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 scapegoats, 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 civic duty and family bonds and basic fairness, on uncounted, unhonored acts of decency 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 compassion, 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。