Ask yourselves, how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. 我们不妨扪心自问，对我们的请愿书这种得体的接受是如何使切断我们的水源，以及令我们的土地陷入暗无天日的战争准备显得冠冕堂皇的。

　　Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? 对需要爱和和解的事业，难道战舰和军队是必要的吗？

　　Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? 难道我们的做法显得对和解如此不情愿，以至于必须动用军事力量来赢得我们的爱吗？

　　Let us not deceive ourselves. 我们不要自欺了。

　　These are the implements of war and subjugation,— the last arguments to which kings resort. 这些都是战争和镇压的工具而已，争论最后的焦点是必须诉诸于王权。

　　I ask, gentlemen, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us into submission? 尊敬的先生们，我倒要问一下，如果英国人的目的不是强迫我们服从的话，那么这种战争安排意味着什么？

　　Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? 有谁能说出还有其他可能的动机？

　　Has Great Britain any enemy in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? 在这个世界上除了大不列颠还有哪个敌人会集结这么多的军舰和军队？

　　No, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other. 没有，能这么做的只有它。他们是在向我们示意：他们除了动武以外，没有别的选择。

　　They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. 他们被派到这儿来捆绑然后给我们套上枷锁，要知道英国政府长久以来一直在为我们锻造这些枷锁。

　　And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? 我们除了反抗，还能做什么？难道我们极力抗辩吗？

　　We have been trying that for the last ten years. 在这十年里我们一直在争辩，可是有用吗？

　　Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. 对于这个主题我们还能提出什么新的解决办法吗？不能。

　　We have held the subject up in every light in which it was capable; but it has been all in vain. 每个可能的解决办法我们都尝试过了，但是所有的一切都证明徒劳无益。