn)民主秩序。這兩方面遠(yuǎn)比汽車爆炸和導(dǎo)彈對(duì)民主政體帶來(lái)的威脅要深遠(yuǎn)。他們帶來(lái)的威脅源于對(duì)變化的恐懼，對(duì)不同外表、言行和信仰的恐懼；法治是保證當(dāng)權(quán)者承擔(dān)責(zé)任的手段，他們卻蔑視法治，他們對(duì)異見(jiàn)和思想自由從來(lái)不尊重。他們認(rèn)為刀槍、炸彈和宣傳機(jī)器即是正義。

Because of the extraordinary courage of our men and women in uniform, and the intelligence officers, law enforcement, and diplomats who support them, no foreign terrorist organization has successfully planned and executed an attack on our homeland these past eight years;and although Boston and Orlando remind us of how dangerous radicalization can be, our law enforcement agencies are more effective and vigilant than ever.We've taken out tens of thousands of terrorists--including Osama bin Laden.The global coalition we're leading against ISIL has taken out their leaders, and taken away about half their territory.ISIL will be destroyed, and no one who threatens America will ever be safe.To all who serve, it has been the honor of my lifetime to be your Commander-in-Chief.由于軍人們的勇氣和情報(bào)人員、執(zhí)法力量和外交官們給予他們的支持，在過(guò)去的八年，沒(méi)有任何一個(gè)國(guó)外恐怖組織得以在我們的領(lǐng)土策劃或?qū)嵤┛植酪u擊。盡管在波士頓（譯者注：2013年4月15日，波士頓馬拉松比賽發(fā)生爆炸案造成3人死亡，嫌犯曾表示捍衛(wèi)伊斯蘭教的決心）、奧蘭多（譯者注：2016年6月12日，響應(yīng)伊斯蘭圣戰(zhàn)號(hào)召的嫌犯在奧蘭多同性戀酒吧發(fā)起槍擊，造成50人死亡）、圣貝納迪諾郡（譯者注：2015年12月2日，加州圣貝納迪諾郡發(fā)生槍擊案，造成14人死亡，行兇者曾宣誓效忠伊斯蘭國(guó)首領(lǐng)）和胡德堡（譯者注：2009年11月5日，美國(guó)陸軍胡德堡基地發(fā)生圣戰(zhàn)分子大規(guī)模槍擊案，造成13人死亡）發(fā)生的悲劇使我們意識(shí)到極端主義有多危險(xiǎn)，但我們的執(zhí)法部門也自此變得更加高效、警惕。我們清除了成千上萬(wàn)的恐怖主義者，其中包括本拉登。我們領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的反伊斯蘭國(guó)全球聯(lián)盟除掉了他們的首領(lǐng)，他們侵占的土地我們奪取了大約一半。伊斯蘭國(guó)終將被擊毀，從沒(méi)有哪個(gè)對(duì)美國(guó)造成威脅的人是安全的。對(duì)于保衛(wèi)或曾經(jīng)保衛(wèi)我們的國(guó)家的人，我想對(duì)你們說(shuō)，擔(dān)任你們的總司令是我一生的光榮。我們每個(gè)人都應(yīng)該向你們表示最真摯的謝意。

But protecting our way of life requires more than our military.Democracy can buckle when we give in to fear.So just as we, as citizens, must remain vigilant against external aggression, we must guard against a weakening of the values that make us who we are.但是維護(hù)我們的生活方式僅靠軍事力量是不夠的。如果我們屈服于恐懼，民主就會(huì)變質(zhì)。因此作為美國(guó)公民的我們應(yīng)該保持對(duì)外來(lái)侵犯的警覺(jué)，應(yīng)該捍衛(wèi)那些決定我們是誰(shuí)的價(jià)值觀。

That's why, for the past eight years, I've worked to put the fight against terrorism on a firm legal footing.That's why we've ended torture, worked to close Gitmo, and reform our laws governing surveillance to protect privacy and civil liberties.這就是為什么在過(guò)去的八年中，我致力于將堅(jiān)決打擊恐怖主義的行動(dòng)合法化。這就是為什么我們終結(jié)酷刑、致力于關(guān)閉關(guān)塔那摩監(jiān)獄并變革與監(jiān)管相關(guān)的法律以保護(hù)公民隱私和自由。這就是為什么我堅(jiān)決反對(duì)針對(duì)穆斯林美國(guó)人的歧視，他們同我們一樣熱愛(ài)這個(gè)國(guó)家。

That's why I reject discrimination against Muslim Americans.That's why we cannot withdraw from global fights--to expand democracy, and human rights, women's rights, and LGBT rights--no matter how imperfect our efforts, no matter how expedient ignoring such values may seem.For the fight against extremism and intolerance and sectarianism are of a piece with the fight against authoritarianism and nationalist aggression.這就是為什么我們不能從全球化中撤身，我們應(yīng)該發(fā)揚(yáng)民主、人權(quán)以及對(duì)女性和LGBT群體權(quán)利的關(guān)注，即使我們現(xiàn)在所做的工作并不完善，即使當(dāng)面臨現(xiàn)實(shí)問(wèn)題時(shí)，我們總無(wú)暇顧及這些價(jià)值觀。對(duì)極端主義、排斥異己、宗派主義和沙文主義的反抗是反對(duì)專制、反對(duì)國(guó)家主義的一部分。

