奥巴马每周电视讲话：纪念牺牲的英雄们

Hi, everybody. Right now, there are American troops serving in harm's way and standing¹ sentry² around the world. There are veterans who've served honorably in times of war and peace, and often came home bearing the invisible and visible wounds of war. They may not speak the loudest about their patriotism³ - they let their actions do that. And the right time to think of these men and women, and thank them for their service and sacrifice, is every day of the year.

大家好。现在，美国军队正在舍生忘死地为全世界站岗放哨。在和平时期和战争时期服过役的退伍军人们，通常都是带着一身可见或不可见的战争创伤回家的。他们没有大声歌颂他们的爱国主义-他们以行动彰显了爱国主义。想念这些优秀儿女们、感谢他们的奉献和牺牲的时间，是一年中的每一天。

Memorial Day, which we'll observe Monday, is different. It's the day we remember those who never made it home; those who never had the chance to take off the uniform and be honored as a veteran. It's the day we stop to reflect with gratitude⁴ on the sacrifice of generations who made us more prosperous and free, and to think of the loved ones they left behind.

我们将在周一庆祝的国家纪念日则不同。它是我们缅怀那些没能返回家园的英雄们的日子；他们没能有机会脱掉军装，成为光荣的退伍军人。它是我们停下工作，带着感恩之心，缅怀使我们繁荣和自由的几代人的牺牲、以及关心他们留下的亲人的一天。

Remembering them - searing their stories and their contributions into our collective memory - that's an awesome⁵ responsibility. It's one that all of us share as citizens.

缅怀他们-把他们的事迹刻在我们的民族记忆中-是一个艰巨的任务。这是我们每个公民应尽的义务。

As Commander-in-Chief, I have no more solemn obligation than leading our men and women in uniform. Making sure they have what they need to succeed. Making sure we only send them into harm's way when it's absolutely necessary. And if they make the ultimate sacrifice - if they give their very lives - we have to do more than honor their memory.

作为总司令，我没有什么比领导我们的军中优秀儿女们更庄严的义务了。确保他们拥有成功所需的一切。确保我们仅仅在别无选择时才能让他们去赴汤蹈火。如果他们做出了终极牺牲-如果他们献出了宝贵的生命-我们就不能仅仅表彰他们的英雄事迹。

We have to be there for their families. Over the years, Michelle and I have spent quiet moments with the families of the fallen - husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters. They've shared their pain - but also their pride in the sacrifices their loved ones made under our proud flag.

我们必须关爱他们的家庭。多年以来，米切尔和我常常默默地陪伴这些烈士的家属-丈夫和妻子、母亲和父亲、儿子和女儿。他们与我们分担痛苦-但是也与我们分享了，他们的亲人在我们的骄傲的国旗下做出的牺牲带给他们的自豪。

It's up to the rest of us to live our lives in a way that's worthy⁶ of these sacrifices.

我们其他人应该使我们的人生无愧于他们的牺牲。

The idea to set aside a Memorial Day each year didn't come from our government - it came from ordinary citizens who acknowledged that while we can't build monuments to every heroic act of every warrior⁷ we lost in battle, we can keep their memories alive by taking one day out of the year to decorate the places where they're buried.

设立一年一度的国家纪念日的想法不是来自政府-而是来自普通公民，他们认识到，尽管我们无法为我们在战场上失去的每一位勇士的英雄事迹树碑立传，我们可以通过每年安排一天祭扫他们的墓地，以此来弘扬他们的丰功伟绩。

That's something that so many of our fellow Americans are doing this weekend. Remembering. Remembering the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and Coast Guardsmen who died in our defense⁸. Remembering those who remain missing. Remembering that they were our fellow citizens and churchgoers, classmates and children, and more often than not, the best of us.

这就是我们很多人本周末要做的。缅怀。缅怀为保卫我们的国家而牺牲的陆、海、空三军、海军陆战队和海岸警备队的战士们。缅怀失踪的人们。牢记他们是我们的同胞和教友、同学和孩子，正如我们挂在嘴边的，他们是我们最杰出的同胞。

So this Memorial weekend, I hope you'll join me in acts of remembrance. Lay a flower or plant a flag at a fallen hero's final resting place. Reach out to a Gold Star Family in your community, and listen to the story they have to tell. Send a care package to our troops overseas, volunteer to make a wounded warrior's day a little easier, or hire a veteran who is ready and willing to serve at home just as they did abroad.

所有在这个纪 念的周末，我希望各位一起参加纪念活动。在倒下的英雄们的安息地摆放一束鲜花或插一面国旗。向你们社区里的烈士家庭伸出援手，倾听他们的心声。为我们的海 外驻军寄去慰问品，志愿帮助伤残军人，使他们过上轻松的一天，或录用有能力并且愿意在国内工作的退伍军人，就像他们在海外服役一样。

Or just pause, take a moment, and offer a silent word of prayer or a public word of thanks.

或仅仅暂停一切活动，花几分钟默默地送上祈祷或大声说出感谢。

The debt we owe our fallen heroes is one we can never truly repay. But our responsibility to remember is something we can live up to every day of the year.

倒下的英雄们对我们的贡献是我们永远无法回报的。但是义不容辞地牢记他们是我们在一年中的每一天都应该践行的。

Thanks. May God watch over our fallen heroes and their families, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.

谢谢。愿上帝呵护倒下的英雄和他们的家人，愿上帝继续保佑美利坚合众国。

1 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

2 sentry   

n.哨兵，警卫

参考例句：

• They often stood sentry on snowy nights.他们常常在雪夜放哨。
• The sentry challenged anyone approaching the tent.哨兵查问任一接近帐篷的人。

3 patriotism   

n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• They obtained money under the false pretenses of patriotism.他们以虚伪的爱国主义为借口获得金钱。

4 gratitude   

adj.感激，感谢

参考例句：

• I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
• She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。

5 awesome   

adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的

参考例句：

• The church in Ireland has always exercised an awesome power.爱尔兰的教堂一直掌握着令人敬畏的权力。
• That new white convertible is totally awesome.那辆新的白色折篷汽车简直棒极了.

6 worthy   

adj.(of)值得的，配得上的；有价值的

参考例句：

• I did not esteem him to be worthy of trust.我认为他不值得信赖。
• There occurred nothing that was worthy to be mentioned.没有值得一提的事发生。

7 warrior   

n.勇士，武士，斗士

参考例句：

• The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
• A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。

8 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。