14 Address To His Troops 乔治·华盛顿对部队的演说
George Washington 乔治·华盛顿
The time is now near at hand which must probably determine whether Americans are to be freemen or slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and themselves consigned to a state of wretchedness from which no human efforts will deliver them. The fate of unborn millions will now depend, under God, on the courage and conduct of this army. Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of a brave resistance or the most abject submission. We have, therefore, to resolve to conquer or to die.
美国人能否成为自由人，还是沦为奴隶，能否享有可以称之为自己所有的财产，能否使自己的住宅和农庄免遭洗劫和毁坏；能否使自己免于陷人入非人力所能拯救的悲惨境地--决定这一切的时刻已迫在眉睫。苍天之下，千百万尚未出生的人的别无他路，要么奋起反击，要么屈膝投降。因此，我们必须下定决心，若不克敌制胜，就是捐躯疆场。
Our own, our country's honour, calls upon us for a vigorous and manly exertion; and if we now shamefully fail, we shall become infamous to the whole world. Let us then rely on the goodness of our cause, and the aid of the Supreme Being, in whose hands victory is, to animate and encourage us to great and noble actions. The eyes of all our countrymen are now upon us, and we shall have their blessings and praises, if happily we are the instruments of saving them from the tyranny meditated against them. Let us animate and encourage each other, and show the whole world that a free man contending for liberty on his own ground is superior to any slavish mercenary on earth.
我们的尊严，祖国的尊严，都要求我们进行英勇顽强的奋斗：如果我们做不到这一点，我们将感到羞愧，并将为全世界所不齿。所以，让我们凭借我们事业的正义性和上帝的恩助--胜利掌握在他手中--鼓励和鞭策我们去创造伟大而崇高的业绩。全国同胞都注视着我们，如果我们有幸为他们效劳，将他们从企图强加于他们的暴政中解救出来，我们将受到他们的祝福和赞颂。让我们互相激励，互相鞭策，并向全世界昭示：在自己国土上为自由而斗争的自由民胜过世上任何受人驱使的雇佣兵。
Liberty, property, life, and honour are all at stake, upon your courage and conduct rest the hopes of our bleeding and insulted country; our wives, children, and parents expect safety from us, only; and they have every reason to believe that Heaven will crown with success so just a cause(2).
自由、财产、生命和荣誉都在危急存亡之中。我们正在流血受辱的祖国寄希望于你们的勇敢和战斗。我们的妻儿父老只指望我们去保护。他们有充分的理由相信，上苍一定会保佑如此正义的事业获得胜利。
The enemy will endeavour to intimidate by show and appearance(3); but, remember, they have been repulsed on various occasions by a few brave Americans. Their cause is bad--their men are conscious of it; and if op- posed with firmness and coolness on their first onset, with our advantage of works, and knowledge of tile ground(4), the victory is most assuredly ours. Every good soldier will be silent and attentive- wait for orders, and reserve his fire until he is sure of doing execution(5).
敌人将炫耀武力，竭力恫吓；但是，别忘了，在许多场合，他们已经被为数刁；多的勇敢的美国人所击败。他们的事业是邪恶的--他们的士兵也意识到这--点。如果我们在他们开始进攻时，就沉着坚定地予以反击，凭着我们有利的工事和熟悉地形，胜利必将属于我们。每一位优秀的士兵都将枕戈待旦--整装待命，一旦出击，必歼强敌。
英文注释：
(1)本文为乔治．华盛顿在独立战争中对部队的演说。乔治·华盛顿(1732-1799)为美国的奠基人，第一任总统(1789-1797)，出身大种植园主家庭，早年在英国殖民军中服务，后任第一届和第二届大陆会议代表。1775年北美独立战争爆发，被推选为十三州起义部队总司令。
(2) will crown with success so just a cause：将以胜利酬报如此正义之事业。crown是"酬报"的意思，cause是它的宾语。
(3)by show and appearance：炫耀卖弄，这里指炫耀武力。
(4) with our．．ground：凭着我们有利的工事和熟悉地形。
(5)reserve his fire until he is sure of doing execution；保存其火力，直到有把握打中敌人才开枪。doing execution原意为"(发挥)武器的效力"。 |