美国第11任总统波尔克的就职演讲
Without solicitation on my part, I have been chosen by the free and voluntary suffrages of my countrymen to the most honorable, and most responsible office on earth.
我没有乞求选票,但自由的同胞们却选举我,来担任这世界上最具荣誉,且责任最重大的职位。
I am deeply impressed with gratitude for the confidence reposed in me.
于人民对我的信心,我深感谢意。
Honored with his distinguished consideration at an earlier period of life than any of my predecessors, I can not disguise the diffidence with which I am about to enter on the discharge of my official duties.
与任一被赐予这一荣誉的前任相比我都更年轻,我不能掩饰我将要进入执行我的职责时信心的缺乏。
In assuming responsibilities so vast I fervently invoke the aid of that Almighty Ruler of the Universe in whose hands are the destinies of nations, and of men to guard this Heaven favored land against the mischiefs which without His guidance might arise from an unwise public policy.
在承担如此巨大的责任时,我热情地祈求宇宙全能之主的帮助。国家和人民的命运在他的手中,守卫着这天主恩惠的土地而不受由错误公共政策引起的危害。
With a firm reliance upon the wisdom of Omnipotence to sustain and direct me in the path of duty which I am appointed to pursue, I stand in the presence of this assembled multitude of my countrymen to take upon myself the solemn obligation" to take best of my ability to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."
因凭那支持并指引我走上这条行使我应尽之责道路的全能上帝赐予的坚定信心,我站在我的同胞们的宏大集会前,来自己担起这庄严的责任:“愿倾尽全力来维持,保护和捍卫美国的宪法。”
That the blessing of liberty which our Constitution secures may be enjoyed alike by minorities and majorities, the Executive has been wisely invested with a qualified veto upon the acts of the Legislature.
我们宪法所保证的自由同样为少数人和多数人享有,执政者被明智地赋予有资格对某些立法作出否决。
It is a negative power, and is conservative in its character.
这是一个否定的权力,并带有保守的特点。
It arrests for the time hasty, in considerate, or unconstitutional legislation, invites reconsideration, and transfers questions at issue between the legislative and executive departments to the tribunal of the people.
它为时代阻止那些草率,无谋和违反宪法的立法,征求重新考虑,并把立法与行政部门之间的问题转给人民裁定。
Like all other powers, it is subject to be abused.
如同其它权力,它可能会被滥用。
When judiciously and properly exercised, the Constitution itself may be saved from infraction and the rights of all preserved and protected.
当明智而又正当地行使时,宪法本身会免受侵犯,而全民权利会得到维护。
The inestimable value of our Federal Union is felt and acknowledged by all.
我们联邦联盟的不可估量的价值为众人所感受和认可。
By this system of united and confederated States our people are permitted collectively and individually to seek their own happiness in their own way, and the consequences have been most auspicious.
通过联合结盟的众洲体制,我们人民可以集体或单独地以自己的方式追求自己的幸福,并且有很乐观的结果。
Since the Union was formed the number of the States has increased from thirteen to twenty-eight, two of these have taken their position as members of the Confederacy within the last week.
自从联邦创立,众洲的数目由十三个发展到三十八个;其中两个上周才取得联邦的席位。
Our population has increased from three to twenty millions.
我们的人口也已由三百万发展到两千八百万。New communities and States are seeking protection under its aegis, and multitudes from the Old World are flocking to our shores to participate in its blessings, beneath its benign sway peace and prosperity prevail.
新的社区和州正在它的支持下寻求保护,而来自旧大陆的人群正蜂拥至我们的海岸来分享它的祝福,在它的善良统治下和平和繁荣盛行。
Freed from the burdens and miseries of war, our trade and intercourse have extended throughout the world.
从战争的重负和苦难中得以解放,我们的贸易和交往遍布整个世界。
Mind, no longer tasked in devising means to accomplish or resist schemes of ambition, usurpation, or conquest, is devoting itself to man's true interests in developing his faculties and powers and the capacity of nature to minister to his enjoyments.
人的思想不再从事设法达到或抵抗野心, 掠夺或征服,而投入到人类真正的利益中,发展人的能力和力量,以及自然的能力来服务于人的享乐。
Genius is free to announce its inventions and discoveries, and the hand is free to accomplish whatever the head conceives not incompatible with the rights of a fellow being.
天才可以自由公布他的发明和发现,而且只要头脑可以想出的与同胞权利不相违的主意,都可以自由地去实现它。
All distinctions of birth or of rank have been abolished.
所有出生和阶级的区别被消除了。
All are entitled to equal rights and equal protection.
所有人都享有平等的权利和平等的保护。
No union exists between church and state, and perfect freedom of opinion is guaranteed to all sects and creeds.
