名人励志英语演讲 第56期:永不疲惫,永不气馁,永不完竭(7)

 　　America, at its best, is a place where personal responsibility is valued and expected.

　　正处于鼎盛期的美国珍视并期待每个人担负起自己的责任。

　　Encouraging responsibility is not a search for scapegoats¹, it is a call to conscience. And though it requires sacrifice, it brings a deeper fulfillment. We find the fullness of life not only in options, but in commitments. And we find that children and community are the commitments that set us free.

　　鼓励人们勇于承担责任不是寻找替罪羊，而是在呼唤人类的良知。虽然承担责任意味着牺牲，但同时也带来一种更深刻的成就感。我们实现，不能仅仅通过选择还要通过承担义务来充实我们的人生。我们发现，只有对整个社会和我们的孩子们履行我们的义务，我们才能获得自由。

　　Our public interest depends on private character, on civic² duty and family bonds and basic fairness, on uncounted, unhonored acts of decency³ which give direction to our freedom.

　　我们的公共利益依赖于我们独立的个性、公民的义务，家庭的纽带和基本的公正；依赖于无数的、默默无闻的正当的行动，正是这些向我们指明了自由的方向。

　　Sometimes in life we are called to do great things. But as a saint of our times has said, every day we are called to do small things with great love. The most important tasks of a democracy are done by everyone.

　　生活中，我们有时被召唤去做一些伟大的事情。但是，正如我们这个时代的一位圣人所言，每一天我们都被召唤带着伟大的爱去做一些不起眼的小事情。一个民主制度最重要的任务是由大家每一个人来完成的。

　　I will live and lead by these principles: to advance my convictions with civility, to pursue the public interest with courage, to speak for greater justice and compassion⁴, to call for responsibility and try to live it as well.In all these ways, I will bring the values of our history to the care of our times.

　　我对生活和对这个国家的领导遵循着这些原则：谦恭地坚信自己，为公众的利益勇往直前，为更伟大的公正和同情而辩护，呼吁责任并为此努力实践。我要通过所有这一切方式，用我们历史上传统价值观来哺育我们的时代。

1 scapegoats   

n.代人受过的人，替罪羊( scapegoat的名词复数 )v.使成为替罪羊( scapegoat的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They were made the scapegoats for the misfire of the program. 他们成了那个计划失败的替罪羊。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Only some of the guards and a minor hotel employee, chosen as scapegoats, were imprisoned. 只有一些保镖和那个旅馆的小职员当了替罪羊，被关进了监狱。 来自辞典例句

2 civic   

adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的

参考例句：

• I feel it is my civic duty to vote.我认为投票选举是我作为公民的义务。
• The civic leaders helped to forward the project.市政府领导者协助促进工程的进展。

3 decency   

n.体面，得体，合宜，正派，庄重

参考例句：

• His sense of decency and fair play made him refuse the offer.他的正直感和公平竞争意识使他拒绝了这一提议。
• Your behaviour is an affront to public decency.你的行为有伤风化。

4 compassion   

n.同情，怜悯

参考例句：

• He could not help having compassion for the poor creature.他情不自禁地怜悯起那个可怜的人来。
• Her heart was filled with compassion for the motherless children.她对于没有母亲的孩子们充满了怜悯心。