奥巴马在康涅狄格州小学祈祷守夜仪式讲话（视频）

英语自学网

        　　Thank you, Governor. To all the families, first responders, to the community of Newtown, clergy, guests - Scripture tells us: "…do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away…inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands."
        　　谢谢州长，所有家庭，应急救援人员，纽敦社区，神职人员，宾客们。圣经告诉我们：“不要失去信心，虽然我们外在的身躯渐渐衰败，我们内在的生命却日日更新。”“我们所遭受这短暂的痛苦要为我们带来无可比拟的永久荣耀。我们并不关心看得见的事物，而是关心看不见的事物。看得见的是暂时的；看不见的是永恒的。”“因为我们知道如果我们在地面上的帐篷被摧毁的话，我们还有一个来自上帝的建筑物，一个不是由人类之手所建的、天堂里的永久房屋。”
        　　We gather here in memory of 20 beautiful children and six remarkableadults. They lost their lives in a school that could have been any school; in a quiet town full of good and decent people that could be any town in America.
        　　我们在这里聚会以纪念20位美丽的孩子和6位杰出的成年人。他们在一所学校里死去，这个学校可能是这个满是好人的小镇上的任何一间学校，也可能发生在美国任何城镇的一间学校。
        　　Here in Newtown, I come to offer the love and prayers of a nation. I am very mindful that mere words cannot match the depths of your sorrow, nor can they heal your wounded hearts. I can only hope it helps for you to know that you’re not alone in your grief; that our world too has been torn apart; that all across this land of ours, we have wept with you, we’ve pulled our children tight. And you must know that whatever measure of comfort we can provide, we will provide; whatever portion of sadness that we can share with you to ease this heavy load, we will gladly bear it. Newtown - you are not alone.
        　　我来到纽敦献上我们国家的爱和祈祷。我非常清楚，言辞无法抚平你们深深的悲痛。它们也无法愈合你们受伤的心。我只能希望，这能助于让你们知道，你们并不孤单。我们的世界也被撕裂，在全国各地，我们与你们一同哭泣，我们都紧紧抱住我们的孩子。你们必须知道，我们将向你们提供我们所能提供的任何支持措施。不管悲伤有多么沉重，我们可以与你们分享，我们也非常愿意与你们分担压力。纽敦，你并不孤独。
        　　As these difficult days have unfolded, you’ve also inspired us with stories of strength and resolve and sacrifice. We know that when danger arrived in the halls of Sandy Hook Elementary, the school’s staff did not flinch, they did not hesitate. Dawn Hochsprung and Mary Sherlach, Vicki Soto, Lauren Rousseau, Rachel Davino and Anne Marie Murphy - they responded as we all hope we might respond in such terrifying circumstances - with courage and with love, giving their lives to protect the children in their care. We know that there were other teachers who barricaded themselves inside classrooms, and kept steady through it all, and reassured their students by saying 'wait for the good guys, they’re coming'; 'show me your smile.'
        　　在这些困难的日子来到之际，你用力量、决心、牺牲的故事激励了我们。我们知道，当危险来到桑迪-霍克小学里，学校的教职员工没有退缩，他们没有迟疑。道恩-霍克斯普朗、玛丽-舍拉奇、维多利亚-索托、劳伦-拉索、雷切尔-达维诺、安妮-玛丽-墨菲，他们在那样恐怖的情况下凭借勇气和爱挺身而出，为保护他们的学生献出了自己的生命。我们都希望我们也能够做出那样的行为。我们知道还有其他老师将自己锁在教室内，在此期间一直保持镇定，稳定学生的情绪，对他们说：“等待好人，他们正在赶来，笑一笑。”
            
            

