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(单词翻译:双击或拖选)
Jimmy Carter’s Nobel Lecture(11)
吉米卡特的诺贝尔和平奖受奖演说(2)
I am not here as a public official, but as a citizen of a troubled world who finds hope in a growing consensus1 that the generally accepted goals of society are peace, freedom, human rights, environmental quality, the alleviation2 of suffering, and the rule of law.
During the past decades, the international community, usually under the auspices3 of the United Nations, has struggled to negotiate global standards that can help us achieve these essential goals. They include: the abolition4 of land mines and chemical weapons; an end to the testing, proliferation, and further deployment5 of nuclear warheads; constraints6 on global warming; prohibition7 of the death penalty, at least for children; and an international criminal court to deter8 and to punish war crimes and genocide. Those agreements already adopted must be fully9 implemented10, and others should be pursued aggressively.
We must also strive to correct the injustice11 of economic sanctions that seek to penalize12 abusive leaders but all too often inflict13 punishment on those who are already suffering from the abuse.
The unchanging principles of life predate modern times. I worship Jesus Christ, whom we Christians14 consider to be the Prince of Peace. As a Jew, he taught us to cross religious boundaries, in service and in love. He repeatedly reached out and embraced Roman conquerors15, other Gentiles, and even the more despised Samaritans.
Despite theological differences, all great religions share common commitments that define our ideal secular16 relationships. I am convinced that Christians, Muslims, Buddhists17, Hindus, Jews, and others can embrace each other in a common effort to alleviate18 human suffering and to espouse19 peace.
But the present era is a challenging and disturbing time for those whose lives are shaped by religious faith based on kindness toward each other. We have been reminded that cruel and inhuman20 acts can be derived21 from distorted theological beliefs, as suicide bombers22 take the lives of innocent human beings, draped falsely in the cloak of God's will. With horrible brutality23, neighbors have massacred neighbors in Europe, Asia, and Africa.
In order for us human beings to commit ourselves personally to the inhumanity of war, we find it necessary first to dehumanize our opponents, which is in itself a violation24 of the beliefs of all religions. Once we characterize our adversaries25 as beyond the scope of God's mercy and grace, their lives lose all value. We deny personal responsibility when we plant landmines26 and, days or years later, a stranger to us - often a child – is crippled or killed. From a great distance, we launch bombs or missiles with almost total impunity27, and never want to know the number or identity of the victims.
At the beginning of this new millennium28 I was asked to discuss, here in Oslo, the greatest challenge that the world faces. Among all the possible choices, I decided29 that the most serious and universal problem is the growing chasm30 between the richest and poorest people on earth. Citizens of the ten wealthiest countries are now seventy-five times richer than those who live in the ten poorest ones, and the separation is increasing every year, not only between nations but also within them. The results of this disparity are root causes of most of the world's unresolved problems, including starvation, illiteracy31, environmental degradation32, violent conflict, and unnecessary illnesses that range from Guinea worm to HIV/AIDS.
Most work of The Carter Center is in remote villages in the poorest nations of Africa, and there I have witnessed the capacity of destitute33 people to persevere34 under heartbreaking conditions. I have come to admire their judgment35 and wisdom, their courage and faith, and their awesome36 accomplishments37 when given a chance to use their innate38 abilities.
But tragically39, in the industrialized world there is a terrible absence of understanding or concern about those who are enduring lives of despair and hopelessness. We have not yet made the commitment to share with others an appreciable40 part of our excessive wealth. This is a potentially rewarding burden that we should all be willing to assume.
Ladies and gentlemen:
War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing41 each other's children.
The bond of our common humanity is stronger than the divisiveness of our fears and prejudices. God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make these changes - and we must.
Thank you.
1 consensus | |
n.(意见等的)一致,一致同意,共识 | |
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2 alleviation | |
n. 减轻,缓和,解痛物 | |
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3 auspices | |
n.资助,赞助 | |
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4 abolition | |
n.废除,取消 | |
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5 deployment | |
n. 部署,展开 | |
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6 constraints | |
强制( constraint的名词复数 ); 限制; 约束 | |
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7 prohibition | |
n.禁止;禁令,禁律 | |
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8 deter | |
vt.阻止,使不敢,吓住 | |
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9 fully | |
adv.完全地,全部地,彻底地;充分地 | |
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10 implemented | |
v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 );执行;贯彻;使生效 | |
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11 injustice | |
n.非正义,不公正,不公平,侵犯(别人的)权利 | |
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12 penalize | |
vt.对…处以刑罚,宣告…有罪;处罚 | |
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13 inflict | |
vt.(on)把…强加给,使遭受,使承担 | |
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14 Christians | |
n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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15 conquerors | |
征服者,占领者( conqueror的名词复数 ) | |
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16 secular | |
n.牧师,凡人;adj.世俗的,现世的,不朽的 | |
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17 Buddhists | |
n.佛教徒( Buddhist的名词复数 ) | |
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18 alleviate | |
v.减轻,缓和,缓解(痛苦等) | |
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19 espouse | |
v.支持,赞成,嫁娶 | |
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20 inhuman | |
adj.残忍的,不人道的,无人性的 | |
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21 derived | |
vi.起源;由来;衍生;导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 );(从…中)得到获得;源于;(从…中)提取 | |
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22 bombers | |
n.轰炸机( bomber的名词复数 );投弹手;安非他明胶囊;大麻叶香烟 | |
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23 brutality | |
n.野蛮的行为,残忍,野蛮 | |
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24 violation | |
n.违反(行为),违背(行为),侵犯 | |
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25 adversaries | |
n.对手,敌手( adversary的名词复数 ) | |
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26 landmines | |
潜在的冲突; 地雷,投伞水雷( landmine的名词复数 ) | |
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27 impunity | |
n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除 | |
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28 millennium | |
n.一千年,千禧年;太平盛世 | |
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29 decided | |
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的 | |
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30 chasm | |
n.深坑,断层,裂口,大分岐,利害冲突 | |
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31 illiteracy | |
n.文盲 | |
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32 degradation | |
n.降级;低落;退化;陵削;降解;衰变 | |
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33 destitute | |
adj.缺乏的;穷困的 | |
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34 persevere | |
v.坚持,坚忍,不屈不挠 | |
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35 judgment | |
n.审判;判断力,识别力,看法,意见 | |
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36 awesome | |
adj.令人惊叹的,难得吓人的,很好的 | |
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37 accomplishments | |
n.造诣;完成( accomplishment的名词复数 );技能;成绩;成就 | |
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38 innate | |
adj.天生的,固有的,天赋的 | |
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39 tragically | |
adv. 悲剧地,悲惨地 | |
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40 appreciable | |
adj.明显的,可见的,可估量的,可觉察的 | |
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41 killing | |
n.巨额利润;突然赚大钱,发大财 | |
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