Michelle Obama’s convention speech
奥巴马夫人在民主党大会上发表演讲
Thank you so much, Elaine, we are so grateful for your family’s service and sacrifice
and we will always have your back.
非常感谢，伊莲，我们非常感谢来自你家庭的服务和牺牲，我们永远支持你。
Over the past few years as First Lady, I have had the extraordinary privilege of traveling all across this country.
And everywhere I’ve gone, in the people I’ve met, and the stories I’ve heard, I have see n the very best of the American spirit.
过去的几年来，借由作为第一夫人的非凡殊荣，我几乎游遍了整个美国。而无论我去到哪里，从我所见到的人们，所听到的故事中，我都看到了最真切的美国精神。
I have seen it in the incredible kindness and warmth that people have shown me and my family, especially our girls.
在人们对我和我的家庭，特别是我的女儿们那难以置信的友善和热情中，我看到了它。
I’ve seen it in teachers in a near-bankrupt school district who vowed to keep teaching wit hout pay.
在一个濒临破产的学区的教师们不收分文、坚持执教的誓言中，我看到了它。
I’ve seen it in people who become heroes at a moment’s notice, diving into harm’s way t o save others, flying across the country to put out a fire,
driving for hours to bail out a flooded town.
在人们在突如其来的紧急召唤下化身英雄，纵身扑向灾害去拯救他人，飞过整个国家去扑灭大火，驱车数小时去援助被淹没的城镇时，我看到了它。
And I’ve seen it in our men and women in uniform and our proud military families,
in wounded warriors who tell me they’re not just going to walk again, they’re going to ru n, and they’re going to run marathons,
in the young man blinded by a bomb in Afghanistan who said, simply, ―I’d give my eyes 100 times again to have the chance to do what I have done and what I can still do.‖
在我们身着军装的男女军人和自豪的军属身上，在受伤的战士们告诉我他们不仅会再次站立行走，而是会奔跑，甚至参加马拉松时，在一位于阿富汗因炸弹而失明的年轻人―为了我所做的和我还将要做的，我宁愿失去我的眼睛一百次。‖这样轻描淡写的话语中，我看到了它。Every day, the people I meet inspire me, every day, they make me proud,
every day they remind me how blessed we are to live in the greatest nation on earth.
每一天，我所见到的人们都鼓舞着我，每一天，他们都令我骄傲，每一天，他们都在提醒我，能够生活在这地球上最伟大的国度中是多么的幸福。
Serving as your First Lady is an honor and a privilege…but back when we first came toge ther four years ago, I still had some concerns about this journey we’d begun.
成为诸位的第一夫人，是我的荣耀和幸运，但当我们四年前首次聚在一起的时候，我仍对我们即将展开的旅程心怀疑虑。
While I believed deeply in my husband’s vision for this country…and I was certain he wo uld make an extraordinary President…like any mother, I was worried about what it would mean for our girls if he got that chance. How
would we keep them grounded under the glare of the national spotlight?
对我丈夫心中的祖国愿景，我满怀信心，对他将成为一位出色的总统，我也深信不疑，但是就像所有的母亲一样，我也曾担心如果他当选，这对我们的女儿们意味着什么。身处万众瞩目的聚光灯下，我们要如何让他们保持脚踏实地？
How would they feel being uprooted from their school, their friends, and the only home t hey’d ever known?
当他们被迫离开从小熟悉的家、学校、和朋友时，会有什么感受？
Our life before moving to Washington was filled with simple joys…Saturdays at soccer ga mes, Sundays at grandma’s house…and a date night for Barack and me was either dinne r or a movie, because as an exhausted mom, I couldn’t stay awake for both.
在搬到华盛顿之前，我们的生活充满简单的快乐……周六参加足球赛，周日则在祖母家……还有巴拉克和我的约会之夜，我们要么出去晚餐，要么去看场电影，因为作为一个筋疲力尽的老妈，我实在没法同时去晚餐和电影还不打瞌睡。
And the truth is, I loved the life we had built for our girls…I deeply loved the man I had built that life with…and I didn’t want that to change if he became President.
说真话，我爱我们为女儿们所创造的生活……我深爱和我一起创造这生活的男人……而且我不愿意让这一切因为他当了总统而发生变化。
I loved Barack just the way he was.
我爱的就是巴拉克原来的样子。
You see, even though back then Barack was a Senator and a presidential candidate…to me, he was still the guy who’d picked me up for our dates in a car that was so rusted out , I could actually see the pavement going by through a hole in the passenger side door…he was the guy whose proudest possession was a coffee table he’d found in a dumpster, and whose only pair of decent shoes was half a size too small.
你们瞧，即便当时巴拉克已经是一名参议员兼总统候选人了……对我而言，他仍是那个开着辆锈迹斑斑的破车来接我去约会的男子，我几乎都能透过乘客这侧车门上的破洞看到飞逝而过的路面……他仍是那个把一张从垃圾箱里翻出来的咖啡桌当做自己最了不起的财产的男子，那个仅有的一双体面的鞋子比自己的脚还小了半号的男子。
But when Barack started telling me about his family –that’s when I knew I had found a k indred spirit, someone whose values and upbringing were so much like mine.
然而，当巴拉克开始向我讲述他的家庭时——就在那一刻，我明白我遇到了一个志同道合的灵魂，他的价值观和成长经历与我惊人地相似。
You see, Barack and I were both raised by families who didn’t have much in the way of money or material possessions but who had given us something far more valuable – their unconditional love, their unflinching sacrifice, and the chance to go places they had neve r imagined for themselves.
如你们所知，养育巴拉克和我的两个家庭都没有太多金钱或物质财富，但是，他们却给予了我们更为珍贵的东西——无条件的爱，大无畏的牺牲，以及到达他们自己从未想象过的目标的机会。
My father was a pump operator at the city water plant, and he was diagnosed with Multi ple Sclerosis when my brother and I were young.
我的父亲是城市水厂的一名泵浦操作员，在我和哥哥很小的时候就被诊断出患有多发性硬化症。
And even as a kid, I knew there were plenty of days when he was in pain…I knew there were plenty of mornings when it was a struggle for him to simply get out of bed.
即使当时还小，我也知道他常常被病痛折磨……我知道有许多清晨，仅仅连起床对他来说都是一场痛苦挣扎。
But every morning, I watched my father wake up with a smile, grab his walker, prop him self up against the bathroom sink, and slowly shave and button his uniform.
