奥巴马给女儿的信(中英对照版)

Dear Malia and Sasha, 亲爱的马莉亚和莎夏：

I know that you've both had a lot of fun the last two 我知道这两年你们俩随我一路竞选

years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and 都有过不少乐子，野餐、游行、逛州博览

state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I 会，吃了各种或许我和你妈不该让你们吃

probably shouldn't have let you have. But I also know that it 的垃圾食物。然而我也知道，你们俩和你

hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited 妈的日子，有时候并不惬意。新来的小狗

as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn't make up for 虽然令你们兴奋，却无法弥补我们不在一

all the time we've been apart. I know how much I've misd the 起的所有时光。我明白这两年我错过的太

past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about 多了，今天我要再向你们说说为何我决定

why I decided to take our family on this journey.

When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me当我还年轻的时候，我认为生活就该

—about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, 绕着我转：我如何在这世上得心应手，成

and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into 功立业，得到我想要的。后来，你们俩进

my world with all your curiosity and mischief and tho smiles 入了我的世界，带来的种种好奇、淘气和

that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And 微笑，总能填满我的心，照亮我的日子。

suddenly, all my big plans for mylf didn't em so important 突然之间，我为自己谱写的伟大计划显得

anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the 不再那么重要了。我很快便发现，我在你

joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't 们生命中看到的快乐，就是我自己生命中

count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every 最大的快乐。而我也同时体认到，如果我

opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the 不能确保你们此生能够拥有追求幸福和

end, girls, that's why I ran for President: becau of what 自我实现的一切机会，我自己的生命也没

I want for you and for every child in this nation. 多大价值。总而言之，我的女儿，这就是

I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their 我要让所有儿童都在能够发掘他们

potential—schools that challenge them, inspire them, 潜能的学校就读；这些学校要能挑战他

and instill in them a n of wonder about the world around 们，激励他们，并灌输他们对身处的这个

them. I want them to have the chance to go to college—世界的好奇心。我要他们有机会上大学，

even if their parents aren't rich. And I want them to get good 那怕他们的父母并不富有。而且我要他们

jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health 能找到好的工作：薪酬高还附带健康保险

care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and 的工作，让他们有时间陪孩子、并且能带

retire with dignity. 着尊严退休的工作。

带领我们一家走上这趟旅程。

我竞选总统的原因：我要让你们俩和这个

国家的每一个孩子，都能拥有我想要给他

们的东西。

I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that 我要大家向发现的极限挑战，让你在

you'll live to e new technologies and inventions that 有生之年能够看见改善我们生活、使这个

improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And 行星更干净、更安全的新科技和发明。我

I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the 也要大家向自己的人际界限挑战，跨越使

divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us 我们看不到对方长处的种族、地域、性别

from eing the best in each other. 和宗教樊篱。

Sometimes we have to nd our young men and women into war 有时候为了保护我们的国家，我们不

and other dangerous situations to protect our country—得不把青年男女派到战场或其它危险的

but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very 地方，然而当我们这么做的时候，我要确

good reason, that we try our best to ttle our differences 保师出有名，我们尽了全力以和平方式化

with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to 解与他人的争执，也想尽了一切办法保障

keep our rvicemen and women safe. And I want every child to 男女官兵的安全。我要每个孩子都明白，

understand that the blessings the brave Americans fight for 这些勇敢的美国人在战场上捍卫的福祉

are not free—that with the great privilege of being 是无法平白得到的：在享有作为这个国家

a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility. 公民的伟大特权之际，重责大任也随之而

That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when 这正是我在你们这年纪时，外婆想要

I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration 教我的功课，她把独立宣言开头几行念给

of Independence and telling me about the men and women who 我听，告诉我有一些男女为了争取平等挺

marched for equality becau they believed tho words put to 身而出游行抗议，因为他们认为两个世纪

paper two centuries ago should mean something. 前白纸黑字写下来的这些句子，不应只是

She helped me understand that America is great not becau 她让我了解到，美国所以伟大，不是

it is perfect but becau it can always be made better—因为它完美，而是因为我们可以不断让它

and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to 变得更好，而让它更好的未竟工作，就落

each of us. It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming 在我们每个人的身上。这是我们交给孩子

clor with each new generation to what we know America should 们的责任，每过一代，美国就更接近我们

be. 的理想。

I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the 我希望你们俩都愿接下这个工作，看

wrongs that you e and working to give others the chances 到不对的事要想办法改正，努力帮助别人

you've had. Not just becau you have an obligation to give 获得你们有过的机会。这并非只因国家给

something back to this country that has given our family so 了我们一家这么多，你们也当有所回馈，

来。

空话。

much—although you do have that obligation. But becau 虽然你们的确有这个义务，而是因为你们

you have an obligation to yourlf. Becau it is only when 对自己负有义务。因为，唯有在把你的马

you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourlf that 车套在更大的东西上时，你才会明白自己

you will realize your true potential. 真正的潜能有多大。

The are the things I want for you—to grow up in 这些是我想要让你们得到的东西：在

a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements 一个梦想不受限制、无事不能成就的世界

beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed 中长大，长成具慈悲心、坚持理想，能帮

women who will help build that world. And I want every child 忙打造这样一个世界的女性。我要每个孩

to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive 子都有和你们一样的机会，去学习、梦想、

that you girls have. That's why I've taken our family on this 成长、发展。这就是我带领我们一家展开

great adventure. 这趟大冒险的原因。

I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can 我深以你俩为荣，你们永远不会明白

ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, 我有多爱你们，在我们准备一同在白宫开

poi, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life 始新生活之际，我没有一天不为你们的忍

together in the White Hou. 耐、沉稳、明理和幽默而心存感激。

Love, Dad 爱你们的父亲