If the scope of freedom and respect for the rule of law shrinks around the world, the likelihood of war within and between nations increases, and our own freedoms will eventually be threatened.如果在全球范圍內(nèi)對(duì)自由和法制的尊重減弱，那么國(guó)家間和一國(guó)內(nèi)爆發(fā)戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)的可能性便會(huì)增加，我們自己的自由也就會(huì)因此受到威脅。

So let's be vigilant, but not afraid.ISIL will try to kill innocent people.But they cannot defeat America unless we betray our Constitution and our principles in the fight.Rivals like Russia or China cannot match our influence around the world--unless we give up what we stand for, and turn ourselves into just another big country that bullies smaller neighbors.所以，我們應(yīng)該保持警覺(jué)，而不是充滿恐懼。企圖濫殺無(wú)辜的伊斯蘭國(guó)永遠(yuǎn)不能戰(zhàn)勝我們，除非我們背離了我們的憲法和基本原則；俄羅斯和中國(guó)這樣的對(duì)手也不可能與我們匹敵，除非我們拋棄了立場(chǎng)、變成另一個(gè)欺凌周邊小國(guó)的大國(guó)。

Which brings me to my final point--our democracy is threatened whenever we take it for granted.All of us, regardless of party, should throw ourselves into the task of rebuilding our democratic institutions.When voting rates are some of the lowest among advanced democracies, we should make it easier, not harder, to vote.When trust in our institutions is low, we should reduce the corrosive influence of money in our politics, and insist on the principles of transparency and ethics in public service.When Congress is dysfunctional, we should draw our districts to encourage politicians to cater to common sense and not rigid extremes.這也是我想要表達(dá)的最后一點(diǎn)：當(dāng)我們把民主視為理所當(dāng)然時(shí)，我們的民主就會(huì)受到威脅。我們所有人，不論黨派，都應(yīng)該致力于重建我們的民主體制的任務(wù)。當(dāng)投票率是發(fā)達(dá)民主國(guó)家中最低之一時(shí)，我們應(yīng)該使投票更容易，而不是更難。當(dāng)我們的組織信任度降低時(shí)，我們應(yīng)該減少金錢在政治中的腐蝕性影響，并堅(jiān)持透明度和道德的公共服務(wù)原則。當(dāng)國(guó)會(huì)功能失調(diào)時(shí)，我們應(yīng)該吸引我們的地區(qū)鼓勵(lì)政客迎合大眾需求，而不是僵化的極端。

And all of this depends on our participation;on each of us accepting the responsibility of citizenship, regardless of which way the pendulum of power swings.但是我們要牢記，所有這些目標(biāo)的實(shí)現(xiàn)都不會(huì)是自然而然的。所有這些都取決于我們每個(gè)人的參與，取決于無(wú)論政治風(fēng)向如何變動(dòng)，我們都能夠承擔(dān)公民責(zé)任。Our Constitution is a remarkable, beautiful gift.But it's really just a piece of parchment.It has no power on its own.We, the people, give it power--with our participation, and the choices we make.Whether or not we stand up for our freedoms.Whether or not we respect and enforce the rule of law.America is no fragile thing.But the gains of our long journey to freedom are not assured.憲法是我們無(wú)可比擬的、天賦的優(yōu)勢(shì)。但這只是我們優(yōu)勢(shì)的一部分，因?yàn)閼椃ū旧硎菬o(wú)力的。是我們、是民眾給予了它力量。是我們賦予了它意義。是我們通過(guò)參與、我們所做的選擇和我們結(jié)成的聯(lián)盟做到這一點(diǎn)的。我們是否堅(jiān)守自由、是否尊重并貫徹法治決定了憲法的力量。這些都取決于我們。美國(guó)并不是一個(gè)脆弱的國(guó)家，但是我們通向自由的旅程并不是安穩(wěn)無(wú)憂的。

In his own farewell address, George Washington wrote that self-government is the underpinning of our safety, prosperity, and liberty, but “from different causes and from different quarters much pains will be taken...to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth;” that we should preserve it with “jealous anxiety;” that we should reject “the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest or to enfeeble the sacred ties” that make us one.喬治華盛頓在他的告別演講中提到自治是我們安全、繁榮和自由的支柱。但是由于各種各樣的原因，取得自治的道路將是艱難的，會(huì)有很多阻礙威脅我們對(duì)真理的信念。因此我們應(yīng)該以嫉妒般的敏感保衛(wèi)我們的信念，任何分離我們國(guó)家、割裂將我們維系的神圣紐帶的企圖都應(yīng)該被扼殺在襁褓之中。

We weaken those ties when we allow our political dialogue to become so corrosive that people of good character are turned off from public service;so coarse with rancor that Americans with whom we disagree are not just misguided, but somehow malevolent.We weaken those ties when we define some of us as more American than others;when we write off the whole system as inevitably corrupt, and blame the leaders we elect without examining our own role in electing them.如果我們?cè)试S政治對(duì)話變得激烈，以致具備高貴品質(zhì)的人放棄參與服務(wù)民眾的工作；如果我們?cè)试S政治對(duì)話變得粗暴而充滿敵意，以致我們的對(duì)手被誤導(dǎo)而變得不懷好意，那么我們之間的連結(jié)就會(huì)被削弱。如果我們認(rèn)為一部分人比其他人更具備自稱美國(guó)人的資格，如果我們默認(rèn)整個(gè)系統(tǒng)的腐敗是不可避免的，如果我們不詳加考量便決定自己的選票，那么我們之間的紐帶也會(huì)被削弱。