然而每天早晨，我都看到父亲面带微笑地醒来，抓紧他的助步器，用浴室的洗脸池支撑着自己的身体，缓慢地刮好胡须，扣好制服。
And when he returned home after a long day’s work, my brother and I would stand at th e top of the stairs to our little apartment, patiently waiting to greet him…watching as he reached down to lift one leg, and then the other, to slowly climb his way into our arms. 然后，当他在漫长的一天工作后，我和哥哥会站在通往我家小公寓的楼梯顶上，耐心地等着迎接他回家……我们注视着他弯下腰，举起一条腿，然后是另一条腿，慢慢地爬上楼梯，迎向我们的怀抱。
But despite these challenges, my dad hardly ever missed a day of work…he and my mom were determined to give me and my brother the kind of education they could only drea m of.
然而无论多么艰难，我父亲从未请过一天假……他和我母亲决心要让我和哥哥受到他们梦寐以求的教育。
And when my brother and I finally made it to college, nearly all of our tuition came from student loans and grants.
当哥哥和我终于升上大学的时候，我们几乎所有的学费都来源于学生贷款和补助金。
But my dad still had to pay a tiny portion of that tuition himself.
但是我父亲仍不得不自己掏腰包来支付我们学费中的一小部分。
And every semester, he was determined to pay that bill right on time, even taking out lo ans when he fell short.
每个学期，他都坚持按时支付学费账单，在他捉襟见肘的时候，他甚至宁可去贷款。
He was so proud to be sending his kids to college…and he made sure we never missed a registration deadline because his check was late.
能送自己的子女去上大学，他是如此地骄傲……他从未让我们因为父亲姗姗来迟的支票而错过任何一个报到截止日期。
You see, for my dad, that’s what it meant to be a man.
你们瞧，对我的父亲来说，这是身为一个男人的责任。
Like so many of us, that was the measure of his success in life – being able to earn a dec ent living that allowed him to support his family.
就和我们中的很多人一样，这就是他衡量生命成功与否的方式——能否靠工作让自己的家庭过上体面的生活。
And as I got to know Barack, I realized that even though he’d grown up all the way acros s the country, he’d been brought up just like me.
当我逐渐开始了解巴拉克之后，我发现虽然他在美国的另一头长大，他的成长经历却和我惊人地相似。
Barack was raised by a single mother who struggled to pay the bills, and by grandparent s who stepped in when she needed help.
巴拉克成长在一个单亲家庭里，他的母亲依靠努力工作来维持家庭生活，在她实在无力支持的时候，祖父母也会伸出援手。
Barack’s grandmother started out as a secretary at a community bank…and she moved q uickly up the ranks…but like so many women, she hit a glass ceiling.
巴拉克的祖母最初在社区银行当秘书……她升职很快……但就和其他许多女性一样，她的升职最终还是受到了性别限制。
And for years, men no more qualified than she was – men she had actually trained – wer e promoted up the ladder ahead of her, earning more and more money while Barack’s fa mily continued to scrape by.
数年间，那些不如她有能力的男性员工——事实上，还是她亲手培训的男性员工——都被提升到了比她高的职位，挣的钱越来越多，而与此同时，巴拉克一家只能勉强度日。
But day after day, she kept on waking up at dawn to catch the bus…arriving at work bef ore anyone else…giving her best without complaint or regret.
但一天又一天，她仍然早起去赶公车……比其他任何人都早到公司……她总是做到最好，从不抱怨，从不懊悔。
And she would often tell Barack, ―So long as you kids do well, Bar, that’s all that really m atters.‖
而且，她常常这样告诉巴拉克：―只要你们这些孩子过得好，巴，其他什么都不重要。‖Like so many American families, our families weren’t asking for much.
就和许许多多美国家庭一样，我们俩的家庭都知足常乐。
They didn’t begrudge anyone else’s success or care that others had much more than the y did…in fact, they admired it.
他们并不嫉妒其他人的成功，也不在意其他人是否比他们拥有更多……事实上，他们为此心存感激。
They simply believed in that fundamental American promise that, even if you don’t start out with much, if you work hard and do what you’re supposed to do, then you should be able to build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids and grandkids. 他们就是心怀着最根本的美国希望，即是说，哪怕你出身贫寒，只要你努力工作，做好本职，那么你就能让自己过上体面的生活，而你的子女和他们的孩子也会过得越来越好。
That’s how they raised us…that’s what we learned from their example.
他们就是这样把我们养育成人……并且成为了我们的学习榜样。
We learned about dignity and decency – that how hard you work matters more than how much you make…that helping others means more than just getting ahead yourself.
我们学会了做自尊正派的人——努力工作远比挣钱多少重要……帮助别人比自己争先更有意义。
We learned about honesty and integrity – that the truth matters…that you don’t take sho rtcuts or play by your own set of rules…and success doesn’t count unless you earn it fair and square.
我们学会了做诚实守信的人——要讲究真相……不能妄图走捷径或耍小伎俩……以及公平争取来的成功才算数。
We learned about gratitude and humility – that so many people had a hand in our succes s, from the teachers who inspired us to the janitors who kept our school clean…and we were taught to value everyone’s contribution and treat everyone with respect.
我们学会了感激和谦卑——我们的成功依靠许多人的帮助，从启迪我们的老师到保持学校整洁的校工……我们学会珍惜每个人的贡献，并以尊重待人。
Those are the values Barack and I – and so many of you – are trying to pass on to our o wn children.
这些是巴拉克和我——以及在场的众多人士——都试图传递给子女的价值观。
That’s who we are.
我们就是这样的人。
And standing before you four years ago, I knew that I didn’t want any of that to change i f Barack became President.
四年前，站在你们面前的我知道，如果巴拉克成为总统，我不愿意这些价值观产生任何改变。Well, today, after so many struggles and triumphs and moments that have tested my hus band in ways I never could have imagined, I have seen firsthand that being president do esn’t change who you are – it reveals who you are.
那么，今天，在那么多的艰苦奋斗和胜利，以及我的丈夫所经历过的那么多我从未想象过的考验之后，我亲眼认识到，当总统并不会改变一个人——它只会揭示一个人。
You see, I’ve gotten to see up close and personal what being president really looks like. 你们瞧，我有幸能近距离亲眼观察当总统是怎么一回事。
And I’ve seen how the issues that come across a President’s desk are always the hard on es – the problems where no amount of data or numbers will get you to the right answer …the judgment calls where the stakes are so high, and there is no margin for error.