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        　　And we know that good guys came. The first responders who raced to the scene, helping to guide those in harm’s way to safety, and comfort those in need, holding at bay their own shock and trauma because they had a job to do, and others needed them more.
        　　我们知道，好人确实来了，应急救援人员赶到现场，不顾自己的震惊和心理创伤，引导那些身处险境的人们前往安全地区，抚慰那些需要帮助的人们，因为他们需要尽责，其他人更加需要他们。
        　　And then there were the scenes of the school children, helping one another, holding each other, dutifully following instructions in the way that young children sometimes do. One child even tried to encourage a grown-up by saying, 'I know karate, so it's OK. I'll lead the way out.'
        　　学校里的孩子们在其期间互相帮助，互相扶持，听从着指示。一个孩子甚至试图鼓励大人，他说：“我会空手道，所以没事，我要带大家走出去。”
        　　As a community, you’ve inspired us, Newtown. In the face of indescribable violence, in the face of unconscionable evil, you’ve looked out for each other, and you’ve cared for one another, and you’ve loved one another. This is how Newtown will be remembered. And with time, and God’s grace, that love will see you through.
        　　作为一个共同体，你激励了我们，纽敦。在这无以言表的暴力面前，在肆无忌惮的邪恶面前，你们守望相助、彼此关照、互相关爱。这就是纽敦将被人们所记住的一面。在时间和上帝的帮助下，这种爱将能使你们渡过难关。
        　　But we, as a nation, we are left with some hard questions. Someone once described the joy and anxiety of parenthood as the equivalent of having your heart outside of your body all the time, walking around. With their very first cry, this most precious, vital part of ourselves - our child - is suddenly exposed to the world, to possible mishap or malice. And every parent knows there is nothing we will not do to shield our children from harm. And yet, we also know that with that child’s very first step, and each step after that, they are separating from us; that we won’t - that we can’t always be there for them. They’ll suffer sickness and setbacks and broken hearts and disappointments. And we learn that our most important job is to give them what they need to become self-reliant and capable and resilient, ready to face the world without fear.
        　　但作为一个国家，枪击案给我们留下了一些艰难的问题。你们知道，有人这样形容成为父母的喜悦和忧虑之情：每时每刻心脏都像是在身体之外。随着婴儿的首声啼哭，我们最宝贵、最重要的一部分，我们的孩子降临。他们可能遭到不测，可能患上疾病。每位父母都知道，我们将尽一切努力来防止我们的孩子受到伤害。我们也知道，当孩子迈出第一步后，他们在渐渐离开我们。我们并不总能及时的守护他们。他们会患病，遭受挫折，伤心，失望。我们知道，我们最重要的工作就是让他们成为自力、能干、坚强的人，做好勇敢面对世界的准备。
        　　And we know we can’t do this by ourselves. It comes as a shock at a certain point where you realize, no matter how much you love these kids, you can’t do it by yourself. That this job of keeping our children safe, and teaching them well, is something we can only do together, with the help of friends and neighbors, the help of a community, and the help of a nation. And in that way, we come to realize that we bear a responsibility for every child because we’re counting on everybody else to help look after ours; that we’re all parents; that they’re all our children.
        　　我们知道，我们无法凭借自身的力量做到这一点。在某一阶段，你会吃惊地发现不管你多么地爱这些孩子，你无法凭借自身的力量做到这一点。保护我们孩子的安全、给他们良好的教育是需要我们大家一起完成，在朋友和邻居、社区和国家的帮助之下。我们通过这种方式意识到我们对每位孩子都负有责任，因为我们期待其他人来帮助照看我们的孩子，我们都是父母，他们都是我们的孩子。
        　　This is our first task - caring for our children. It’s our first job. If we don’t get that right, we don’t get anything right. That’s how, as a society, we will be judged.
        　　这是我们的首个任务，照顾我们的孩子。这是我们的首份工作。如果我们没能正确处理这项工作，我们其它所有的工作也作不好。这是外人评价美国社会的标准。
        　　And by that measure, can we truly say, as a nation, that we are meeting our obligations? Can we honestly say that we’re doing enough to keep our children - all of them - safe from harm? Can we claim, as a nation, that we’re all together there, letting them know that they are loved, and teaching them to love in return? Can we say that we’re truly doing enough to give all the children of this country the chance they deserve to live out their lives in happiness and with purpose?
        　　按照这个标准，我们是否能诚实地说，作为一个国家，我们履行了我们的义务？我们是否可以说：我们采取了足够的措施，使所有的孩子免受伤害？我们是否可以说：作为一个国家，我们团结一致，让孩子们知道我们爱他们，教会他们用爱来回报父母？我们是否可以说：我们真的采取了足够措施，让美国所有的儿童获得他们应得的机会，过快乐、有目标的生活？
        　　I’ve been reflecting on this the last few days, and if we’re honest with ourselves, the answer is no. We’re not doing enough. And we will have to change.
        　　我在过去几天一直在思考。如果我们够实在，答案是否定的。我们没有采取足够的措施。我们必须改变。
            
            

