More than a million people braved the bitter cold in Washington to see Barack Obama take the oath of office as America's 44th President, millions more around the world watched live TV coverage of the event.
超过100万的人群冒着严寒前来华盛顿聆听奥巴马就任美国第44任总统的就职演说，而在全世界，还有亿万人在电视机上收看。欧洲人怀着巨大的热情，期待奥巴马担任美国总统。
It was a regular work day in Europe and darkness had fallen by the time Barack Obama took the oath of office, but that did not diminish the interest or the eagerness with which so many Europeans awaited the event.
对欧洲来说，星期二是个普通工作日，而且当奥巴马发表就职演说时，天色已经昏暗，但是，这些都没有减低欧洲人怀着巨大的热情和兴趣，期待这次盛会。
There were celebrations in the far corners of the world. Feasts were prepared in Kenya, the homeland of President Obama's father; students in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, gathered to watch the inauguration in the elementary school Barack Obama attended as a child. Black-tie dinners and champagne parties were being held in the capitals of Europe.
在世界的偏远角落也有庆祝。奥巴马生父的家乡肯尼亚也准备了庆祝活动；在印尼首都雅加达，学生们聚集在奥巴马曾经就读的小学，在电视机前观赏这项就职。欧洲各国首都则举行了一连串正式庆祝晚宴。
Barack Obama has long been a favorite in Europe - young, energetic, full of charisma and words that promised change.
奥巴马很长时间以来就受到欧洲人的欢迎，因为他年轻，活力四射，充满领袖魅力，而且誓言改变。
German Chancellor Angela Merkel sent words of congratulations.
德国总理梅克尔恭贺说：
"It is a very special day, not only for the United States of America, but a special day also for billions of people all over the world," she said.
“这是非常特殊的一天，不单单对美国特殊，而且对全世界亿万人而言，这也是特殊的一天。”
Mrs. Merkel said it is historic to have this first African-American president, and she said she looks forward to a strong, intensive trans-Atlantic cooperation.
梅克尔说，头一位非洲裔美国总统是历史性的，她表示，她期待大西洋两岸更坚强和紧密的合作。
Her French counter-part, President Nicolas Sarkozy also sent his congratulations.
法国总统萨科齐也发出恭贺。
"We are anxious to see him get to work so we can change the world with him," President Sarkozy said.
萨科齐说：“我们急切盼望他开始工作，以便我们能和他一起改变这个世界。”
French political analyst, Etienne Schweisguth of the prestigious political science university in Paris, said there has been an almost euphoric mood about Mr. Obama.
巴黎著名的政治大学政治分析家史维古特说，对奥巴马就任美国总统，人们几乎有一种欣喜若狂的情绪。
He said the sentiment in France is a bit like the liberation after World War II - the idea that we are entering a new world, that everything is possible.
他说：“在法国，这种情绪有点类似二次大战后法国被解放时的情绪，好像我们正进入一个新的世界，每件事都成为可能。”
Schweisguth acknowledged that this dream of an ideal world may not be realistic, but he said there is a fundamental expectation in France that under Barack Obama, America will find its way again to work for a new world order.
史维古特承认，这种理想世界的情绪也许不够现实，但是他表示，在法国，人们有一个根本的期待，那就是，在奥巴马主政下，美国将会为建立新的世界秩序再度找出办法。
In his inaugural address President Obama outlined the work that must be done, saying the problems are many and complex from a global economic crisis, to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, to the challenges of strengthening old alliances and building new ones.
在就职演说里，奥巴马总统已经勾勒出他必须完成的工作。奥巴马说，从全球经济危机，到伊拉克和阿富汗战争，到加强旧盟邦关系和建立新关系，所面对的问题和挑战，繁多而且复杂。 |