Sounding the Trumpet 角声重闻
下文为阿灵顿国家公墓肯尼迪总统纪念广场的墓志铭,节选自他1961年的就职演讲。做个摘抄与翻译。
Let the word go forth
Fromthis time and place
To friend and foe alike
That the torch has been passed
To a new generation of Americans.
Let every nation know
Whether it wishes us well or ill
That we shall pay any price - bear any burden
Meet any hardship - support any friend
Oppose any foe to assure the survival
And the success of liberty
Now the trumpet summons us again
Not as a call to bear arms
-though embattled we are
But a call to bear the burden of a long twilightstruggle
Astruggle against the common enemies of man Tyranny - Poverty - Disease - andWar itself
In the long history of the world
Only a few generations have been granted
The role of defending freedom
In the hour of maximum danger
I do not shrink from this responsibility
I welcome it
The Energy - the Faith - the Devotion
Which we bring to this endeavor
Will light our country
And all who serve it
And the glow from that fire
Can truly light the world
And so my fellow Americans
Ask not what your country can do for you
Ask what you can do for your country
My fellow citizens of the world - ask not
What America can do for you - but what together
We can do for the freedom of man
With a good conscience our only sure reward
With history the final judge of our deeds
Let us go forth to lead the land we love -asking His blessing
And his help - but knowing that here on earth
God'swork must truly be our own.
让我们的话语传扬
从此时此刻、此情此景
向盟友、向敌人
薪尽火传,信念的火炬已经呈递至新一代美国人手上
让所有国家知道,无论其对我们怀有善意或恶意
我们将不惜一切代价,承担全部重负,迎战任何艰辛,
援助每一位盟友,抵抗所有的敌人——
以确保自由之存在,自由之必胜。
如今角声再起,号令众生
不为披坚执锐,纵然坚锐为我所欲
不为赶赴沙场,只因我们早已身处其中
它号召我们赶赴一场走向黎明的漫长抗争
向人类的公敌:暴政、贫穷、疾病、乃至战争本身宣战
在世界的历史长河中
仅有零星几个时代
在危急存亡的时刻
被赋予了捍卫自由重任
我绝不逃避这份责任
我欣然迎接它的到来
我的能量,我的信念,我的一腔热血
贡献于这事业
将照亮我们的祖国
也照耀着每一位献身者
这星星萤火
也终有一日照亮整个世界
因此,我的同胞们,作为美国人,
别急于质问你的祖国能为你做些什么
请扪心自问,你能为祖国做些什么
我的同胞们,作为世界公民,
别急于质问美国能为你做些什么
请扪心自问,当我们同心协力,能够为人类的自由做些什么
无愧于心是我们唯有的勋章
是非功过只留待后人评说
让我们带领这片爱得深沉的土地举步前行
一路虽祈求上天的祝福与庇护
却铭记于心,上帝于尘世的工作定要我们亲手完成
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