肯尼迪总统就职演讲中英版

Inaugural Address

(January 20, 1961)

John F. Kennedy

1 We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom, symbolizing an end as

well as a beginning, signifying renewal as well as change. For I have sworn before you and

Almighty God the same solemn oath our forebears prescribed nearly a century and three- quarters

ago.

< /p>

我们今天举行的不是一个政党的祝捷大会，而是一次自由的庆典。这是一个承先启后、继< /p>

往开来的大事件。因为刚才我已依照我们的先辈在将近一又四分之三个世纪以前拟好的誓< /p>

言在诸位和全能的上帝面前庄严宣誓。

2 The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all

forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary belief for

which our forebears fought is still at issue around the globe, the belief that the rights of man come

not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.

当今的世界已与往昔大不相同了。人类手中已掌握的力量，既足以消除一切形式的人类贫

困，也足以结束一切形式的人类生活。然而，我们的先辈曾为之奋斗的革命信念至今仍未

能为举世所公认。这信念就是认定人权出自上帝所赐而非得自政府的恩典。

3 We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth

from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation

of Americans, born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of

our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of these human rights to

which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and

around the world.

我们今天仍未敢忘记我们是第一次 革命战争的接班人。此时此地我谨向我们的朋友，同时

也向我们的敌人宣告：火炬已传到 我们新一代美国人手中。这一代人在本世纪成长起来，

经受过 战火的锻炼，经历过冷峻的和平的考验，以珍视古老的传统而自豪，又决不愿坐视

或容许 人权逐渐遭到践踏。美国对这些人权一向负有责任，今天我们也正在本国及全世界

范围内 为之奋斗。

4 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.

必须让每一个友邦和敌国都知道：为维护自由，使其长存不灭，我们将会不惜付出任何代

价，肩负任何重担，迎战一切困难，援助一切朋友，反击一切敌人。

5 This much we pledge--and more.

以上这些是我们保证要做到的

--< /p>

但我们保证要做到的还不止这些。

6 To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of

faithful friends. United, there is little we cannot do in a host of co-operative ventures. Divided, there

is little we can do, for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.

对于那些与我们有着共同的文化和精神渊源的传统盟邦，我们保证将报之以真诚不渝的友

谊。只要我们团结起来，我们在许多合作性事业中就会无往而不胜；而一旦彼此分裂，我

们就会无所作为。因为我们之间若起争端，彼此离异，便难以与我们面临的强大对手抗衡

。

7 To those new states whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one

form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny.

We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them

strongly supporting their own freedom, and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly

sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.

对于那些我们欢迎其加入自由国家行列的各新兴国家，浅们发 誓，一种形式的殖民统治的

结束绝不应仅是为了被另一种远为 残酷的暴政所取代。我们并不期望这些国家总是支持我

们的观点，但我们希望他们始终能 够坚决地卫护自己的自由，并时刻牢记，过去那些企图

骑上虎背为自己壮声势的愚人结果 都没能逃脱葬身虎腹的命运。

8 To those peoples in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of

mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is

required, not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because

it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.

对于那些居住在遍布半个地球的茅舍荒村中，正奋力冲破集体 贫困的桎梏的各民族，我们

保证将尽最大努力帮助他们脱贫自救，不管这样做需要多长时 间。这样做并不是因为怕共

产党会抢先这样做，也不是因为我们想获得那些国家的赞成票 ，而是因为这样做是正确的

。一个自由社会如若不能帮助众多的穷人，也就无法保全少数 的富人。

9 To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge: to convert our good

words into good deeds, in a new alliance for progress, to assist free men and free governments in

casting off the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of

hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or

subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this hemisphere intends

to remain the master of its own house.

< br>对于我国边界以南的各姊妹国家，我们要作一项特别的保证：把我们美妙的言辞付诸行动

< br>，为谋求进步而进行新的合作。帮助自由的人民和自由的国家政府挣脱贫困的锁链。但我

< br>们绝不能让这个充满希望的和平革命成为敌对国家的牺牲品。要让所有的邻邦都知道，我

< br>们将和他们一起反对外国在美洲任何地区进行的侵略或颠覆。也要让所有别的国家知道，

< br>我们这个半球仍得由自己当家做主。

10 To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age

where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of

support: to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective, to strengthen its shield of the

new and the weak, and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.

在一个战争因素远远超过和平因素的时代，对于我们唯一的最好的希望赖以寄托的世界主

权国家的联盟组织一一联合国，我们重申对它给予支持的保证：阻止其成为一个仅供谩骂

的讲坛，加强其对新兴国家及弱小国家的保护作用，并扩大其职能范围。

11 Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge

but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction

unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.

最后，对于那些不惜与我们为敌的国家，我们要提出的不是保 证而是呼吁：希望双方重新

开始努力寻求和平，不要等到科学所释放出来的可怕的破坏力 将整个人类推向有计划的或

偶然发生的自我毁灭之时。

12 We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond

doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.

我们不敢以示弱去诱惑他们。因为只有当我们有了无可置疑的 足够的武力时，我们才能有

无可置疑的把握避免使用武力。

13 But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present

course--both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady

spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand

of mankind's final war.

然而，目 前的局势使两大国家集团都感到不安

--

双方都因现代军备的庞 大开支而感到不堪

重负，双方都为极端危险的原子武器的不断扩散而理所当然地感到惊慌 不安，但双方又都

在竞相谋求改变那种使双方都不敢轻易发动导致全人类毁灭的最后决战 的小稳定的恐怖均

势。

14 So let us begin anew, remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and