It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy;to embrace the joyous task we've been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours.Because for all our outward differences, we all share the same proud title: Citizen.我們每個(gè)人都有責(zé)任去敏感警惕地捍衛(wèi)民主；每個(gè)人都應(yīng)該熱情洋溢地投身于發(fā)展我們偉大的國(guó)家這一使命。因?yàn)槲覀兊耐獗硪苍S不同，但我們都被授予了同一頭銜：公民。

Ultimately, that's what our democracy demands.It needs you.Not just when there's an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime.If you're tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, try to talk with one in real life.民主需要的就是正是這一點(diǎn)。它需要你的參與。你的參與不應(yīng)僅限于選舉，不應(yīng)僅限于影響你切身利益的事情，你的參與應(yīng)該貫穿你的一生。

If something needs fixing, lace up your shoes and do some organizing.If you're disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself.Show up.Dive in.Persevere.如果已經(jīng)厭煩了同互聯(lián)網(wǎng)上的陌生人爭(zhēng)論，那便和現(xiàn)實(shí)中的人交流吧；如果遇到了麻煩，那便系好鞋帶去行動(dòng)吧；如果對(duì)自己選出的政客失望，那便抓起紙板、寫上你的名字然后親自參加競(jìng)選吧。參與進(jìn)來(lái)、投入進(jìn)去然后堅(jiān)持到底。

Sometimes you'll win.Sometimes you'll lose.Presuming a reservoir of goodness in others can be a risk, and there will be times when the process disappoints you.But for those of us fortunate enough to have been a part of this work, to see it up close, let me tell you, it can energize and inspire.And more often than not, your faith in America – and in Americans – will be confirmed.有時(shí)你會(huì)成功，有時(shí)你將面臨失敗。假定他人總心懷善意是有風(fēng)險(xiǎn)的，有時(shí)你會(huì)感到失望。但是對(duì)于那些幸運(yùn)的、得以參與其中一部分工作并見(jiàn)證這些工作得以完成的人來(lái)說(shuō)，他們從中吸取了力量，備受鼓舞。更重要的是，他們對(duì)美國(guó)、對(duì)美國(guó)人的信念從中得到了肯定。

Mine sure has been.Over the course of these eight years, I've seen the hopeful faces of young graduates and our newest military officers.I've mourned with grieving families searching for answers, and found grace in Charleston church.I've seen our scientists help a paralyzed man regain his sense of touch, and our wounded warriors walk again.I've seen our doctors and volunteers rebuild after earthquakes and stop pandemics in their tracks.I've seen the youngest of children remind us of our obligations to care for refugees, to work in peace, and above all to look out for each other.我自己對(duì)美國(guó)及美國(guó)人的信念的確也加強(qiáng)了。這八年，我看到那么多年輕畢業(yè)生和新晉軍官洋溢著希望的臉龐。我和心碎的、失落的家庭一同悲傷，我也曾在查爾斯頓教堂中蒙恩。（譯者注：2015年6月17日，在美國(guó)南卡羅萊納州查爾斯頓的一起重大槍擊案。一名白人在當(dāng)?shù)氐囊蛔谌私烫瞄_槍，造成九人死亡，包括一名議員）我看到我們的科學(xué)家?guī)椭粋€(gè)癱瘓男人重獲觸感，讓受傷的戰(zhàn)士恢復(fù)行走能力。我看到地震后我們的醫(yī)生和志愿者們開展重建工作、遏止流行疾病的蔓延。我看到很小的孩子用行動(dòng)和寬容給予我們警醒——我們身負(fù)幫助難民的責(zé)任，我們應(yīng)該為實(shí)現(xiàn)和平而努力，最重要的是，我們得愛(ài)護(hù)彼此。

That faith I placed all those years ago, not far from here, in the power of ordinary Americans to bring about change – that faith has been rewarded in ways I couldn't possibly have imagined.I hope yours has, too.Some of you here tonight or watching at home were there with us in 2004, in 2008, in 2012 – and maybe you still can't believe we pulled this whole thing off.過(guò)去的幾年，我一直相信普通美國(guó)人可以帶來(lái)改變，這種信念從各個(gè)方面使我受益，這在此前是難以預(yù)料的。我希望你的信念也能使你受益匪淺。今天現(xiàn)場(chǎng)和電視機(jī)前的一部分人，在2004、2008、2012年的時(shí)候也和我在一起，也許你們到現(xiàn)在也無(wú)法相信我們真的做到了。我想告訴你們，不敢相信的不只有你們。

You're not the only ones.Michelle – for the past twenty-five years, you've been not only my wife and mother of my children, but my best friend.You took on a role you didn't ask for and made it your own with grace and grit and style and good humor.You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody.And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model.You've made me proud.You've made the country proud.感謝米歇爾！米歇爾·拉范恩·羅賓森，這個(gè)來(lái)自南部的女孩。在過(guò)去的25年里，你不僅是我的妻子，我孩子們的母親，同時(shí)也是我最好的朋友。你擔(dān)任的角色自己從未設(shè)想過(guò)，卻把它演繹得優(yōu)雅、勇敢而幽默，頗具自己的風(fēng)格。你將白宮變成一個(gè)歡迎所有人來(lái)的地方。新一代人把自己的目標(biāo)定得更高，因?yàn)樗麄冇心阕鳛槟７?。你讓我感到驕傲。你讓整個(gè)國(guó)家為你驕傲。

