第一篇：奧巴馬總統在南非前總統曼德拉追悼會上的悼辭

Barack Obama：Remarks at Memorial Service for Former South African President Nelson Mandela

巴拉克?奧巴馬在在南非前總統曼德拉追悼會上的悼辭

Delivered December 10, 2013, First National Bank Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa 2013年12月10日發表于南非約翰內斯堡國家第一銀行運動場

張少軍譯、校

Thank you.(Applause.)Thank you so much.Thank you.To Gra?a Machel and the Mandela family;to President Zuma and members of the government;to heads of states and government, past and present;distinguished guests--it is a singular honor to be with you today, to celebrate a life like no other.To the people of South Africa--(applause)--people of every race and walk of life--the world thanks you for sharing Nelson Mandela with us.His struggle was your struggle.His triumph was your triumph.Your dignity and your hope found expression in his life.And your freedom, your democracy is his cherished legacy.謝謝你們！非常感謝你們！謝謝各位！格拉薩?馬歇爾（莫桑比克前總統馬歇爾遺孀、曼德拉的最后一任妻子）、曼德拉家族成員、祖馬總統和政府成員、各國或各政府的前任或現任首腦、尊敬的各位嘉賓：今天能和你們一起來紀念一位非凡的人是一種難得的榮譽。南非人民——各種族各行業的南非人：世界感謝你們和我們一起分享曼德拉。他的奮斗就是你們的奮斗。他的凱旋就是你們的凱旋。你們的尊嚴與希望在他的生命中找到了最好的表達，你們的自由與民主政體是他最寶貴的遺產。

It is hard to eulogize any man--to capture in words not just the facts and the dates that make a life, but the essential truth of a person--their private joys and sorrows;the quiet moments and unique qualities that illuminate someone’s soul.How much harder to do so for a giant of history, who moved a nation toward justice, and in the process moved billions around the world.頌揚一個人其實很難——光憑言語，不僅要捕捉那些造就一個生命的事實與歲月，更要描繪一個人的本質精神，描繪那能夠揭示某人靈魂的他那私密的歡樂與悲哀，他那安靜的時刻與獨特的品質；而要頌揚一位歷史巨人，一位鼓舞一個國家走向正義并在這過程中鼓舞了全球幾十億人民的巨人，更是難上加難。Born during World War I, far from the corridors of power, a boy raised herding cattle and tutored by the elders of his Thembu tribe, Madiba would emerge as the last great liberator of the 20th century.Like Gandhi, he would lead a resistance movement--a movement that at its start had little prospect for success.Like Dr.King, he would give potent voice to the claims of the oppressed and the moral necessity of racial justice.He would endure a brutal imprisonment that began in the time of Kennedy and Khrushchev, and reached the final days of the Cold War.Emerging from prison, without the force of arms, he would--like Abraham Lincoln--hold his country together when it threatened to break apart.And like America’s Founding Fathers, he would erect a constitutional order to preserve freedom for future generations--a commitment to democracy and rule of law ratified not only by his election, but by his willingness to step down from power after only one term.出生于第一次世界大戰期間，遠離權力的中心，在放牧牲口中長大，在坦布部落長者的教導下成人，馬迪巴(部落長者給曼德拉的榮譽頭銜，后來成了曼德拉的同義詞)將成為20世紀最后一位偉大的解放者。如同甘地，他將領導一個反抗運動——一個開始時幾乎看不到成功前景的運動；如同馬丁?路德?金博士，他為被壓迫者為種族平等的道德必要性發出有力的聲音；他將忍受殘酷的監禁，從肯尼迪與赫魯曉夫的時代開始，直到冷戰的結束；出獄后，放棄武力，如同亞伯拉罕?林肯，他將把他面臨分裂威脅的國家團結在一起；如同美國的開國領袖們，他將建立憲政秩序為未來的世世代代保有自由——不僅通過選舉執政，而且通過一屆總統任期后的自愿放棄權力，來信守他對民主和法治的承諾。

Given the sweep of his life, the scope of his accomplishments, the adoration that he so rightly earned, it’s tempting I think to remember Nelson Mandela as an icon, smiling and serene, detached from the tawdry affairs of lesser men.But Madibahimself strongly resisted such a lifeless portrait.(Applause.)Instead, Madiba insisted on sharing with us his doubts and his fears;his miscalculations along with his victories.“I am not a saint,” he said, “unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”

鑒于他旋風般的一生、他生平成就的高度、他理應贏得的愛戴，我想，建一座平靜微笑的、區別于一般人俗艷浮夸的雕像來紀念納爾遜?曼德拉，應該是一個誘人的想法。然而曼德拉本人強烈反對這樣一種毫無生氣的雕像。反之，曼德拉堅持與我們一起分享他的懷疑與畏懼，以及伴隨著勝利的他的失誤。“我不是圣人，”他說，“除非你們認為圣人就是一個不斷努力的罪犯。”

It was precisely because he could admit to imperfection--because he could be so full of good humor, even mischief, despite the heavy burdens he carried--that we loved him so.He was not a bust made of marble;he was a man of flesh and blood--a son and a husband, a father and a friend.And that’s why we learned so much from him, and that’s why we can learn from him still.For nothing he achieved was inevitable.In the arc of his life, we see a man who earned his place in history through struggle and shrewdness, and persistence and faith.He tells us what is possible not just in the pages of history books, but in our own lives as well.正因為他能夠承認自身的不完美，他是那樣充滿幽默感，所以他即便身負重任依然是那樣淘氣——而我們也喜歡他這樣。他不是大理石雕制的半身像，他是一個有血有肉的人——一個兒子、一個丈夫、一個父親、一位朋友。這就是為什么，我們從他身上學到如此之多；這就是為什么，我們依然要向他學習。他所取得的成功，沒有一樣是必然發生的。在他生命的軌跡中，我們認識到一個人是如何憑借奮斗、機敏、堅持與信念來贏得自己在歷史上的地位。他告訴我們，那些關于何事具有可能性的知識，不單寫在歷史課本上，也寫在我們的生活實踐中。