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        　　Since I’ve been President, this is the fourth time we have come together to comfort a grieving community torn apart by a mass shooting. The fourth time we’ve hugged survivors. The fourth time we’ve consoled the families of victims. And in between, there have been an endless series of deadly shootings across the country, almost daily reports of victims, many of them children, in small towns and big cities all across America - victims whose - much of the time, their only fault was being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
        　　我们没有采取足够的措施。我们必须改变。自我成为总统以来，这是我们第4次聚在一起，来安慰一个因大规模枪击事件而处于悲痛中的社区，这是我们第4次拥抱幸存者，第4次安慰遇难者家庭。在此期间，全国各地发生了多起致人死亡的枪击事件，美国各地的小镇和大城市里几乎每天都有枪击受害者的报道，许多受害者是儿童。许多受害者只是因为在错误的时间出现在错误的地点就大祸临头。
        　　We can’t tolerate this anymore. These tragedies must end. And to end them, we must change. We will be told that the causes of such violence are complex, and that is true. No single law - no set of laws can eliminate evil from the world, or prevent every senseless act of violence in our society.
        　　我们不能再容忍这样的现象，这些悲剧必须结束，为了结束这些悲剧，我们必须改变。有人会说，类似暴力事件的原因是复杂的。确实如此，没有哪部法律或者一系列法律可以铲除世界的邪恶，或者阻止我们社会里所有无谓的暴力行为。
        　　But that can’t be an excuse for inaction. Surely, we can do better than this. If there is even one step we can take to save another child, or another parent, or another town, from the grief that has visited Tucson, and Aurora, and Oak Creek, and Newtown, and communities from Columbine to Blacksburg before that - then surely we have an obligation to try.
        　　但这不能是不作为的理由。我们肯定能比这做得更好。如果哪怕我们能做任何事，使得在图森市、奥罗拉市、纽敦镇、科隆比纳市、布莱克斯堡的惨剧中多救下一个孩子、家长和城镇，那么当然，我们有义务去试试。
        　　In the coming weeks, I will use whatever power this office holds to engage my fellow citizens - from law enforcement to mental health professionals to parents and educators - in an effort aimed at preventing more tragedies like this. Because what choice do we have? We can’t accept events like this as routine. Are we really prepared to say that we’re powerless in the face of such carnage, that the politics are too hard? Are we prepared to say that such violence visited on our children year after year after year is somehow the price of our freedom?
        　　未来几周，我将尽全力向我的同胞承诺：从执法人员、心理专家，到家长和教师们，努力避免再发生类似惨剧。因为我们无法接受这样的事件成为常态。我们是否已经准备说：对于这样的惨剧我们无能为力，因为政党政治很难取得突破？我们是否已经准备说：我们的孩子年复一年遭遇这样的暴力，某种程度上是我们自由的代价？
        　　All the world’s religions - so many of them represented here today - start with a simple question: Why are we here? What gives our life meaning? What gives our acts purpose? We know our time on this Earth is fleeting. We know that we will each have our share of pleasure and pain; that even after we chase after some earthly goal, whether it’s wealth or power or fame, or just simple comfort, we will, in some fashion, fall short of what we had hoped. We know that no matter how good our intentions, we will all stumblesometimes, in some way. We will make mistakes, we will experience hardships. And even when we’re trying to do the right thing, we know that much of our time will be spent groping through the darkness, so often unable to discern God’s heavenly plans.
        　　大家知道，世界上所有的宗教，起始于一个简单的问题。我们为何在此？谁给予我们生命的意义？谁给予我们行动的目标？　　我们知道时间飞逝。我们知道我们会有属于自己的快乐和痛苦，在我们追逐目标时，无论是财富、权力、名誉或简单的舒适，。总会与最初愿望有些落差。我们知道，无论初衷多好，我们总会遇到或多或少的挫折。我们会犯错，我们都将经历困难，即使是在尝试做对的事情时。 我们知道我们很多时间会花在黑暗中的摸索之中，常常无法领悟上帝神圣的计划。
        　　There’s only one thing we can be sure of, and that is the love that we have - for our children, for our families, for each other. The warmth of a small child’s embrace - that is true. The memories we have of them, the joy that they bring, the wonder we see through their eyes, that fierce and boundless love we feel for them, a love that takes us out of ourselves, and binds us to something larger - we know that’s what matters. We know we’re always doing right when we’re taking care of them, when we’re teaching them well, when we’re showing acts of kindness. We don’t go wrong when we do that.
        　　仅有一件事我们可以确信，即我们对孩子、家庭和他人的爱。 一个小孩子的拥抱带来的温暖，是真切的。我们对他们的记忆， 他们带来的快乐，他们眼中的神奇，对他们强烈而无极限的爱，这爱把我们从对自己的关 注中拉出来，让我们致力于更大的事情，我们知道这很重要。我们知道我们在照顾他们时总是对的，当我们好好的教育他们时，当我们做出和蔼的举动时。我们在做这些事时不会是错的。
        　　That’s what we can be sure of. And that’s what you, the people of Newtown, have reminded us. That’s how you’ve inspired us. You remind us what matters. And that’s what should drive us forward in everything we do, for as long as God sees fit to keep us on this Earth.
        　　这是我们能确信的事情，这是纽敦人教会我们的事情。这是你们激励我们的方式。你们让我们明白什么最重要。这将推动我们向前，去做每一件上帝认为对的事情。
        　　"Let the little children come to me,' Jesus said, 'and do not hinder them - for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven."
        　　“让那些小孩子来见我”耶稣说， “不要阻碍他们，他们属于天国。”
        　　Charlotte. Daniel. Olivia. Josephine. Ana. Dylan. Madeleine. Catherine. Chase. Jesse. James. Grace. Emilie. Jack. Noah. Caroline. Jessica. Benjamin. Avielle. Allison. God has called them all home.
        　　.（以下为遇难者名字)道恩-霍克斯普朗、玛丽-舍拉奇、维多利亚-索托、劳伦-拉索、雷切尔-达维诺、安妮-玛丽-墨菲，上帝在召唤你们回家。
        　　For those of us who remain, let us find the strength to carry on, and make our country worthy of their memory.
        　　对我们这些仍在尘世的人，请鼓起勇气继续向前走，让我们的国家变得值得他们怀念。
        　　May God bless and keep those we’ve lost in His heavenly place. May He grace those we still have with His holy comfort. And may He bless and watch over this community, and the United States of America.
        　　上帝保佑，愿逝去的人们留在天国。愿上帝保佑我们所拥有的，保佑纽敦，保佑美国。
        (编辑：何莹莹）