国际英文演讲高手 chapter8 百年经典演说回放
- 听力原文
- 参考译文
Great American Historical Addresses
百年经典演说回放
Great speeches will absolutely not fade out from people's hearts, they still shake your soul whenever you pick them up. The following two speeches selected give strong support to my words. These two speeches really change the course of history, they are delivered in high spirit and full of encouraging words, throwing us in a sense of asking what you can do for China and loving freedom and peace.
Ask What You Can Do For Your Country
by John F kennedy
In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.
Now the trumpet summons us again - not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are; but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation," a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself.
Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility; I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it, and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.
And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.
My fellow citizens of the world, ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.
Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.
你能为国家做些什么
-- 约翰●肯尼迪
同胞们，我们事业的最终成败，掌握在你们、而不是我的手里。从这个国家开始建立之日起，每一代美国人都曾经被召唤去为祖国效忠。年轻的美国人响应了要他们服务的号召，他们的忠骨遍埋世界各地。
现在，召唤我们的号角又吹响了---不是号召我们拿起武器，虽然我们需要武器；不是号召我们奔赴战场，虽然我们严阵以待；这号角声号召我们去承受那漫长的黎明前的战斗，年复一年，“在希望中欢欣，在苦难中忍耐”，这是一场反对专制、贫穷、疾病和战争等人类共同敌人的战斗。
我们能否建立一个将东、西、南、北连在一起的伟大的全球性联盟来对抗这些敌人，以确保整个人类有更为丰硕的生活呢？你们愿意加人到这一具有历史意义的行动中去吗？
在世界的漫长历史上，只有少数几代人能在自由面临极大危险的关头被赋予捍卫自由的任务。在这一重任面前，我不退缩，我欢迎这一重任。我认为，我们中间不会有人愿意同其他民族或另一代人调换位置。我们为这事业付出的精力、信念和献身精神将照耀我们的国家和为国效劳的人，这一火焰发出的光芒将真正普照全世界。
因此，美国同胞们，不要问你的国家能为你做些什么，而是问你自己能为你的国家做些什么。
世界各国的公民们，不要问美国会为你们做些什么，而是问我们一起能为人类自由做些什么。
最后，不管你们是美国公民还是世界公民，请以我们向你们要求的奉献力量与牺牲的崇高标准来要求我们。问心无愧是我们唯一可靠的奖赏，历史将作为我们行为的最后裁判，让我们引导我们所挚爱的祖国奋勇前进。祈求上帝的祝福与帮助，但是我们知道：在此世间，上帝的工作就必定是我们自己的工作。
注：肯尼迪（1917——1963），美国第35任总统（1961——1963在任）。任期内渡过了许多危机，特别是古巴危机和柏林危机，取得了缔结禁止核试验条约和成立争取进步同盟等成就。他毕业于哈佛大学，写过畅销书，参加过第二次世界大战。29岁竞选众议员获胜，连任三届。在国会里，他对内重视社会救济和平民福利，对外反对共产主义，支持冷战。1953年进入参议院，对麦卡锡反共运动之盛行并无异议。50年代后期任参议院外交委员会委员，政治观点逐渐左移，在民主党内的声望也逐步提高。1958年他连任参议员，1960年1月以微弱多数击败共和党候选人尼克松，成为美国历史上最年轻的总统，也是第一位信奉天主教的总统，他的进取精神和勤奋作风赢得许多人的称赞。1963年11月，他为争取连任而前往得克萨斯州，力图调和民主党内两派之间的分歧，遇刺身亡。
本演讲是美国历届总统就职演讲中的佳作。1961年1月20日，数万人在白雪皑皑的华盛顿聆听了这次演讲。
