欧美名人演讲 第40期:奥巴马最后一次国情咨文(21)

 　　So, my fellow Americans, whatever you may believe, whether you prefer one party or no party, whether you supported my agenda or fought as hard as you against it, our collective future depends on your willingness to uphold your duties as a citizen.

　　我的美国同胞们，无论你信仰什么，无论你支持一党制或无党制，无论你支持还是反对我，美国的未来掌握在你们手中，需要你们自愿履行好自己作为公民的义务。

　　To vote. To speak out. To stand up for others, especially the weak, especially the vulnerable, knowing that each of us is only here because somebody, somewhere, stood up for us.

　　你们要参与选举；你们要敢于发声；你们要为他人，尤其是弱势群体，争取权利，要清楚知道我们能在这里就是因为有人在某个地方支持着我们。

　　We need every American to stay active in our public life, and not just during election time, so that our public life reflects the goodness and the decency¹ that I see in the American people every single day.

　　你们要积极参与公共生活，不仅仅是选举时，让美国人民的善良、礼貌以及乐观渗透每个角落，就像我每天接触到的美国民众一样。

　　It is not easy. Our brand of democracy is hard.

　　这并不是一件容易的事。我们的民主道路也很艰难。

　　But I can promise that a little over a year from now, when I no longer hold this office, I will be right there with you as a citizen - inspired by those voices of fairness and vision, of grit² and good humor and kindness that have helped America travel so far.

　　但是，我能保证，一年之后，我已不再是美国总统，我将和你们一样，是一个普通的美国公民，那些曾经帮助美国前进的公平与远见之声、坚韧之声，以及幽默与和善之声，也会让我倍受鼓舞。

　　Voices that help us see ourselves not first and foremost as black or white or Asian or Latino, not as gay or straight, immigrant or native born; not as Democrats³ or Republicans, but as Americans first, bound by a common creed⁴.

　　这些声音告诉我们，每个人的身份，无论黑人还是白人，无论亚裔还是拉丁裔，无论性取向如何，无论是移民还是土生土长的美国人，无论是民主党还是共和党，我们首先都是美国人，并且有着共同的信念。

　　Voices Dr. King believed would have the final word voices of unarmed truth and unconditional⁵ love.

　　马丁·路德·金博士坚信拥有最后话语权的声音：不靠武装发声的真理以及无条件的爱。

　　And they're out there, those voices. They don't get a lot of attention, they don't seek a lot of fancies, but they are busy doing the work this country needs doing.

　　这些人，这些声音一直都在。寂静无声，不求关注，但却一直在为这个国家奔忙。

　　I see them everywhere I travel in this incredible country of ours. I see you. The American people. And in your daily acts of citizenship⁶ I see our future unfolding.

　　在美国这片热土上，我所到之处都能看到这么一群美国人的身影。我看到了你们所有人。美国人民。我在你们以公民身份进行的日常活动中看见了我们的未来正在展开。

　　I see it in the worker on the assembly line who clocked extra shifts to keep his company open, and the boss who pays him higher wages instead of laying him off.

　　有一位在装配流水线上工作的工人，每天加班加点以确保公司正常运营，而他的老板不是解雇他而是给他更高的薪水。

1 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。

2 grit   

n.沙粒，决心，勇气；v.下定决心，咬紧牙关

参考例句：

• The soldiers showed that they had plenty of grit. 士兵们表现得很有勇气。
• I've got some grit in my shoe.我的鞋子里弄进了一些砂子。

3 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 creed   

n.信条；信念，纲领

参考例句：

• They offended against every article of his creed.他们触犯了他的每一条戒律。
• Our creed has always been that business is business.我们的信条一直是公私分明。

5 unconditional   

adj.无条件的，无限制的，绝对的

参考例句：

• The victorious army demanded unconditional surrender.胜方要求敌人无条件投降。
• My love for all my children is unconditional.我对自己所有孩子的爱都是无条件的。

6 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。