Malia and Sasha, under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women, smart and beautiful, but more importantly, kind and thoughtful and full of passion.You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily.Of all that I've done in my life, I'm most proud to be your dad.感謝瑪利亞和薩莎，在一種和普通青少年成長(zhǎng)環(huán)境不同的氛圍中，你們成長(zhǎng)為兩位讓人驚艷的少女，智慧而美麗。但更重要的是，你們善良、體貼、充滿熱情。你們對(duì)這些年來(lái)外界的關(guān)注應(yīng)付自如。我這一生中最驕傲的事情，就是能做你們的父親。

To Joe Biden, the scrappy kid from Scranton who became Delaware's favorite son: you were the first choice I made as a nominee, and the best.Not just because you have been a great Vice President, but because in the bargain, I gained a brother.We love you and Jill like family, and your friendship has been one of the great joys of our life.副總統(tǒng)喬·拜登，從斯克蘭頓的一個(gè)愛(ài)打架的孩子成長(zhǎng)為特拉華州最愛(ài)的兒子。你是我最早提名的內(nèi)閣成員，也是最好的。并不僅僅因?yàn)槟闶浅晒Φ母笨偨y(tǒng)，更因?yàn)樵谖覀児彩碌倪^(guò)程中，你成了我的兄弟。我們愛(ài)你和吉爾有如家人，你的友誼是我們生命中最為珍視的快樂(lè)之一。

To my remarkable staff: For eight years – and for some of you, a whole lot more – I've drawn from your energy, and tried to reflect back what you displayed every day: heart, and character, and idealism.I've watched you grow up, get married, have kids, and start incredible new journeys of your own.Even when times got tough and frustrating, you never let Washington get the better of you.The only thing that makes me prouder than all the good we've done is the thought of all the remarkable things you'll achieve from here.我極為出色的白宮職員們：這八年，你們其中一些人和我共事成長(zhǎng)，我從你們身上獲得了很多能量，也嘗試把每天從你們身上獲得的輻射給其他人：愛(ài)心、個(gè)性和理想主義。我見(jiàn)證你們成長(zhǎng)、結(jié)婚、生子，并開啟屬于你們自己的事業(yè)。哪怕時(shí)事變得艱難，使人受挫，你們也從未被華盛頓的這些破事?lián)舻惯^(guò)。我們一起在這里促成了很多好事，但讓我感到更為驕傲的是，從這里起步的你們將會(huì)取得更大成就。

And to all of you out there – every organizer who moved to an unfamiliar town and kind family who welcomed them in, every volunteer who knocked on doors, every young person who cast a ballot for the first time, every American who lived and breathed the hard work of change – you are the best supporters and organizers anyone could hope for, and I will forever be grateful.Because yes, you changed the world.所有支持我的人：每一個(gè)搬到自己不熟悉的小鎮(zhèn)的組織者，還有那些熱情招呼他們進(jìn)門的家庭，每一個(gè)上門游說(shuō)的志愿者，每一個(gè)第一次投票的年輕人，每一位在充滿變數(shù)的時(shí)事中艱難生活的美國(guó)人……你們是最好的支持者和組織者，我永遠(yuǎn)感激你們。是的，你們的確改變了世界，你們做到了。

That's why I leave this stage tonight even more optimistic about this country than I was when we started.Because I know our work has not only helped so many Americans;it has inspired so many Americans – especially so many young people out there – to believe you can make a difference;to hitch your wagon to something bigger than yourselves.這是為什么今天我比剛?cè)温殨r(shí)，更為樂(lè)觀地看待我們國(guó)家的未來(lái)。因?yàn)槲抑牢覀兯龅墓ぷ鞑粌H幫助了很多人，更激勵(lì)了很多人，尤其是年輕人。要相信你們可以促成改變，要為比自身更重要的事情而努力奮斗。

This generation coming up – unselfish, altruistic, creative, patriotic – I've seen you in every corner of the country.You believe in a fair, just, inclusive America;you know that constant change has been America's hallmark, something not to fear but to embrace, and you are willing to carry this hard work of democracy forward.You'll soon outnumber any of us, and I believe as a result that the future is in good hands.我想說(shuō)，這一代年輕人不自私、有創(chuàng)意、愛(ài)國(guó)。我在美國(guó)處處可以見(jiàn)到你們。你們相信美國(guó)可以更公平、更公正、更包容；你們了解不斷的變化正是美國(guó)的特質(zhì)，我們應(yīng)該面對(duì)而不應(yīng)該懼怕；你們也愿意去承受推進(jìn)民主的重任。你們將最終超越我們所有人，我相信國(guó)家的未來(lái)在你們手中將會(huì)更加光明。

My fellow Americans, it has been the honor of my life to serve you.I won't stop;in fact, I will be right there with you, as a citizen, for all my days that remain.For now, whether you're young or young at heart, I do have one final ask of you as your President – the same thing I asked when you took a chance on me eight years ago.我的同胞們，能夠?yàn)槟銈兎?wù)是我的榮幸。我會(huì)一直為你們服務(wù)。事實(shí)上，在我以后的人生中，我會(huì)以一位普通公民的身份一直和你們?cè)谝黄稹６F(xiàn)在，無(wú)論你年輕與否，作為你們的總統(tǒng)我還有一個(gè)請(qǐng)求，八年前你們剛把我選上來(lái)時(shí)我提出過(guò)同樣的請(qǐng)求。

