暑期学英语之“希拉里退选演说”

永无止境

6月7日，希拉里·克林顿宣布总统竞选失败。

一般来说，这种承认自己失败的演说，很难讲好，既不能流露出对对手的怨恨，又不能让自己显得灰溜溜。何况希拉里确实有理由不服：几乎所有的大州都是她赢，奥巴马赢的都是小州，而且在最后9个州里，希拉里赢了6个。再加上，希拉里的性格很要强，所以演说的难度可想而知。

但是实际情况是，她最后足足讲了30分钟，期间有几十次的掌声和欢呼，尽管是退出选举，但是仍然像一个胜利者一样。

她演说中的句子很漂亮，必须对照原文才可感到其中的精彩之处。

现摘要如下：

So I want to say to my supporters: When you hear people saying or think to yourself, "If only, or, "What if," I say, please, don't go there.

我要告诉我的支持者：如果你听到别人说，或者你自己曾经这样想，“如果某件事没有发生”，或者“要是出现了另一种情况”……那么我会说，请不要这样设想。

Every moment wasted looking back keeps us from moving forward. Life is too short, time is too precious, and the stakes are too high to dwell on what might have been. We have to work together for what still can be. And that is why I will work my heart out to make sure that Senator Obama is our next president.

为往事叹息，会阻碍我们前进。生命短暂，时间宝贵，沉湎于空想的代价实在太大。面对现实，我们必须团结起来。这就是我全力支持奥巴马参议员当选下一任总统的原因。

她对自己参选的意义，总结得非常漂亮。

When we first started, people everywhere asked the same questions. Could a woman really serve as commander-in-chief? Well, I think we answered that one.

当选举刚开始的时候，到处都有人在问：一个女人真的能够领导国家吗？我想，我们已经对这个问题做出了回答。

As we gather here today in this historic, magnificent building, the 50th woman to leave this Earth is orbiting overhead. If we can blast 50 women into space, we will someday launch a woman into the White House.

当我们今天在这里集会的时候，第50位妇女正在我们的头顶，绕地球飞行。如果我们能够将50个妇女送入太空，那么总有一天，我们也会将一个妇女送入白宫。

Although we weren't able to shatter that highest, hardest glass ceiling this time, thanks to you, it's got about 18 million cracks in it...

虽然这一次，我们无法打破那最高、最坚硬的玻璃天花板，但是由于你们，它出现了1800万道裂缝……

... and the light is shining through like never before, filling us all with the hope and the sure knowledge that the path will be a little easier next time.

光明从未像现在这样明亮，让我们充满希望，确信下一次这条道路将变得更容易一些。

希拉里对奥巴马赞美之词，简直无以复加。谁能想到几个星期前，两人还在互相攻击。希拉里对着电视公开说“Shame on you, Barack Obama”。不能不让人感叹政治家的灵活。

The way to continue our fight now, to accomplish the goals for which we stand is to take our energy, our passion, our strength, and do all we can to help elect Barack Obama, the next president of the United States.

我们的战斗还将继续，我们的目标还没有完成，让我们继续用我们的能力、我们的热情、我们的力量、我们能做的一切，帮助巴拉克·奥巴马，让他成为美国的下一任总统。

Today, as I suspend my campaign, I congratulate him on the victory he has won and the extraordinary race he has run. I endorse him and throw my full support behind him.

今天，当我停止自己的竞选活动，我向他祝贺胜利，为他的优异表现喝彩。我完全支持他，我将尽全力支持他。

(APPLAUSE)

（掌声）

And I ask all of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me.

我要求你们所有人加入我，像支持我那样地，全力支持巴拉克·奥巴马。

(APPLAUSE)

（掌声）

I have stood on the stage and gone toe-to-toe with him in 22 debates. I've had a front-row seat to his candidacy, and I have seen his strength and determination, his grace and his grit.

我在竞选中，曾经同他面对面辩论了22次。我对他很了解，我亲眼看到了他的力量和决心，他的优雅和勇气。

希拉里的结束词堪称经典。

Now, being human, we are imperfect. That's why we need each other, to catch each other when we falter, to encourage each other when we lose heart. Some may lead, some may follow, but none of us can go it alone.

作为人类，我们没有人是完美无缺的。这就是为什么我们彼此需要。当跌倒的时候，我们彼此扶持。当灰心的时候，我们互相鼓励。一些人会成为领导者，另一些人将紧紧跟随，但是没有人能够独自完成这一切。

演说英文原文：http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/0 ... gin&oref=slogin

演说现场视频：http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm5hQDFfRvA

吃饭睡觉打豆豆

确实不错，多谢推荐！

小狗娜娜

Now, being human, we are imperfect. That's why we need each other, to catch each other when we falter, to encourage each other when we lose heart. Some may lead, some may follow, but none of us can go it alone.

作为人类，我们没有人是完美无缺的。这就是为什么我们彼此需要。当跌倒的时候，我们彼此扶持。当灰心的时候，我们互相鼓励。一些人会成为领导者，另一些人将紧紧跟随，但是没有人能够独自完成这一切。



结束词非常不错，很有智慧的一位女性。

xixier1976

不错，多推荐一些啊。

上次cgx的俺也看了，不错啊。

孤独游客

看原文的确有味道，但翻译的也不错。