林肯葛底斯堡演讲词
Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.八十七年前我们的先辈在这块大陆上建立了一个新的国家，这个国家在争取自由中诞生，忠于人人生来平等这一信念。
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.We are met on a great battle-field of that war.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.It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.目前我们正进行这一场伟大的国内战争，战争考验着以上述信念立国的我们或其他国家，是否能长期坚持下去。今天我们在这场战争的战场上集会，来把战场的一角奉献给为我们国家的生存而捐躯的人们，作为他们的安息之地。这是我们应该做的事。
But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate – we cannot consecrate – we cannot hallow – this ground.The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.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.It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.但是，从更大的意义上说，我们无权把这块土地奉献给他们，我们不能使这块土地增加光彩，成为圣地。这是那些活着的或已经死去的、曾经在这里战斗过的英雄们才使这块土地成为神圣之土，我们无力使之增减一分。我们在这里说些什么，世人不会注意，也不会长期记住，但是英雄们的行动却永远不会被人们遗忘。这更要求我们这些活着的人去继续英雄们为之战斗并使之前进的未竟事业。我们还需要继续为摆在我们面前的伟大的事业献身——更忠诚于先烈们为之献出了生命的事业；我们决不能让先烈们的鲜血白流；——我们这个国家在上帝的保佑下，要争得自由的新生；这个民有、民治、民享的政府一定要永远在地球上存在下去。
Abraham Lincoln and His Gettysburg Addre 林肯和他的葛底斯堡演讲
Late in the evening of November 17, 1863 William Slade, a servant at the White House, called at the President’s study to see whether Lincoln needed anything.Slade was a free colored man from Virginia.His job was the buying of food used in the White House.Lincoln liked Slade, often talked with him, asking his opinion about different matters.1863年11月17日的深夜，白宫的一个佣人威廉·斯莱德走进总统的书房，问林肯是否还需要什么东西。斯莱德是个自由的黑人，来自弗吉尼亚州。他的工作是给白宫采购食品。林肯喜欢他，常常和他谈话并就各种问题征求他的意见。 “Listen to this, William,” Lincoln said.“See how you think it sounds.” Lincoln then read aloud the short speech he had written.
“你听听这个，”威廉林肯说。“看你听了觉得怎么样。”林肯把写好的那篇短短的演讲稿大声地念给他听。
“I like it, Mr.President,” Slade said.“It sounds good.” 斯莱德说：“很好，总统先生，听起来挺不错。”
But Lincoln himself was mot at all satisfied with what he had written.The next day, on the train to Gettysburg, he again worked on the speech briefly.Later that same evening, in the small Gettysburg hotel room where he stayed that night, he did some more work on it.Lincoln was physically very tired.His mind was troubled by the many serious problems of war and government.It was difficult for him to think.可是林肯自己却对他写的一点也不满意。第二天，在前往葛底斯堡的火车上，他对稿子又略加修改。晚上在他所住的葛底斯堡旅馆的小房间里，他又把讲稿再推敲了一番。林肯很累。战争和政府的许多严重的问题困扰着他，思想很难集中。 In any case, the speech was short – which was the way Lincoln wanted it.He was mot the main speaker.The speaker of the day was Edward Everett.recognized as probably the greatest orator of the period.Everett was also a very distinguished man.He had been governor of Maachusetts, ambaador to Great Britain, president of Harvard College.There already existed four printed volumes of Everett’s public speeches.
但是，这篇演讲很短，林肯就要它短。那天的主要发言人是爱德华·艾弗莱特，不是林肯。爱德华·艾弗莱特要算是当时最有口才的演说家了。他是一位杰出的人物，当过马萨诸塞州的州长，美国驻英国大使和哈佛大学的校长。他的演说集已经出了四册。
Lincoln, on the other hand, was not considered an orator.He was a good political speaker, and in his political campaigns had proven himself quite capable.But on this occasion something more serious was demanded.At first, the officials in charge of the ceremony had not even wanted to invite Lincoln.Lincoln received only a printed notice of the event.But later, two weeks before the actual ceremony, he was asked, mainly for political reasons, to “say a few words” at the close of Mr.Everett’s addre.Even then, some of the newspapers objected, claiming that the President was sure to take advantage of the situation to make a political show.而林肯并没有认为他擅长演讲，但他能做很好的政治讲话，在政治活动中显示了充分的才干。但是这个场合对林肯提出了更高的要求。本来负责组织这次典礼的官员根本不想请林肯，后来主要出于政治上的考虑，在举行仪式的两周前才给他发了一个打印的通知，请他在艾弗莱特先生演讲之后“讲几句话”。即使如此，有些报纸还反对，说什么总统肯定会利用这次机会大捞政治资本。
At eleven o’clock the following morning, the parade from the town of Gettysburg to the cemetery began.Lincoln rode a horse.Those who saw him said that he bent forward even more than usual, looked particularly worn and tired.The group arrived at the place set for the ceremony at about eleven fifteen.Mr.Everett had not yet come.Bands played continuously to pa the time.At noon, Mr.Everett finally appeared.