I am asking you to believe.Not in my ability to bring about change – but in yours.我請(qǐng)求你們繼續(xù)保持信念。不是相信我可以帶來(lái)改變，而是相信你們自己的力量。I am asking you to hold fast to that faith written into our founding documents;that idea whispered by slaves and abolitionists;that spirit sung by immigrants and homesteaders and those who marched for justice;that creed reaffirmed by those who planted flags from foreign battlefields to the surface of the moon;a creed at the core of every American whose story is not yet written: 我請(qǐng)求你們依然堅(jiān)信在建國(guó)時(shí)我們寫下的信念，那個(gè)奴隸和廢奴主義者低語(yǔ)過(guò)的信念，那個(gè)被移民和追求正義的人們吟誦過(guò)的信念；我們勝利的星條旗，從國(guó)外的戰(zhàn)場(chǎng)一路飄揚(yáng)到月球表面，更加強(qiáng)化了這一信念；它也將會(huì)是每一個(gè)還未開始書寫自己故事的美國(guó)人的精神內(nèi)核。Yes We Can.是的，我們能行。Yes We Did.是的，我們做到了。Yes We Can.是的，我們能行！

Thank you.God bless you.And may God continue to bless the United States of America.謝謝！愿上帝保佑你們，愿上帝保佑美利堅(jiān)！

第四篇：奧巴馬演講

May 25, 2013 WASHINGTON, DC—In his weekly address Saturday, Obama noted that members of the U.S.military often risk their lives without seeking the limelight or any special reward.As Americans observe Memorial Day weekend, U.S.President Barack Obama is calling on his fellow citizens to remember the men and women who have given their lives in service to the country, and to remember the military families who make sacrifices of their own.奧巴馬在例行的周六演說(shuō)中指出，美軍官兵經(jīng)常將生命危險(xiǎn)置之度外而并不尋求關(guān)注和特別獎(jiǎng)賞。他說(shuō)，星期一就是陣亡將士紀(jì)念日，這一天應(yīng)該用來(lái)感謝烈士的奉獻(xiàn)。美國(guó)總統(tǒng)奧巴馬呼吁美國(guó)民眾牢記為國(guó)捐軀的英烈們，記住烈士家屬做出的犧牲。

第五篇：奧巴馬演講

奧巴馬演講《我們?yōu)槭裁匆蠈W(xué)》全文

發(fā)布者：weleve 日期：2013年09月05日 01:39 來(lái)源： weleve.com 【字號(hào) ：大 中 小】 你要記住，哪怕你表現(xiàn)不好、哪怕你失去信心、哪怕你覺(jué)得身邊的人都已經(jīng)放棄了你——永遠(yuǎn)不要自己放棄自己。因?yàn)楫?dāng)你放棄自己的時(shí)候，你也放棄了自己的國(guó)家。

【時(shí)間地點(diǎn)】弗吉尼亞州，阿林頓市，2009年9月8日

嗨，大家好!你們今天過(guò)得怎么樣?

我現(xiàn)在和弗吉尼亞州阿林頓郡韋克菲爾德高中的學(xué)生們?cè)谝黄?，全?guó)各地也有從幼兒園到高三的眾多學(xué)生們通過(guò)電視關(guān)注這里，我很高興你們能共同分享這一時(shí)刻。

我知道，對(duì)你們中的許多人來(lái)說(shuō)，今天是開學(xué)的第一天，你們中的有一些剛剛進(jìn)入幼兒園或升上初高中，對(duì)你們來(lái)說(shuō)，這是在新學(xué)校的第一天，因此，假如你們感到有些緊張，那也是很正常的。我想也會(huì)有許多畢業(yè)班的學(xué)生們正自信滿滿地準(zhǔn)備最后一年的沖刺。不過(guò)，我想無(wú)論你有多大、在讀哪個(gè)年級(jí)，許多人都打心底里希望現(xiàn)在還在放暑假，以及今天不用那么早起床。

我可以理解這份心情。小時(shí)候，我們家在印度尼西亞住過(guò)幾年，而我媽媽沒(méi)錢送我去其他美國(guó)孩子們上學(xué)的地方去讀書，因此她決定自己給我上課——時(shí)間是每周一到周五的凌晨4點(diǎn)半。顯然，我不怎么喜歡那么早就爬起來(lái)，很多時(shí)候，我就這么在廚房的桌子前睡著了。

每當(dāng)我埋怨的時(shí)候，我媽總會(huì)用同一副表情看著我說(shuō)：“小鬼，你以為教你我就很輕松?” 所以，我可以理解你們中的許多人對(duì)于開學(xué)還需要時(shí)間來(lái)調(diào)整和適應(yīng)，但今天我站在這里，是為了和你們談一些重要的事情。我要和你們談一談你們每個(gè)人的教育，以及在新的學(xué)年里，你們應(yīng)當(dāng)做些什么。我做過(guò)許多關(guān)于教育的講話，也常常用到“責(zé)任”這個(gè)詞。

