世界上最伟大的演讲--A Divided House cannot stand 家不和,则不立

 

A Divided House cannot stand

Abraham Lincoln

Mr president and genltemen of the convention, If we could first know where we are,and whither we are tending,we could beter judge what to do,and how to do it.we are now far into the fifith year since a policy was initated with the avowed¹ object,and confident promise,of putting an end to slavery agitation².under the operation of that policy,that agitation not only has not ceased,but also has constantly augmented³.in my opinion,it will not cease until a crsis shall have been reached and passed, “a house divided against itself cannot stand”i believe this government cannot endure permanently⁴ half slave and half free.i do not expect the union to de dissolved;i do not expect the house to fall.but i do expcet that it will cease to be divided.it will become all one thing ,or all the other.either opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it,and place it where the public mind shall rest in belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction;or its advocates will push it forward till it shall become alike lawful⁵ in all states,old as well as new,north as well as south.have we no tendency to the latter condition?let anyone who doubts carefullly contemplate⁶ that now almost complete legal conbination-piece of machinery⁷,so to speak-compounded of the nebraska doctrine⁸ and the Dred scott decision.let him consider notonly what work the machinery is adapted to do,and how well adapted,but also let him study the history of its constrution,and trace,if he can,or rather fail,if he can to trace evidences of design and concert of action among its chief architects from the beginning.

家不和，则不立

主席先生和全体与会的先生们：     假如我们想更准确的判断该做什么，该怎样做，我们就应首先弄清楚自己身处何处，又将去往何处。5年前，我们就公开提出关于禁止煽动奴隶制的目标，并作出了明确承诺。  这项方针实施后，这种煽动不但毫无收敛之势，反而愈演愈烈起来。我认为，除非我们遇到并度过某种危机，否则这种趋势不会消失。“家不和，则不立”我相信这个政府不会长久地容忍这种半奴隶半自由的状态。我不愿联邦解体，更不愿这个家没落；但我衷心盼望他结束这种分裂状态。美国要么统一成这个样子，要么统一成另一个样子。以奴隶制而言，要么是反对它的人们阻止它继续发展，直至最终依据民心把它纳入最终消灭的轨道；要么是拥护它的人们推动它继续发展，直至它在所有无论新老，无论南北的各州都取得同样合法的地位。我们难道没有沦入后一中处境的势头吗？如果有人怀疑这一点，那就请他再仔细的思索一下：现在几乎所有司法机构，都可算是体现着内布拉斯加原则和德雷德·斯科特决议的精神。让他不仅考虑这套机构适合于何种工作以及适合的程度，而且研究它形成的过程，并且追寻（如果他做得到的话only what work the machinery is adapted to do,and how well adapted,but also let him study the history of its constrution,and trace,if he can,or rather fail,if he can to trace evidences of design and concert of action among its chief architects from the beginning. 家不和，则不立 主席先生和全体与会的先生们：     假如我们想更准确的判断该做什么，该怎样做，我们就应首先弄清楚自己身处何处，又将去往何处。5年前，我们就公开提出关于禁止煽动奴隶制的目标，并作出了明确承诺。  这项方针实施后，这种煽动不但毫无收敛之势，反而愈演愈烈起来。我认为，除非我们遇到并度过某种危机，否则这种趋势不会消失。“家不和，则不立”我相信这个政府不会长久地容忍这种半奴隶半自由的状态。我不愿联邦解体，更不愿这个家没落；但我衷心盼望他结束这种分裂状态。美国要么统一成这个样子，要么统一成另一个样子。以奴隶制而言，要么是反对它的人们阻止它继续发展，直至最终依据民心把它纳入最终消灭的轨道；要么是拥护它的人们推动它继续发展，直至它在所有无论新老，无论南北的各州都取得同样合法的地位。我们难道没有沦入后一中处境的势头吗？如果有人怀疑这一点，那就请他再仔细的思索一下：现在几乎所有司法机构，都可算是体现着内布拉斯加原则和德雷德·斯科特决议的精神。让他不仅考虑这套机构适合于何种工作以及适合的程度，而且研究它形成的过程，并且追寻（如果他做得到的话不过更可能做不到），倘若能够做到，那就让他追寻他的首席设计师们一开始所设计和所采取的一致行动的各种迹象吧！ 

1 avowed   

adj.公开声明的，承认的v.公开声明，承认( avow的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• An aide avowed that the President had known nothing of the deals. 一位助理声明，总统对这些交易一无所知。
• The party's avowed aim was to struggle against capitalist exploitation. 该党公开宣称的宗旨是与资本主义剥削斗争。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 agitation   

n.搅动；搅拌；鼓动，煽动

参考例句：

• Small shopkeepers carried on a long agitation against the big department stores.小店主们长期以来一直在煽动人们反对大型百货商店。
• These materials require constant agitation to keep them in suspension.这些药剂要经常搅动以保持悬浮状态。

3 Augmented   

adj.增音的 动词augment的过去式和过去分词形式

参考例句：

• 'scientists won't be replaced," he claims, "but they will be augmented." 他宣称：“科学家不会被取代；相反，他们会被拓展。” 来自英汉非文学 - 科学史
• The impact of the report was augmented by its timing. 由于发表的时间选得好，这篇报导的影响更大了。

4 permanently   

adv.永恒地，永久地，固定不变地

参考例句：

• The accident left him permanently scarred.那次事故给他留下了永久的伤疤。
• The ship is now permanently moored on the Thames in London.该船现在永久地停泊在伦敦泰晤士河边。

5 lawful   

adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的

参考例句：

• It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
• We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

6 contemplate   

vt.盘算，计议；周密考虑；注视，凝视

参考例句：

• The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate.战争的可能性太可怕了，真不堪细想。
• The consequences would be too ghastly to contemplate.后果不堪设想。

7 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

8 doctrine   

n.教义；主义；学说

参考例句：

• He was impelled to proclaim his doctrine.他不得不宣扬他的教义。
• The council met to consider changes to doctrine.宗教议会开会考虑更改教义。