我发现放到总统桌上的问题总是难题——那些无论多少数据或数字都无法得出正确答案的
难题……那些风险如此之高的选择，根本容不得一星半点的差错。
And as President, you can get all kinds of advice from all kinds of people.
还有，作为总统，你会收到各种各样的人向你发出的各种各样的建议。
But at the end of the day, when it comes time to make that decision, as President, all yo u have to guide you are your values, and your vision, and the life experiences that make you who you are.
但是到最后，需要做出决定的时刻，作为总统，你所拥有的全部指引就是你的价值观，判断力，以及那些对你影响深远的成长经历。
So when it comes to rebuilding our economy, Barack is thinking about folks like my dad a nd like his grandmother.
因此，当说到重建经济的时候，巴拉克想到的是像我的父亲和他的祖母一样的人们。He’s thinking about the pride that comes from a hard day’s work.
他想到的是一天辛勤工作所带来的自豪感。
That’s why he signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help women get equal pay for eq ual work.
这就是为什么他签署了《莉莉·列得贝塔同工同酬法案》，以帮助女性得到同工同酬的公平权利。
That’s why he cut taxes for working families and small businesses and fought to get the auto industry back on its feet.
这就是为什么他为工作家庭和小型企业削减了税负，并努力让汽车工业重新起步。That’s how he brought our economy from the brink of collapse to creating jobs again – jo bs you can raise a family on, good jobs right here in the United States of America.
这就是他如何将我们的经济从崩溃的边缘拉回并使其重新开始创造工作机会——让人们能
够养家糊口的工作，这些好工作就在这里，在美利坚合众国。
When it comes to the health of our families, Barack refused to listen to all those folks wh o told him to leave health reform for another day, another president.
至于我们的家庭健康问题，巴拉克拒绝听从所有那些要他暂缓医疗改革，把问题留给下一任总统的人。
He didn’t care whether it was the easy thing to do politically –that’s not how he was rais ed – he cared that it was the right thing to do.
他不在乎这在政治上是不是一件容易的事——这不是他所受到的教育——他在乎的是：做正确的事。
He did it because he believes that here in America, our grandparents should be able to af ford their medicine…our kids should be able to see a doctor when they’re sick…and no o ne in this country should ever go broke because of an accident or illness.
他这样做，是因为他坚信在美国，我们的祖父母们应该能够负担自己的医药费用……我们的孩子生病时必须能够去看医生……而且，在这个国家里，没有人应该因为一场意外或疾病而破产。
And he believes that women are more than capable of making our own choices about ou r bodies and our health care…that’s what my husband stands for.
他还相信，女性完全有能力对自己的身体和医疗做出选择……这就是我丈夫的立场。When it comes to giving our kids the education they deserve, Barack knows that like me and like so many of you, he never could’ve attended college without financial aid.
关于给予我们的孩子应有的教育，巴拉克知道，就像我和你们中的许多人一样，如果没有助学金，他永远也不可能完成大学学业。
And believe it or not, when we were first married, our combined monthly student loan bil ls were actually higher than our mortgage.
而且，不管你们信不信，我们刚结婚的时候，我们的学生贷款账单合起来比我们的房贷还要高。
We were so young, so in love, and so in debt.
我们是那么年轻，那么相爱，又是那样的负债累累。
That’s why Barack has fought so hard to increase student aid and keep interest rates do wn, because he wants every young person to fulfill their promise and be able to attend c ollege without a mountain of debt.
这就是为什么巴拉克努力增加助学金，并保持低贷款利率的原因，因为他想让每个年轻人都能达成所愿，而不需要为了进入大学而背负山一样沉重的债务。
So in the end, for Barack, these issues aren’t political –they’re personal.
所以归根结底，对巴拉克来说，这些并非政治问题——而是个人问题。
Because Barack knows what it means when a family struggles.
因为巴拉克知道一个家庭挣扎度日意味着什么。
He knows what it means to want something more for your kids and grandkids.
他知道想要让下一代和下下一代过上更好的生活意味着什么。
Barack knows the American Dream because he’s lived it…and he wants everyone in this c ountry to have that same opportunity, no matter who we are, or where we’re from, or w hat we look like, or who we love.
巴拉克懂得什么是美国梦，因为他正用一生去实践它……而他想让生活在这个国度里的每一个人都拥有同样的机会，无论我们是谁，无论我们从哪里来，无论我们肤貌如何，无论我们爱的对象。
And he believes that when you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity…you do not slam it shut behind you…you reach back, and you gi ve other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.
而且他认为，当你努力工作，获得成功，并且跨越了那扇机遇的大门之后……你不应该砰地一声关上身后的大门……你应该伸出援助之手，将成功的机会同样给予后来之人。
So when people ask me whether being in the White House has changed my husband, I c an honestly say that when it comes to his character, and his convictions, and his heart, B arack Obama is still the same man I fell in love with all those years ago.
因此，当人们问我，入主白宫是否改变了我的丈夫的时候，我可以诚实地说，无论是从他的性格，他的信念，他的心灵来看，巴拉克-奥巴马都仍是许多年前我所爱上的那个男人。He’s the same man who started his career by turning down high paying jobs and instead working in struggling neighborhoods where a steel plant had shut down, fighting to rebui ld those communities and get folks back to work…because for Barack, success isn’t about how much money you make, it’s about the difference you make in people’s lives.
他仍是那样一个人，会在自己的事业起步期拒绝高薪工作，而走入一个因钢铁厂的倒闭而陷入困境的社区，为社区的重建和人们重获工作而奋斗……因为对巴拉克来说，成功并不等于你挣的钱，而是你给人们的生活带来的改变。
He’s the same man who, when our girls were first born, would anxiously check their cribs every few minutes to ensure they were still breathing, proudly showing them off to ever yone we knew.
他仍是那样一个人，当我们的女儿刚出生的时候，隔不了几分钟就急匆匆地查看摇篮，确认她们仍在好好呼吸，并骄傲地向我们认识的每个人展示自己的宝贝女儿。
That’s the man who sits down with me and our girls for dinner nearly every night, patient ly answering their questions about issues in the news, and strategizing about middle sch ool friendships.