我談到過(guò)教師們有責(zé)任激勵(lì)和啟迪你們，督促你們學(xué)習(xí)。我談到過(guò)家長(zhǎng)們有責(zé)任看管你們認(rèn)真學(xué)習(xí)、完成作業(yè)，不要成天只會(huì)看電視或打游戲機(jī)。我也很多次談到過(guò)政府有責(zé)任設(shè)定高標(biāo)準(zhǔn)嚴(yán)要求、協(xié)助老師和校長(zhǎng)們的工作，改變?cè)谟行W(xué)校里學(xué)生得不到應(yīng)有的學(xué)習(xí)機(jī)會(huì)的現(xiàn)狀。但哪怕這一切都達(dá)到最好，哪怕我們有最盡職的教師、最好的家長(zhǎng)、和最優(yōu)秀的學(xué)校，假如你們不去履行自己的責(zé)任的話，那么這一切努力都會(huì)白費(fèi)?！悄忝刻鞙?zhǔn)時(shí)去上學(xué)、除非你認(rèn)真地聽老師講課、除非你把父母、長(zhǎng)輩和其他大人們說(shuō)的話放在心上、除非你肯付出成功所必需的努力，否則這一切都會(huì)失去意義。

而這就是我今天講話的主題：對(duì)于自己的教育，你們中每一個(gè)人的責(zé)任。首先，我想談?wù)勀銈儗?duì)于自己有什么責(zé)任。

你們中的每一個(gè)人都會(huì)有自己擅長(zhǎng)的東西，每一個(gè)人都是有用之材，而發(fā)現(xiàn)自己的才能是什么，就是你們要對(duì)自己擔(dān)起的責(zé)任。

教育給你們提供了發(fā)現(xiàn)自己才能的機(jī)會(huì)?；蛟S你能寫出優(yōu)美的文字——甚至有一天能讓那些文字出現(xiàn)在書籍和報(bào)刊上——但假如不在英語(yǔ)課上經(jīng)常練習(xí)寫作，你不會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)自己有這樣的天賦;或許你能成為一個(gè)發(fā)明家、創(chuàng)造家——甚至設(shè)計(jì)出像今天的iPhone一樣流行的產(chǎn)品，或研制出新的藥物與疫苗——但假如不在自然科學(xué)課程上做上幾次實(shí)驗(yàn)，你不會(huì)知道自己有這樣的天賦;或許你能成為一名議員或最高法院法官，但假如你不去加入什么學(xué)生會(huì)或參加幾次辯論賽，你也不會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)自己的才能。而且，我可以向你保證，不管你將來(lái)想要做什么，你都需要相應(yīng)的教育?！阆氘?dāng)名醫(yī)生、當(dāng)名教師或當(dāng)名警官?你想成為護(hù)士、成為建筑設(shè)計(jì)師、律師或軍人?無(wú)論你選擇哪一種職業(yè)，良好的教育都必不可少，這世上不存在不把書念完就能拿到好工作的美夢(mèng)，任何工作，都需要你的汗水、訓(xùn)練與學(xué)習(xí)。不僅僅對(duì)于你們個(gè)人的未來(lái)有重要意義，你們的教育如何也會(huì)對(duì)這個(gè)國(guó)家、乃至世界的未來(lái)產(chǎn)生重要影響。

今天你們?cè)趯W(xué)校中學(xué)習(xí)的內(nèi)容，將會(huì)決定我們整個(gè)國(guó)家在未來(lái)迎接重大挑戰(zhàn)時(shí)的表現(xiàn)。你們需要在數(shù)理科學(xué)課程上學(xué)習(xí)的知識(shí)和技能，去治療癌癥、艾滋那樣的疾病，和解決我們面臨的能源問(wèn)題與環(huán)境問(wèn)題;你們需要在歷史社科課程上培養(yǎng)出的觀察力與判斷力，來(lái)減輕和消除無(wú)家可歸與貧困、犯罪問(wèn)題和各種歧視，讓這個(gè)國(guó)家變得更加公平和自由;你們需要在各類課程中逐漸累積和發(fā)展出來(lái)的創(chuàng)新意識(shí)和思維，去創(chuàng)業(yè)和建立新的公司與企業(yè)，來(lái)制造就業(yè)機(jī)會(huì)和推動(dòng)經(jīng)濟(jì)的增長(zhǎng)。

我們需要你們中的每一個(gè)人都培養(yǎng)和發(fā)展自己的天賦、技能和才智，來(lái)解決我們所面對(duì)的最困難的問(wèn)題。假如你不這么做——假如你放棄學(xué)習(xí)——那么你不僅是放棄了自己，也是放棄了你的國(guó)家。當(dāng)然，我明白，讀好書并不總是件容易的事。我知道你們中的許多人在生活中面臨著各種各樣的問(wèn)題，很難把精力集中在專心讀書之上。我知道你們的感受。我父親在我兩歲時(shí)就離開了家庭，是母親一人將我們拉扯大，有時(shí)她付不起帳單，有時(shí)我們得不到其他孩子們都有的東西，有時(shí)我會(huì)想，假如父親在該多好，有時(shí)我會(huì)感到孤獨(dú)無(wú)助，與周圍的環(huán)境格格不入。

