葛底斯堡演说

葛底斯堡演说是林肯总统一次简短的发言，但是，短，却毫不敷衍，读起来很有感染力。

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

演说从美国建国史、“自由”、“平等”的理想信念开始，这些宏大的历史、抽象的概念，似乎高高在上，与普通人毫不相干。

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.

并非不相干，兄弟们、亲人们在战场上兵戎相见，血流成河，为的是什么呢？就是那些抽象的自由啊、平等啊。

We are met on a great battle-field of that war.

看看我们脚下，我们周围，这是战场啊，几个月前，几万人曾在这里厮杀。

We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.

他们为自由和平等，而献身于此，我们将这片土地辟为陵园，希望他们长眠于此。

It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

我们这么做，理当如此，不需多加解释。

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate – we can not consecrate – we can not hallow – this ground.

但是，这片土地，并不会因为我们建造了这样一座陵园而神圣。

The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.

是那些曾在此厮杀的勇士们，他们使葛底斯堡成为圣地，无论我们怎么做，也不会影响其神圣。

The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

我们今天在这里所发的感慨，别处的人不会关注，后世也难再提及，但是，这里的刀光剑影，已成为历史的一部分。

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.

我们还能做点什么呢？勇士们没有完成的事业，需要我们继续努力。

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us

是的，我们所要做和正在做的工作，都是这项伟大事业的一部分。

– that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion

逝去的勇士们已尽全力，我们怎么能够懈怠？这应该成为我们的力量之源。

– that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain

一个人如此渺小和脆弱，但只要他的想法有人传承，他未完的事业有人继续，那么他就会成为历史的一环而不枉此生。

– that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom

“自由”和“平等”，就是他们未竞的事业，这项事业将由我们继续为之努力。

– and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

这项事业不应泯灭，这是我们的事业，要靠我们去实现，也是为了我们和我们的子孙后代。