他还是那个几乎每晚都会坐下来陪我和女儿们吃晚餐，耐心地回答她们关于新闻事件的问题，并为中学生间的友谊问题出谋划策的人。
That’s the man I see in those quiet moments late at night, hunched over his desk, poring over the letters people have sent him.
他还是那个，我常常看到在万籁俱寂的深夜里，仍趴在书桌上钻研人们寄来的信件的人。The letter from the father struggling to pay his bills…from the woman dying of cancer wh ose insurance company won’t cover her care…from the young person with so much prom ise but so few opportunities.
写信来的有努力工作支付账单的父亲……有保险公司拒绝赔付医疗费用而命在旦夕的癌症女病人……有具有无限天赋潜力却得不到机会的年轻人。
I see the concern in his eyes…and I hear the determination in his voice as he tells me, ―Y ou won’t believe what these folks are going through, Michelle…it’s not right. We’ve got to keep working to fix this. We’ve got so much more to do.‖
我能看到他眼里的忧虑……我也能听出他声音中的决心，他说：―你不会相信这些人们在经历些什么，米歇尔……这不对。我们必须继续工作，直到解决这些问题。我们还有更多事情要做。‖
I see how those stories – our collection of struggles and hopes and dreams – I see how t hat’s what drives Barack Obama every single day.
我看到人们的这些生活故事——我们所收集的这些奋斗、希望和梦想——我看到这些都是推动巴拉克-奥巴马每一天工作的动力。
And I didn’t think it was possible, but today, I love my husband even more than I did fou r years ago…even more than I did 23 years ago, when we first met.
我曾以为我不能爱他更多，然而今天，我比四年前更爱我的丈夫了……甚至比23年前我们初见的时候更爱。
I love that he’s never forgotten how he started.
我爱他从未忘记自己奋斗的开端。
I love that we can trust Barack to do what he says he’s going to do, even when it’s hard – especially when it’s hard.
我爱他值得信任，言行一致，哪怕面临的困难重重——或者说，特别是在困难重重的时刻。
I love that for Barack, there is no such thing as ―us‖ and ―them‖– he doesn’t care wheth er you’re a Democrat, a Republican, or none of the above…he knows that we all love our country…and he’s always ready to listen to good ideas…he’s always looking for the very best in everyone he meets.
我爱他不在主观上划分敌我——他才不在意你是民主党人，共和党人，或是别的什么党派……他知道我们都爱我们的国家……而他总是乐意聆听好的建议……他总是乐意在遇见的每个人身上发现优点。
And I love that even in the toughest moments, when we’re all sweating it – when we’re worried that the bill won’t pass, and it seems like all is lost – Barack never lets himself ge t distracted by the chatter and the noise.
我爱他即使在最艰难的时候，当我们都焦虑不安的时候——当我们担心法案不被通过，而看上去已经全局皆输了的时候——巴拉克从不让自己被非议和噪音干扰。
Just like his grandmother, he just keeps getting up and moving forward…with patience a nd wisdom, and courage and grace.
就像他的祖母一样，他只是坚持起床，继续前进……带着耐心和智慧，以及勇气和风度。And he reminds me that we are playing a long game here…and that change is hard, and change is slow, and it never happens all at once.
他也提醒我，我们在打一场漫长的比赛……改变是艰难的，是缓慢的，它不会一夜来临。But eventually we get there, we always do.
但最终，我们会获得胜利，我们一向如此。
We get there because of folks like my Dad…folks like Barack’s grandmother…men and w omen who said to themselves, ―I may not have a chance to fulfill my dreams, but maybe my children will…maybe my grandchildren will.‖
我们的胜利，来源于像我父亲那样的人们……像巴拉克的祖母那样的人们……那些对自己说：―我也许没有机会实现梦想，但也许我的孩子们会有……也许我的孙子孙女们会有……‖的男人和女人们。
So many of us stand here tonight because of their sacrifice, and longing, and steadfast lo ve…because time and again, they swallowed their fears and doubts and did what was ha rd.
在场这么多人今天站在这里，是因为牺牲，渴望，以及坚定的爱……因为一次又一次，他们咽下自己的恐惧和疑虑，去战胜困难。
So today, when the challenges we face start to seem overwhelming – or even impossible – let us never forget that doing the impossible is the history of this nation…it’s who we a re as Americans…it’s how this country was built.
因此，今天，当我们面对的挑战显得铺天盖地——甚至无法战胜的时候——让我们永远不要忘记，行不可能之事正是这个国家的历史……这是我们美国人的根性……这是我们的立国之本。
And if our parents and grandparents could toil and struggle for us…if they could raise be ams of steel to the sky, send a man to the moon, and connect the world with the touch o f a button…then surely we can keep on sacrificing and building for our own kids and gran dkids.
如果我们的父母和祖父母能为我们艰苦奋斗……如果他们能树立起高耸入云的钢筋大厦，能将人类送上月球，还能轻轻一触按键就连接整个世界……那么，我们当然能继续忘我牺牲，为我们的子女和孙辈建设世界。
And if so many brave men and women could wear our country’s uniform and sacrifice the ir lives for our most fundamental rights…then surely we can do our part as citizens of this great democracy to exercise those rights…surely, we can get to the polls and make our voices heard on Election Day.
如果这么多勇敢的男人和女人能穿上祖国的军装，为我们最基本的权利献出生命……那么，我们作为这个伟大民主国家的公民，当然也能承担我们的责任，来实践这些权利……我们当然能够在选举日拿起选票，发出自己的声音。
If farmers and blacksmiths could win independence from an empire…if immigrants could leave behind everything they knew for a better life on our shores…if women could be dra gged to jail for seeking the vote…if a generation could defeat a depression, and define gr eatness for all time…if a young preacher could lift us to the mountaintop with his righteo us dream…and if proud Americans can be who they are and boldly stand at the altar with who they love…then surely, surely we can give everyone in this country a fair chance at that great American Dream.