因此我并不總是能專心學(xué)習(xí)，我做過(guò)許多自己覺(jué)得丟臉的事情，也惹出過(guò)許多不該惹的麻煩，我的生活岌岌可危，隨時(shí)可能急轉(zhuǎn)直下。但我很幸運(yùn)。我在許多事上都得到了重來(lái)的機(jī)會(huì)，我得到了去大學(xué)讀法學(xué)院、實(shí)現(xiàn)自己夢(mèng)想的機(jī)會(huì)。我的妻子——現(xiàn)在得叫她第一夫人米歇爾·奧巴馬了——也有著相似的人生故事，她的父母都沒(méi)讀過(guò)大學(xué)，也沒(méi)有什么財(cái)產(chǎn)，但他們和她都辛勤工作，好讓她有機(jī)會(huì)去這個(gè)國(guó)家最優(yōu)秀的學(xué)校讀書。你們中有些人可能沒(méi)有這些有利條件，或許你的生活中沒(méi)有能為你提供幫助和支持的長(zhǎng)輩，或許你的某個(gè)家長(zhǎng)沒(méi)有工作、經(jīng)濟(jì)拮據(jù)，或許你住的社區(qū)不那么安全，或許你認(rèn)識(shí)一些會(huì)對(duì)你產(chǎn)生不良影響的朋友，等等。

但歸根結(jié)底，你的生活狀況——你的長(zhǎng)相、出身、經(jīng)濟(jì)條件、家庭氛圍——都不是疏忽學(xué)業(yè)和態(tài)度惡劣的借口，這些不是你去跟老師頂嘴、逃課、或是輟學(xué)的借口，這些不是你不好好讀書的借口。你的未來(lái)，并不取決于你現(xiàn)在的生活有多好或多壞。沒(méi)有人為你編排好你的命運(yùn)，在美國(guó)，你的命運(yùn)由你自己書寫，你的未來(lái)由你自己掌握。而在這片土地上的每個(gè)地方，千千萬(wàn)萬(wàn)和你一樣的年輕人正是這樣在書寫著自己的命運(yùn)。

例如德克薩斯州羅馬市的賈斯敏·佩雷茲(Jazmin Perez)。剛進(jìn)學(xué)校時(shí)，她根本不會(huì)說(shuō)英語(yǔ)，她住的地方幾乎沒(méi)人上過(guò)大學(xué)，她的父母也沒(méi)有受過(guò)高等教育，但她努力學(xué)習(xí)，取得了優(yōu)異的成績(jī)，靠獎(jiǎng)學(xué)金進(jìn)入了布朗大學(xué)，如今正在攻讀公共衛(wèi)生專業(yè)的博士學(xué)位。我還想起了加利福尼亞州洛斯拉圖斯市的安多尼·舒爾茲(Andoni Schultz)，他從三歲起就開始與腦癌病魔做斗爭(zhēng)，他熬過(guò)了一次次治療與手術(shù)——其中一次影響了他的記憶，因此他得花出比常人多幾百個(gè)小時(shí)的時(shí)間來(lái)完成學(xué)業(yè)，但他從不曾落下自己的功課。

這個(gè)秋天，他要開始在大學(xué)讀書了。又比如在我的家鄉(xiāng)，伊利諾斯州芝加哥市，身為孤兒的香特爾·史蒂夫(Shantell Steve)換過(guò)多次收養(yǎng)家庭，從小在治安很差的地區(qū)長(zhǎng)大，但她努力爭(zhēng)取到了在當(dāng)?shù)乇＝≌竟ぷ鞯臋C(jī)會(huì)、發(fā)起了一個(gè)讓青少年遠(yuǎn)離犯罪團(tuán)伙的項(xiàng)目，很快，她也將以優(yōu)異的成績(jī)從中學(xué)畢業(yè)，去大學(xué)深造。賈斯敏、安多尼和香特爾與你們并沒(méi)有什么不同。和你們一樣，他們也在生活中遭遇各種各樣的困難與問(wèn)題，但他們拒絕放棄，他們選擇為自己的教育擔(dān)起責(zé)任、給自己定下奮斗的目標(biāo)。我希望你們中的每一個(gè)人，都能做得到這些。因此，在今天，我號(hào)召你們每一個(gè)人都為自己的教育定下一個(gè)目標(biāo)——并在之后，盡自己的一切努力去實(shí)現(xiàn)它。你的目標(biāo)可以很簡(jiǎn)單，像是完成作業(yè)、認(rèn)真聽講或每天閱讀——或許你打算參加一些課外活動(dòng)，或在社區(qū)做些志愿工作;或許你決定為那些因?yàn)殚L(zhǎng)相或出身等等原因而受嘲弄或欺負(fù)的孩子做主、維護(hù)他們的權(quán)益，因?yàn)槟愫臀乙粯樱J(rèn)為每個(gè)孩子都應(yīng)該能有一個(gè)安全的學(xué)習(xí)環(huán)境;或許你認(rèn)為該學(xué)著更好的照顧自己，來(lái)為將來(lái)的學(xué)習(xí)做準(zhǔn)備……

當(dāng)然，除此之外，我希望你們都多多洗手、感到身體不舒服的時(shí)候要多在家休息，免得大家在秋冬感冒高發(fā)季節(jié)都得流感。不管你決定做什么，我都希望你能堅(jiān)持到底，希望你能真的下定決心。我知道有些時(shí)候，電視上播放的節(jié)目會(huì)讓你產(chǎn)生這樣那樣的錯(cuò)覺(jué)，似乎你不需要付出多大的努力就能腰纏萬(wàn)貫、功成名就——你會(huì)認(rèn)為只要會(huì)唱rap、會(huì)打籃球或參加個(gè)什么真人秀節(jié)目就能坐享其成，但現(xiàn)實(shí)是，你幾乎沒(méi)有可能走上其中任何一條道路。

