奥巴马每周电视讲话：作为总统服务你们十分荣幸

The Honor of Serving You as President (January 14, 2017)

作为总统服务你们十分荣幸(2017年1月14日)

This week, I traveled to Chicago to deliver my final farewell address to the nation, following in the tradition of Presidents before me. It was an opportunity to say thank you. Whether we've seen eye-to-eye or rarely agreed at all, my conversations with you, the American people – in living rooms and schools; at farms and on factory floors; at diners and on distant military outposts – All these conversations are what have kept me honest, kept me inspired, and kept me going. Every day, I learned from you. You made me a better President, and you made me a better man.

本周,我去芝加哥向全国人民发表了我的告别演讲,继续着我之前总统们的传统.这是个说声谢谢你们的机会.不管我们观点一致或者几乎没有任何相同的观点,我和你们,美国人民的对话--在客厅里或是在学校里;在田间地头或是在工厂的车间;在路边饭馆或是在遥远的军事哨所--所有这些对话,都让我正直,让我受到鼓舞,让我继续前行.每一天,我都能从你们身上学到东西.你们让我成为更好的总统,也让我成为更棒的人.

Over the course of these eight years, I have seen the goodness, the resilience, and the hope of the American people. I've seen neighbors looking out for each other as we rescued our economy from the worst crisis of our lifetimes. I've hugged cancer survivors¹ who finally know the security of affordable² health care. I've seen communities like Joplin rebuild from disaster, and cities like Boston show the world that no terrorist will ever break the American spirit.

在这八年里,我见到了美国人民的友善,坚韧和期望.在我们从生命中最严重的危机中拯救经济时,我见到了彼此照顾的邻里关系.我曾拥抱癌症的幸存者,他们最终收获了平价医疗保险带来的安全感.我曾见到像乔普林这样从灾难中重建的社区,还有像波士顿这样的城市向全世界证明着:恐怖分子将永远不会挫败美利坚精神.

I've seen the hopeful faces of young graduates and our newest military officers. I've mourned with grieving families searching for answers, and found grace in a Charleston church. I've seen our scientists help a paralyzed man regain³ his sense of touch, and our wounded warriors⁴ walk again. I've seen our doctors and volunteers rebuild after earthquakes and stop pandemics in their tracks. I've learned from students who are building robots and curing diseases and who will change the world in ways we can't even imagine. I've seen the youngest of children remind us of our obligations to care for our refugees, to work in peace, and above all to look out for each other.

我曾见到年轻毕业生和新军官们充满希望的面庞.我曾和悲痛的家庭一起哀悼来寻找答案,并在查尔斯顿教堂寻求宽恕.我曾见到我们的科学家帮助瘫痪的人恢复他的触觉,让我们受伤的士兵能再次行走.我们曾见到医生们和志愿者们在地震之后重建家园,并阻止了流行病的蔓延.我从制造机器人治愈疾病的学生们身上学习,他们将用我们甚至无法想象的方式来改变世界.我曾见到最年幼的孩子们提醒我们,我们有义务照顾我们的难民,和平共处,至关重要的是彼此照料.

That's what's possible when we come together in the slow, hard, sometimes frustrating⁵, but always vital work of self-government. But we can't take our democracy for granted. All of us, regardless of party, should throw ourselves into the work of citizenship⁶. Not just when there's an election, not just when our own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime. If you're tired of arguing with strangers on the internet, try to talk with one in real life. If something needs fixing, lace up your shoes and do some organizing. If you're disappointed by your elected officials, then grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself.

我们一起努力,让自治政府中缓慢,困难,有时是沮丧,但总是最至关重要的工作变成现实,成为可能.但我们不能认为我们的民主是理所当然的.我们所有人,不管是什么党派,都应该将自己投身于公民的伟大事业中.这不仅仅是在选举中,不仅仅当我们自己的狭隘利益处于危险中,而应该是跨越我们的一生.如果你厌烦了在网络上和陌生人争论,那就尽力和真正生活中的人去交流.如果有些东西需要得到修复,那就系好你的鞋带,做一些组织的事情.如果你因你选举出来的官员失望,那么复制到你的剪贴板,拿到一些署名,自己去参加竞选.

Our success depends on our participation⁷, regardless of which way the pendulum⁸ of power swings. It falls on each of us to be guardians⁹ of our democracy; to embrace the joyous¹⁰ task we've been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours. Because for all our outward differences, we all share the same proud title: Citizen.

我们的成功取决于我们的参与,不管权力的钟摆如何摆动.这取决于我们每一个人都是我们民主制度的守护者;拥抱我们被赋予的持续改善我们这个伟大国家的快乐任务.因为除了我们所有外表上的众多不同,我们所有人都共享着相同的荣誉头衔:公民.

It has been the honor of my life to serve you as President. Eight years later, I am even more optimistic about our country's promise. And I look forward to working along your side, as a citizen, for all my days that remain.

在生命中作为总统服务你们,我十分荣幸.八年之后,我对我们国家的承诺更加地乐观.我期待着作为公民,在接下来的所有的日子里,和你们站在相同的立场上.

Thanks, everybody. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

谢谢大家.上帝保佑你们,上帝保佑美利坚合众国.

1 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

2 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

3 regain   

vt.重新获得，收复，恢复

参考例句：

• He is making a bid to regain his World No.1 ranking.他正为重登世界排名第一位而努力。
• The government is desperate to regain credibility with the public.政府急于重新获取公众的信任。

4 warriors   

武士，勇士，战士( warrior的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• I like reading the stories ofancient warriors. 我喜欢读有关古代武士的故事。
• The warriors speared the man to death. 武士们把那个男子戳死了。

5 frustrating   

adj.产生挫折的，使人沮丧的，令人泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的现在分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's frustrating to have to wait so long. 要等这么长时间，真令人懊恼。
• It was a demeaning and ultimately frustrating experience. 那是一次有失颜面并且令人沮丧至极的经历。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

7 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

8 pendulum   

n.摆，钟摆

参考例句：

• The pendulum swung slowly to and fro.钟摆在慢慢地来回摆动。
• He accidentally found that the desk clock did not swing its pendulum.他无意中发现座钟不摇摆了。

9 guardians   

监护人( guardian的名词复数 )； 保护者，维护者

参考例句：

• Farmers should be guardians of the countryside. 农民应是乡村的保卫者。
• The police are guardians of law and order. 警察是法律和秩序的护卫者。

10 joyous   

adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的

参考例句：

• The lively dance heightened the joyous atmosphere of the scene.轻快的舞蹈给这场戏渲染了欢乐气氛。
• They conveyed the joyous news to us soon.他们把这一佳音很快地传递给我们。