如果农民和铁匠们能从一个帝国手中赢得独立……如果移民能放弃他们所熟知的一切，登上我们的海岸，来寻求更好的生活……如果女性们会为争取选举的权利锒铛入狱……如果一代人可以战胜经济衰退，赋予伟大一个永垂不朽的定义……如果一位年轻的牧师能用他正义的理想将我们引导至山顶（注）……而且如果骄傲的美国人敢于做真正的自己，与自己的所爱之人一起站到神的面前……那么当然，我们当然能够为此国度中的每一个人都提供一个实现伟大的美国梦的公平机会。
?《圣经》以色列人出埃及的典故，摩西带领以色列人摆脱埃及法老的奴役，他被上帝带到山顶上，看到了―应许之地‖。马丁路德金被暗杀之前的最后一场演讲即名为
《I’ve been to the mountaintop》。
Because in the end, more than anything else, that is the story of this country – the story of unwavering hope grounded in unyielding struggle.
因为归根结底，最重要的是，这就是这个国家的历史故事——为了植根于毫不退缩的斗争中的毫不动摇的梦想。
That is what has made my story, and Barack’s story, and so many other American stories possible.
这也是造就了我的故事，巴拉克的故事，以及其他众多美国人的故事的来源。
And I say all of this tonight not just as First Lady…and not just as a wife.
今天，我所说的一切，不仅是出于第一夫人的立场，也不仅是出于一个妻子的立场。
You see, at the end of the day, my most important title is still ―mom-in-chief.‖
最终，你们会发现，我最重要的头衔仍然是―老妈总司令‖。
My daughters are still the heart of my heart and the center of my world.
我的女儿们仍是我的心头肉，我世界的中心。
But today, I have none of those worries from four years ago about whether Barack and I were doing what’s best for our girls.
但是今天，我四年前关于我和巴拉克是否在为女儿们做最正确的事情的疑虑已经烟消云散。Because today, I know from experience that if I truly want to leave a better world for my daughters, and all our sons and daughters…if we want to give all our children a foundati on for their dreams and opportunities worthy of their promise…if we want to give them t hat sense of limitless possibility – that belief that here in America, there is always someth ing better out there if you’re willing to work for it…then we must work like never before…and we must once again come together and stand together for the man we can trust to k eep moving this great country forward…my husband, our President, President Barack Ob ama.
因为今天，我的经历告诉我，如果我真的想要为自己的女儿们，以及我们所有人的儿子和女儿们留下一个更好的世界……如果我们想要给予我们所有的孩子们实现梦想的基础和与他们的潜力相称的机遇……如果我们想要让他们感觉到无限的可能性——相信在这里，在美国，只要你愿意为之努力，就一定会比现在更好…… 那么，我们就必须比从前更加努力地工作……我们必须再次团结起来，支持这个值得我们信任，会推动着这个国家继续进步的人……我的丈夫，我们的总统，巴拉克·奥巴马总统。
Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.
感谢大家，上帝保佑你们，上帝保佑美国。
米歇尔·奥巴马在伦敦一所女校发表讲话，充满热情地以自身经历敦促每个学生认真对待教育。她说这些有才质的一代新人将会缩小现实世界与理想世界的差距。 Remarks by America?s First Lady, Michelle Obama at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School, Islington, U.K. 美国第一夫人米歇尔·奥巴马在英国伦敦伊斯灵顿·伊丽莎白·安德森女校的演讲 2009年4月3日 美国第一夫人米歇尔?奥巴马在英国伦敦伊斯灵顿伊丽莎白?安德森女校的英语演讲稿中英对照： This is my first trip. My first foreign trip as a first lady. Can you believe that? (Applause) And while this is not my first visit to the U.K., I have to say that I am glad this is my first official visit. The special relationship between the United States and the U.K. is based not only on the relationship between governments, but the common language and the values that we share. And I'm reminded of that by watching you all today. During my visit I've been especially honored to meet some of Britain's most extraordinary women. Women who are paving the way for all of you. 这是我的第一次出访。是我作为第一夫人的第一次外事出访。你们能相信这个事实吗？（掌声）虽然这不是我第一次来英国，我必须说很高兴我的首次官方访问是来英国。美国和英国之间的特殊关系，不只是基于政府之间的关系，而且基于我们有共同的语言和价值观。看见你们大家就使我想到这一点。在访问期间我特别荣幸地会见了英国一些最出色的女士。这些女士在为你们所有女孩子铺路。 And I'm honored to meet you, the future leaders of Great Britain and this world. And although the circumstances of our lives may seem very distant, with me standing here as the First Lady of the United States of America, and you, just getting through school. I want you to know that we have very much in common. For nothing in my life's path would have predicted that I'd be standing here as the first African-American First Lady of the United States of