因?yàn)?，成功是件難事。你不可能對(duì)要讀的每門課程都興趣盎然，你不可能和每名帶課教師都相處順利，你也不可能每次都遇上看起來(lái)和現(xiàn)實(shí)生活有關(guān)的作業(yè)。而且，并不是每件事，你都能在頭一次嘗試時(shí)獲得成功。但那沒(méi)有關(guān)系。因?yàn)樵谶@個(gè)世界上，最最成功的人們往往也經(jīng)歷過(guò)最多的失敗。

J.K.羅琳的第一本《哈利·波特》被出版商拒絕了十二次才最終出版;邁克爾·喬丹上高中時(shí)被學(xué)校的籃球隊(duì)刷了下來(lái)，在他的職業(yè)生涯里，他輸了幾百場(chǎng)比賽、投失過(guò)幾千次射籃，知道他是怎么說(shuō)的嗎?“我一生不停地失敗、失敗再失敗，這就是我現(xiàn)在成功的原因?！?他們的成功，源于他們明白人不能讓失敗左右自己——而是要從中吸取經(jīng)驗(yàn)。從失敗中，你可以明白下一次自己可以做出怎樣的改變;假如你惹了什么麻煩，那并不說(shuō)明你就是個(gè)搗蛋貴，而是在提醒你，在將來(lái)要對(duì)自己有更嚴(yán)格的要求;假如你考了個(gè)低分，那并不說(shuō)明你就比別人笨，而是在告訴你，自己得在學(xué)習(xí)上花更多的時(shí)間。沒(méi)有哪一個(gè)人一生出來(lái)就擅長(zhǎng)做什么事情的，只有努力才能培養(yǎng)出技能。

任何人都不是在第一次接觸一項(xiàng)體育運(yùn)動(dòng)時(shí)就成為校隊(duì)的代表，任何人都不是在第一次唱一首歌時(shí)就找準(zhǔn)每一個(gè)音，一切都需要熟能生巧。對(duì)于學(xué)業(yè)也是一樣，你或許要反復(fù)運(yùn)算才能解出一道數(shù)學(xué)題的正確答案，你或許需要讀一段文字好幾遍才能理解它的意思，你或許得把論文改上好幾次才能符合提交的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。這都是很正常的。不要害怕提問(wèn)。不要不敢向他人求助?！颐刻於荚谶@么做。求助并不是軟弱的表現(xiàn)，恰恰相反，它說(shuō)明你有勇氣承認(rèn)自己的不足、并愿意去學(xué)習(xí)新的知識(shí)。所以，有不懂時(shí)，就向大人們求助吧——找個(gè)你信得過(guò)的對(duì)象，例如父母、長(zhǎng)輩、老師、教練或輔導(dǎo)員——讓他們幫助你向目標(biāo)前進(jìn)。

你要記住，哪怕你表現(xiàn)不好、哪怕你失去信心、哪怕你覺(jué)得身邊的人都已經(jīng)放棄了你——永遠(yuǎn)不要自己放棄自己。因?yàn)楫?dāng)你放棄自己的時(shí)候，你也放棄了自己的國(guó)家。美國(guó)不是一個(gè)人們?cè)庥隼щy就輕易放棄的國(guó)度，在這個(gè)國(guó)家，人們堅(jiān)持到底、人們加倍努力，為了他們所熱愛(ài)的國(guó)度，每一個(gè)人都盡著自己最大的努力，不會(huì)給自己留任何余地。

250年前，有一群和你們一樣的學(xué)生，他們之后奮起努力、用一場(chǎng)革命最終造就了這個(gè)國(guó)家;75年前，有一群和你們一樣的學(xué)生，他們之后戰(zhàn)勝了大蕭條、贏得了二戰(zhàn);就在20年前，和你們一樣的學(xué)生們，他們后來(lái)創(chuàng)立了Google、Twitter和Facebook，改變了我們?nèi)伺c人之間溝通的方式。因此，今天我想要問(wèn)你們，你們會(huì)做出什么樣的貢獻(xiàn)?你們將解決什么樣的難題?你們能發(fā)現(xiàn)什么樣的事物?

二十、五十或百年之后，假如那時(shí)的美國(guó)總統(tǒng)也來(lái)做一次開學(xué)演講的話，他會(huì)怎樣描述你們對(duì)這個(gè)國(guó)家所做的一切?你們的家長(zhǎng)、你們的老師和我，每一個(gè)人都在盡最大的努力，確保你們都能得到應(yīng)有的教育來(lái)回答這些問(wèn)題。

例如我正在努力為你們提供更安全的教室、更多的書籍、更先進(jìn)的設(shè)施與計(jì)算機(jī)。但你們也要擔(dān)起自己的責(zé)任。因此我要求你們?cè)诮衲昴軌蛘J(rèn)真起來(lái)，我要求你們盡心地去做自己著手的每一件事，我要求你們每一個(gè)人都有所成就。

請(qǐng)不要讓我們失望——不要讓你的家人、你的國(guó)家和你自己失望。你們要成為我們驕傲，我知道，你們一定可以做到。

謝謝大家!