教会和政府之间不存在联合,保证所有的教派和信条都享有完全的观点自由。
These are some of the blessings secured to our happy land by Federal Union.
这是由我们联邦联盟为我们幸福土地所保障的一些祝福。
To perpetuate them it is our sacred duty to preserve it.
我们神圣的职责是维护他并使之永久。
Who shall assign limits to the achievements of free minds and free hands under the protection of this glorious Union.
在这样的伟大联盟的保护下,有谁会限制自由思想和自由之手的创造呢?
No treason to mankind since the organization of society would be equal in atrocity to that of him who would lift his hand to destroy it. He would overthrow the noblest structure of human wisdom, which protects himself and his fellow man.
自从社会有组织以来,没有谁对人类的背叛在凶残上可等同某人举起其手试图破坏我们联盟的行为。那就是要推翻智慧组织。保护他和他的同胞的最高贵的人类。
He would stop the progress of free government and involve his country either in anarchy or despotism.
那就是要阻止自由政府的前进,并把其国家带入混乱和暴政中。
He would extinguish the fire of liberty, which warms and animates the hearts of happy millions, and invites all the nations of the earth to imitate our example.
那就是要熄灭那温暖并启动幸福大众之心的,吸引世上各国模仿我们的自由之火。
If he say that error and wrong are committed in the administration of the Government, let him remember that nothing human can be perfect, and that under no other system of government revealed by Heaven or devised by man has reason been allowed so free and broad a scope to combat error.
如果那人说政府的执政犯有错误,让他记住人不可能完美,并且没有任何其它上天或人类创立的政府体制能像我们的那样,给理性以如此自由和宽阔的范围来和错误斗争。
Has the sword of despots proved to be a safer or surer instrument of reform in government than enlightened reason?
难道暴君的刀剑比启蒙的理智更能成为政府改革中安全,可靠的手段?
Does he expect to find among the ruins of this Union a happier abode for our swarming millions than they now have under it?
他是否期望在联邦的废墟之中,为我们的百万人群找到比他们现在更幸福的住所?
Every lover of his country must shudder at the thought of the possibility of its dissolution, and will be ready to adopt the patriotic sentiment," Our Federal Union it must be preserved."
每一个爱国都会因面对可能解散联邦的思想而战栗,并准备好接受那爱国的情感:“必须维护我们的联邦联盟。”To preserve it the compromises which alone enabled our fathers to form a common constitution for the government, and protection of so many States and distinct communities, of such diversified habits, interests, and domestic institutions, must be sacredly and religiously observed.
在维护它时,我们必须神圣地,虔诚地遵守那曾使得我们的先驱们能够成立一个政府的共同宪法,能够保护如此众多的州和有如此多样的风俗,利益,和内务组织的偏远社区的妥协。
Any attempt to disturb or destroy these compromises, being terms of the compact of union, can lead to none other than the most ruinous and disastrous consequences.
任何试图扰乱和破坏这些作为联邦契约条件的妥协,必会导致最具毁坏性和灾难性的后果。
I am happy to believe that at every period of our existence as a nation there has existed, and continues to exist, among the great mass of our people a devotion to the Union of the States which will shield, and protect it against the moral treason of any who would seriously contemplate its destruction.
我很高兴相信在我们作为一个民族生存的每一个时期,在人民大众中已经存在,并将继续存在着对众洲联盟的热爱;这将针对任何想阴谋破坏它的道德叛逆而来保护它。
To secure a continuance of that devotion the compromises of the Constitution must not only be preserved, but sectional jealousies and heart burnings must be discountenanced, and all should remember that they are members of the same political family, having a common destiny.
要保证这种热爱的继续,不仅要维护宪法中的妥协,也要反对派系妒忌和不满;所有人都应该记住他们是同一政治家庭中的一员,有着共同的命运。
To increase the attachment of our people to the Union, our laws should be just.
要加强人民对联盟的归属,我们的法律必须公正。
Any policy which shall tend to favor monopolies or the peculiar interests of sections or classes must operate to the prejudice of the interest of their fellow citizens, and should be avoided.
任何旨在偏向派系或阶级的垄断或特别利益,对其同胞利益有伤害的政策,都应该被避免。
If the compromises of the Constitution be preserved, if sectional jealousies and heart burnings be discountenanced, if our laws be just and the Government be practically administered strictly within the limits of power prescribed to it, we may discard all apprehensions for the safety of the Union.
如果维护了宪法的妥协,如果排除了派系的妒忌和不满,如果我们的法律是公正的并且政府严格在其所属职权范围内执政实践,我们可以丢掉所有关于联盟安全的忧虑。
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