2009届的毕业生们，我现在能说的就是：哇，大家下午好！我为在座的毕业生感到无比骄傲。因此，在我开始讲话前，让我们先用热烈的掌声祝贺你们！这是一个无比奇妙的日子。我要感谢迪克对我热心介绍。因此如果你必须参加就职典礼的话，他会是一个很棒的陪同。他能够和我一起参加典礼让我非常高兴。真的很感激他，他所做的一切使得今天如此特别。在开始前，我还要感谢另外一些人，我要感谢国会议员杰瑞1迈克纳尼、副州长约翰·加拉曼迪、首席检察官杰瑞·布朗以及议长凯伦·贝斯。你们有出色的领导能力，并在公众服务方面为我们做出了杰出的榜样，因此，我要感谢你们。 当然，我还要感谢名誉校长康先生，他安排的欢迎仪式令人难以相信。同事还要感谢校长尤道夫先生和教务长凯斯·艾利。他们为准备毕业典礼的到来所做的一切，让这一天如此美好。全体毕业生，各位家长，摩塞德社区的所有人们，感谢你们！非常高兴今天能来到这里和你们分享这一刻，我感到无比高兴，无比激动。 我知道这里有很多国内记者，而且一些人可能也很想知道：作为第一夫人我为什么会选择在加利福利亚大学摩塞德分校进行我的第一次毕业典礼演讲呢？ 那么让我告诉大家，我的答案很简单：是因为你们激发了我，你们感动了我。你们知道，几乎没有什么比看到年轻人认识到他们能够实现自己的梦想更有价值了。你们确实认识到了这一点。你们邀请我来见证这一美好时刻，期间你们所付出的努力充分展示了你们的坚韧和想象力。 那么，让我告诉大家你们都做了什么。各位家长，你们可能不知道，你们中也有一些人参与其中。我收到了上千封学生们的来信，当然还有情人节明星片，每一封信每一张明信片中都充满了期待和热情。这不仅感动了我，还感动了我所有的同事们。他们过来跟我说：“米歇尔，你必须去参加。”“你必须到那里去。” 那些信和明信片都写得棒极了。比如，来自克里斯多夫·卡苏卡的信中写道：“亲爱的奥巴马夫人，请来参加加州大学莫塞德分校毕业典礼吧！我们真的可以使用公众舆论。”那真的触动了我的心灵。 来自吉姆·格林伍德的信中说，他不仅仅是代表他自己给我写信，还代表他的妻子。他的妻子已经是两个孩子的母亲了，她是今天在座的毕业生中的一员。 还有一封来自安德里亚·梅尔卡多的信。我想这是我最喜欢的来信中的一封。安德里亚在信中写道：“第一夫人的角色就是要在政治和理智之间寻求平衡。”谢谢你，安德里亚，谢谢你给我的信任投票。 我收到了所有与这个大学相关的人的来信——不只是学生，还有他们的父母、祖父母、堂表兄妹、姑舅叔姨以及他们的邻居和朋友，所有的人告诉我，你们是多么地努力，而这一天对于你们和整个摩塞德分校有多么重要。 我还收到了一段精彩的视频，名为“我们相信”。那么让我告诉你们，这一切真的很奏效，因为我最终来到了这里。 我要特别感谢萨姆·放和亚莎·萨巴以及所有发起“亲爱的米歇尔”活动的学生们。你们的努力让我感受到了极大的荣耀，我很高兴和你们一起庆祝这一重要时刻。 但是我明白，这种基于社区而写信的活动并不仅仅针对我。这个社区，摩赛德社区用同样的方式使得加利福利亚大学在摩赛德成立了新的分校。这个县城里的每一个学生都给加利福利亚大学董事会寄了一张明信片，以说服他们在这里成立分校。我很高兴因为事实上，今天在座的一些毕业生当时也参与了那次活动，而他们用同样的方式说服我来到了这里。这真是太奇妙了。这说明一点，万众齐心必然能够创造奇迹。而且我也想说明下一年的毕业演讲人，你可要当心了。摩赛德分校的学生可知道如何实现他们的愿望。 这种行动主义和乐观主义不仅诠释；这儿的学生和教职员工，也是摩赛德个性和历史的体现。摩赛德是由劳动者和来自世界的移民共同建立的县城。早期的拓荒者以及19世纪末淘金热中的一些先驱来到这里建立了学校、商业区和教堂，这些现在依然存在。当时非裔美国人利用沿99号铁路线做卡车司机的机会逃离了南方奴隶制度和种族主义的压迫。墨西哥裔美国人来到北方在这里的农场找工作，成为我们农业生产的支柱。还有亚裔美国人，他们来到旧金山，在这里扎根繁衍，逐渐成为圣华金河谷社区的一部分。 过去的这些年，摩赛德的人口结构虽发生了变化，但是它的价值观和品格没有改变——在漫长的炎炎烈日下一代又一代的男男女女辛勤劳作，不分种族，他们像得到的就是为了子孙后代建设美好生活的机会；辛勤劳作的人们相信，接受良好教育就是通往更加美好未来的阶梯。你们知道，我在一个有着相似价值观的社区长大。就像摩赛德一样，芝加哥南部是一个过去人们在经济困境中挣扎的社区，但是那里的人们辛勤工作、彼此照料，以子女为中心。你们
米歇尔北大演讲稿中英对照 Remarks of First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama Stanford Center at Peking University Beijing, China March 22nd,2014 Ni-hao. It is such a pleasant and an honor to be here with all of you at this great university…Thank you so much for having me. 你好，能够在这所伟大的大学里与你们大家在一起，真是莫大的荣幸......非常感你们的邀请。 And before I get started today, on behalf of myself and my husband, I just want to say a few very brief words above Malaysian(sic) Airline Flight 370. 在开始今天讲话之前，我想代表我自己和我丈夫就马来西亚航空公司370航班简短地说几句。 As my husband has said, the United States is offering as many resources as possible to assist in the search. 如我丈夫所说，美国正提供尽可能多的资源协助搜寻工作。 And please know that we are keeping all the families and loved ones of those on this flight in our thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time. 请相信，在这个非常艰难的时刻，我们的心和航班上人员的家属和亲人在一起，我们为他们祈祷。 And with that, I want to start by recognizing our news Ambassador to China Ambassador Baucus…President Wang…Chairman Zhu…Vice President Li. Director Cueller, Professor Oi and the Stanford center…President Sexton from New York University which has an excellent study abroad program in Shanghai…and John Thorton, Director of the Global Leadership Program at Tsinghua University…thank you all so much for joining us. 现在，我们首先来认识一下美国新任驻华大使，博卡斯大使、王校长、朱主席、副校长、 Cuelluer主任、Oi教授和斯坦福中心，纽约大学的塞克顿斯校长，该校在开设了一个优秀的海外留学项目，以及清华大学全球领袖项目主任约翰桑顿，由衷地感大家的到来。 And most of all, I want to thank all of the student for being here today…and I particulary want to thank Eric Schafer and Zhu Xuanhao for that extraordinary English and Chinese introduction.