第二天上午十一点从葛底斯堡到墓地的游行开始了。林肯骑在马上。当时看见他的人说他比平时更加弯腰躬背，显得特别疲劳。大约十一时十五分，游行队伍不断奏乐以消磨时间。中午时分，艾弗莱特先生总算来了。
There were some 15,000 people present.On the platform with Lincoln sat state governors, army officers, foreign ambaadors, members of congre.Mr.Everett first addreed the President, then began his long expected speech.His speech was typical of the extended and colorful public speaking of that period.Among other things, he touched on the geography of the area, the three day battle, European history, Greek history, State’s Rights.The speech lasted for an hour and fifty-seven minutes.At its close, the audience answered with applause which was properly loud and long.那天的会约有一万五千人出席。和林肯一起坐在主席台上的有各州州长、军官、外国大使、议员等。艾弗莱特先生先向总统致意，然后发表人们引颈以待的长篇演说。他的演说是当时流行的那种词藻华丽而又冗长的典型。他谈到葛斯底堡一带的地理，三天的战争，欧洲、希腊的历史，州的权力问题，等等，等等。讲了一小时五十七分钟。结束时，听从报以响亮的，长度恰如其分的掌声。
Lincoln then rose to speak.Everett was a tall, very handsome man, who always dreed extremely well, Lincoln’s bent and tired figure, his carele dre were in strong contrast to the impreion left by Everett.Lincoln put on his glaed, took from his inside coat pocket the two small sheets of paper on which he had written his speech.However, by this time he knew most of the speech from memory, so he referred to the sheets only briefly.He spoke slowly and clearly, but his speech lasted just five minutes.It contained only nine sentences, ending with the famous words concerning a “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”
接着林肯站起来讲话。艾弗莱特个子高高的，英俊潇洒，衣着讲究。林肯却是疲惫躬腰不修边幅，在艾弗莱特面前，显得相形见绌。林肯戴上眼镜，从上衣夹层的口袋里掏出两张小纸片的讲话稿。但此时对讲话的内容他已大致记熟，只偶尔地向稿纸瞟上一眼。他讲得慢而清楚，只讲了五分钟，九句话。讲话以“一个民有、民治、民享的政府”这句名言结束。
Lincoln spoke with honor of the war dead at Gettysburg, saying, “The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” But he placed chief emphasis upon the task ahead, the task so dear to his own heart.That of preserving the Union and carrying forward the principles of democracy upon which the country was based.林肯高度赞颂在葛底斯堡之战中捐躯的将士，他说：“我们在这里说些什么，世人不会注意，也不会长期记住，但是英雄们的行动却永远不会被人遗忘”。林肯着重讲了今后的任务，也是他的心愿，即维护合众国不致分裂，并把作为建国基础的民主原则贯彻到底。
When Lincoln finished, there was a moment of silence – not out of respect or admiration for anything he had said.The audience simply expected a longer speech, When Lincoln returned to his seat, there was polite applause.“The ceremony then being over, the crowd broke up quickly and lost no time in returning to their homes.”
林肯讲完后，全场沉默片刻。这并非对他的讲话相肃然起敬，而是人们没有想到他的演说这么短。林肯回到座位上时，听众中发出几声出自礼貌的掌声。然后，仪式结束，人们纷纷退场，赶紧各自回家去了。
No one at the time seemed much impreed by Lincoln’s speech.That night, on the train back to Washington, Lincoln bay stretched out on a seat, tired and discouraged.He said to a companion, “That speech was a flat failure, and the people are disappointed.” Most of the newspapers seemed to feel the same way.They called the speech unimportant, even foolish.One writer went so far as to say that every American should feel ashamed that the President of the United States had to expre himself in such a stupid manner.林肯的演讲似乎在当时没有给人留下什么深刻的印象。当晚在回华盛顿的火车上，林肯摊手摊脚地坐在位子上，疲倦，沮丧。他对人说：“那篇演讲糟透了，令人失望”。多数报纸也是这个看法，说那篇演讲无足轻重，甚至是可笑的。有一个作者竟然说堂堂美国总统，讲话如此愚蠢，这是每个美国人的耻辱。 Yet others saw in the speech what later served to establish it as a part of English literature, namely, the simple and direct style, the expreion in almost perfect language of the central idea for which Lincoln lived and died.Edward Everett’s opinion was typical of this point of view when, the next day, he wrote the following note to Lincoln, “I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came to near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes.” Lincoln’s answer was also typical.He replied to Everett, saying.“You could not have been excused to make a short addre, nor I a long one.I am pleased to know that, in your judgment, the little I did say was not entirely a failure.” 有人当时就看到了后来使这篇演讲成为英文文学中的精品的特点，它以朴素无华的风格，无懈可击的语言阐明了林肯毕业为之奋斗和献身的中心思想。爱德华·艾弗莱特第二天写给林肯的条子很能代表这个看法。他写道：“恕我大言不惭，我用了两小时总算接触到了您所阐明的那个中心思想。而您只用了两分钟就说得明明白白。”林肯的答复也是文如其人：“您做简短的演讲，人们不会原谅，正如我作长篇演讲人们不会原谅一样。您认为我那短短的讲话还不是彻底失败，我感到十分高兴。“