3月22日上午，美国第一夫人米歇尔造访北京大学，并接受北大校长赠书。之后，米歇尔在北大斯坦福中心以“读万卷书不如行万里路”为主题的演讲。在米歇尔的演讲中，“留学”成为关键词。她化用中国古语“读万卷书，不如行万里路”，并结合自身经历现身说法，希望让更多青年人拥有留学的机会。以下为米歇尔演讲的双语全文： MRS. OBAMA: (Applause.) Thank you. Well, ni-hao. (Laughter.) It is such a pleasure and an honor to be here with all of you at this great university, so thank you so much for having me. 谢谢。你好。很高兴也很荣幸来到这里，在这所伟大的大学和你们共聚一堂。非常感谢你们邀请我。 Now, before I get started today, on behalf of myself and my husband, I just want to say a few very brief words about Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. As my husband has said, the United States is offering as many resources as possible to assist in the search. And please know that we are keeping all of the families and loved ones of those on this flight in our thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time. 在我今天开始之前，代表我自己和我的丈夫，我想就马来西亚航空公司的MH370航班简短说两句。如我丈夫所说，美国正提供尽可能多的资源协助搜寻工作。请相信，在这个非常艰难的时刻，我们的心和航班上人员的家属和亲人在一起，我们为他们祈祷。 Now with that, I want to start by recognizing our new Ambassador to China, Ambassador Baucus. President Wang; Chairman Zhu; Vice President Li; Director Cueller; Professor Oi, and the Stanford Center; President Sexton from New York University, which is an excellent study abroad program in Shanghai; and John Thornton, Director of the Global Leadership Program at Tsinghua University. Thank you all for joining us. 现在，我们首先来认识一下美国新任驻华大使——博卡斯大使。王校长、朱主席、李副校长、 Cuelluer主任、Jean Oi教授和斯坦福中心，纽约大学的塞克顿斯校长（该校在上海开设了一个优秀的海外留学项目），以及清华大学全球领袖项目主任约翰·桑顿，由衷地感谢大家的到来。 But most of all, I want to thank all of the students who are here today. And I particularly want to thank Eric Schaefer and Zhu Xuanhao for that extraordinary English and Chinese introduction. That was a powerful symbol of everything that I want to talk with you about today. 最重要的是，我要感谢今天所有到场的学生们......我要特别感谢埃里克·谢弗和朱宣皓的精彩英文和中文介绍。这绝佳地诠释了我今天要和大家聊的全部话题。 See, by learning each other’s languages, and by showing such curiosity and respect for each other’s cultures, Mr. Schafer and Ms. Zhu and all of you are building bridges of understanding that will lead to so much
篇一：米歇尔演讲稿 英文原稿： first lady michelle obama: 孩子们应该受到很好的教育，说道这个问题，barack 懂得，就像我们中很多人一样，没有助学金他就也不可能上大学。 你们相信吗？在我和他新婚之时，我们的助学贷款的压力甚至远大于房贷。当时我们那么年轻，还负债累累。 thats why barack has fought so hard to increase student aid and keep interest rates down, because he wants every young person to fulfill their promise and be able to attend college without a mountain of debt. 因此，barack 竭尽全力提高助学金额度，同时压低利息，他希望让每一个年轻人都能大展宏图，不必为了求学债台高筑 so in the end, for barack, these issues arent political – theyre personal. because barack knows what it means when a family struggles. he knows what it means to want something more for your kids and grandkids. 他懂得希望子孙过上好日子是这样一种感受。他知道什么是美国梦，因为他曾亲身经历。他希望每一个人都能有相同的机会。 barack knows the american dream because hes lived it...and he wants everyone in this country to have that same opportunity, no matter who we are, or where were from, or what we look like, or who we love. 他知道什么是美国梦，因为他曾亲身经历。他希望每一个人都能有相同的机会。无论身份，无论家乡，无论种族，无论信仰和情感。 and he believes that when youve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity...you do not slam it shut behind you...you reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.他相信当每一个人努力奋斗，出人头地，在通过机遇的大门之后，不会自私地关上大门，而会转身伸出援手。给予人们共同的机会一起成功！ 如果你要问我白宫这四年是否改变我的丈夫？我可以坦诚相告，不论是看他的品格，信仰，还是内心，此时此刻的他是彼时彼地我相爱的那个人！ 如今的他还会像那时一样，拒绝高薪工作，而深入社区基层，去帮助濒临倒闭的钢厂的职工和家属。去重建那样的社区，帮助人们再度就业。因为对他来讲，成功的标准并不是收入，而是你对他人生的积极影响 hes the same man who, when our girls were first born, would anxiously check their cribs every few minutes to ensure they were still breathing, proudly showing them off to everyone we knew. 他还是那个当女儿刚降生时，会分分钟钟就跑到婴儿床边查看女儿是否还在呼吸的那个父亲。会抱着女儿去找所有的熟人显摆。 thats the man who sits down with me and our girls for dinner nearly every night, patiently answering their questions about issues in the news, and strategizing about middle school friendships. 他至今仍每晚和我跟女儿一起吃晚餐。耐心地回答她们关于新闻和时事的问题，为她们在学校交朋友的事儿出谋划策。 i see the concern in his eyes...and i hear the determination in his voice as he tells me, you wont believe what these folks are going through, michelle...its not right.
米歇尔在北京大学斯坦福中心演讲稿 Ni-Hao. It is such a pleasure and an honor to be here with all of you at this great university...thank you so much for having me. And before I get started today, on behalf of myself and my husband, I just want to say a few very brief words about Malaysian Airlines Flight 370. As my husband has said, the United States is offering as many resources as possible to assist in the search. And please know that we are keeping all the families and loved ones of those on this flight in our thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time. And with that, I want to start by recognizing our new Ambassador to China, Ambassador Baucus...President Wang...Chairman Zhu...Vice President Li...Director Cueller, Professor Oi and the Stanford Center...President Sexton from New York University which has an excellent study abroad program in Shanghai... and John Thornton, Director of the Global Leadership Program at Tsinghua University...thank you all so much for joining us. And most of all, I want to thank all of the students for being here today. ..and I particularly want to thank Eric Schafer and Zhu Xuanhao for that extraordinary English and Chinese introduction. That was such a powerful symbol of everything I want to talk with you about today. You see, by learning each other's languages - and by showing such curiosity and respect for each other's cultures - Mr. Schafer and Ms. Zhu and all of you are building bridges of understanding that lead to so much more. And I'm here today because I know that our future depends on connections like these among oeoole like you across the globe. We also come to schools like this one to meet with students like you. Because we believe that relationships between nations aren't just about relationships between，That's why when my husband and I travel abroad,we don't just visit palaces and parliaments and meet with heads of state. We also come to schools like this one to meet wiht students like you. Because we believe that relationships between nations aren't just about relationships between governments or leaders...they're about relationships between people, particularly our young people. So we view study abroad programs not just as an educational opportunity for students... but also as a vital part of America's foreign policy. You see, through the wonders of modern technology, our world is more connected than ever before. Ideas can cross oceans with the click of a button. Companies can do business and compete with companies across the globe. And we can text, email and skype with people on every continent. So studying abroad isn't just a fun way to spend a semester 一it's quickly becoming the key to success in our global economy. Because getting ahead in today's workplaces isn't just about getting good grades
? ?米歇尔在成都七中的演讲 It is truly a pleasure to be here at the Number Seven School. Thank you so much for your warm welcome. 米歇尔·奥巴马 Ni hao. It is truly a pleasure to be here at the Number Seven School. Thank you so much for your warm welcome. Now, before I get started, on behalf of myself and my husband, I want to say that our hearts go out to all those with loved ones on Malaysia Airlines
Flight 370. As I said this past weekend when I spoke at Peking University, we are very much keeping all of them in our thoughts and our prayers at this tremendously difficult time. So now, let me start by thanking your Principal, Principal Liu, and your classmate, Ju Chao, for that wonderful introduction. Your English, Ju Chao, is excellent, and you should be very proud. Thank you so much. (Applause.) And I want to thank all of the students here today, both those of you here in person and those of you joining remotely from across the region. I’m thrilled to be visiting your wonderfu l school. Now, in preparation for this visit, before I left the U.S. I visited the Yu Ying School. It’s a public school near the White House in Washington, D.C., and all of the students at this school study Chinese. And I met with the sixth-grade class, kids who are 11 and 12 years old. They had recently taken a trip here to China, and they were bursting with excitement. They were eager to tell me about everything about what they had seen. But they admitted that before their trip, they had all kinds of misconceptions about China. They thought they would see palaces and temples everywhere they went, but instead they found massive cities filled with skyscrapers. They weren’t sure that they’d like the food here in China, but they actually loved it, and they learned how to use chopsticks. And in the end, one of the students told me –- and this is his quote -- he said, “Coming home was really exciting, but was at the same time sad.” Now, meeting these students reminded me that when we live so far away from each other, it’s easy to develop all kinds of misconceptions and stereotypes. It’s easy to focus on our differences –- how we speak different languages and eat different foods and observe different traditions. But as I travel the world, and I meet young people from so many countries, I’m always struck by how much more we have in common.And that’s been particularly true during my visit here in China. You see, the truth is that I grew up like many of you. My mom, my dad, my brother and I, we lived in a tiny apartment in Chicago, which is one of the largest cities in America. My father worked at the local water plant. And we didn’t have much money, but our little home was bursting with
A good education is something that no one can take away from you Ni hao. It is truly a pleasure to be here at the Number Seven School. Thank you so much for your w arm w elcome. Now, before I get started, on behalf of myself and my husband, I want to say that our hearts go out to对某人满腔热情、十分同情all those with loved ones亲人; 心爱的人 on Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. As I said this past weekend when I spoke at Peking University, we are very much keeping all of them in our thoughts and our prayers at this tremendously difficult time. So now, let me start by thanking your Principal, Principal Liu, and your classmate, Ju Chao, for that w onderful introduction. Your English, Ju Chao, is excellent, and you should be very proud. Thank you so much. (Applause.) And I want to thank all of the students here today, both those of you here in person and those of you joining remotely from across the region. I’m thrilled to be visiting your wonderful school. Now, in preparation for this visit, before I left the U.S. I visited the Yu Ying School. It’s a public school near the White House in Washington, D.C., and all of the students at this school study Chinese. And I met with the sixth-grade class, kids who are 11 and 12 years old. They had recently taken a trip here to China, and they were bursting with excitement. They were eager（adj） to tell me everything about w hat they had seen. But they admitted that before their trip, they had all kinds of misconceptions about China. They thought they would see palaces and temples everyw here they w ent, but instead they found massive cities filled with skyscrapers. They weren’t sure that they’d like the food here in China, but they actually loved it, and they learned how to use chopsticks. And in the end, one of the students told me –- and this is his quote -- he said, “Coming home was really exciting, but was at the same time sad.” Now, meeting these students reminded me that when we live so far away from each other, it’s easy to develop all kinds of misconceptions and stereotypes. It’s easy to focus on our differences –- how we speak different languages and eat different foods and observe different traditions. But as I travel the world, and I meet young people from so many countries, I’m always struck by how much more w e have in common. And that’s been particularly true(这是特别真实的) during my visit here in China. You see, the truth is that I grew up like many of you. My mom, my dad, my brother and I, we lived in a tiny apartment in Chicago芝加哥, which is one of the largest cities in America. My father worked at the local water plant. And we didn’t have much money, but our little home was bursting with love. Every evening, my family would laugh and share stories over dinner. We’d play card games and have fun for hours. And on summer nights, I remember, when our apartment got too hot, we’d all sleep outside on our back porch. Family meant everything to us, including our extended family. My grandparents lived nearby, and my elderly great aunt and uncle lived in the apartment dow nstairs(adv & adj) from us. And when their health started to decline my parents stepped in, helping my uncle shave and dress each morning, dashing downstairs in the middle of the night to check on my aunt. So in my family, like in so many of your families, we took care of each other. And while we certainly weren’t rich, my parents had a big dreams for me and my brother. They had only a high school education themselves, but they were determined to send us both to universities. So they poured all of their love and all of their hope into us, and they worked hard. They saved every penny. And I know that wasn’t easy for them, especially for my father. You see, my father had a serious illness called multiple sclerosis[医]多发性硬化. And as he got sicker, it got harder for him to walk, and it took him longer to get dressed in the morning. But no matter how tired he felt, no matter how much pain he was in, my father hardly ever missed a day of work, because he was determined to give me and my brother a better life. And every day, like so many of you, I felt the weight of my parents’ sacrifices on my shoulders. Every day, I wanted to make them proud. So while most American kids attend public schools near their homes, when it was time for me to attend high school, I took an exam（n测验; <口>考试） and got into a special public high school where I could get a better education. But the school was very far from my home, so I had to get up early every morning and ride a bus for an hour, sometimes an hour and a half if the weather was bad. And every afternoon, I’d ride that same bus back home and then immediately start my homework, often studying late into the night -- and sometimes I would wake up at 4:30 or 5:00 in the morning to study even more. And it wasn’t easy. But whenever I got tired or discouraged, I would just think about how hard my parents were working for me. And I would remember something my mother always told me –- she said: “A good education is something that no one can take aw ay from you.” And when it was time for me to apply to university, I had many options, because in America, there are many kinds of universities. There are four-year universities. There are two-year community colleges which are less expensive. There are universities where you take classes at night while working during the day. So you don’t have to be a top student to attend a university. And even if your parents don’t have much money or you live in a tiny town in a rural area, in America, you can still attend university. And you can get scholarships and government loans to help pay your tuition.