Mandela showed us the power of action;of taking risks on behalf of our ideals.Perhaps Madiba was right that he inherited, “a proud rebelliousness, a stubborn sense of fairness” from his father.And we know he shared with millions of black and colored South Africans the anger born of, “a thousand slights, a thousand indignities, a thousand unremembered moments…a desire to fight the system that imprisoned my people,” he said.曼德拉向我們顯示了行動的力量以及為理想而甘冒風險的力量。也許曼德拉是對的，當他說到他從父親那里繼承了“一種生氣勃勃的叛逆精神，一種不屈不撓的正義感”。當他說到他與數百萬黑人及南非有色人種共同的憤怒——一種產生于無數侮辱、無數輕蔑、無數被遺忘時刻的憤怒，一種反抗那禁錮了我的人民的制度的愿望。”（我懷疑原文此處有錯：And we know與he said應刪去一處）

But like other early giants of the ANC--the Sisulus and Tambos--Madiba disciplined his anger and channeled his desire to fight into organization, and platforms, and strategies for action, so men and women could stand up for their God-given dignity.Moreover, he accepted the consequences of his actions, knowing that standing up to powerful interests and injustice carries a price.“I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination.I’ve cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve.But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”(Applause.)但是像“非國大”的早期領導人西蘇祿與坦博一樣，馬迪巴壓抑他的怒火，把他戰斗的渴望導入組織、論壇以及行動策略的研究，以便人們能夠挺身而出，維護他們與生俱來的尊嚴。更重要的是，他承擔行動的后果，知道挺身而出反對強大的利益集團與社會不公必然付出代價。“我反對白人專政也反對黑人專政。我珍視民主與自由社會的理想——在那里，所有人和諧共處、機會平等。這是一個我希望能活著實現的理想；然而如果必要，我也準備為之犧牲。”

Mandela taught us the power of action, but he also taught us the power of ideas;the importance of reason and arguments;the need to study not only those who you agree with, but also those who you don’t agree with.He understood that ideas cannot be contained by prison walls, or extinguished by a sniper’s bullet.He turned his trial into an indictment of apartheid because of his eloquence and his passion, but also because of his training as an advocate.He used decades in prison to sharpen his arguments, but also to spread his thirst for knowledge to others in the movement.And he learned the language and the customs of his oppressor so that one day he might better convey to them how their own freedom depend upon his.(Applause.)曼德拉告訴我們行動的力量，也告訴我們理想的力量。他告訴我們推理與辯論的重要，也告訴我們學習的必要——不僅向那些與我們志同道合的人學習，也向那些與我們意見不同的人學習。他懂得，監獄的大墻關不住信念，狙擊手的子彈殺不死信念。他能夠把對自己的審判轉變成對種族隔離政策的控訴，不僅因為他的雄辯與激情，也得益于他作為一個演說家的訓練。他用被監禁的幾十年時間來磨礪淬煉他的辯論技巧，他還把自己對知識的渴望傳遞給運動中的其他人。他學習他的壓迫者的語言與習慣，以便有一天能夠更好地告訴他們，壓迫者自身的自由其實奠基于他的自由之上。Mandela demonstrated that action and ideas are not enough.No matter how right, they must be chiseled into law and institutions.He was practical, testing his beliefs against the hard surface of circumstance and history.On core principles he was unyielding, which is why he could rebuff offers of unconditional release, reminding the Apartheid regime that “prisoners cannot enter into contracts.”

曼德拉證明，僅有行動與想法是不夠的。不管有多么正確，它們必須形成法律與制度。他是一個注重實踐的人，他總是讓自己的信仰接受現實與歷史的檢驗。他在核心原則上是絕不動搖的，這就是為什么他能拒絕“無條件釋放”的提議，提醒種族隔離政權“囚犯不能訂立契約”。

But as he showed in painstaking negotiations to transfer power and draft new laws, he was not afraid to compromise for the sake of a larger goal.And because he was not only a leader of a movement but a skillful politician, the Constitution that emerged was worthy of this multiracial democracy, true to his vision of laws that protect minority as well as majority rights, and the precious freedoms of every South African.然而正如他在權力移交和法律起草的艱苦談判中所顯示的那樣，他從不害怕為了更遠大的目標而退讓妥協。而也正因為他不僅是一個群眾運動的領導者，更是一位精明干練的政治家；所以后來形成的南非《憲法》不僅與南非多民族民主政體相稱，也符合曼德拉關于法律的愿景——法律要像保護多數人的權利一樣保護少數人的權利，保護每一個南非人寶貴的自由。

And finally, Mandela understood the ties that bind the human spirit.There is a word in South Africa – Ubuntu--(applause)--a word that captures Mandela’s greatest gift: his recognition that we are all bound together in ways that are invisible to the eye;that there is a oneness to humanity;that we achieve ourselves by sharing ourselves with others, and caring for those around us.說到底，曼德拉意識到那維系人類精神的紐帶。南非有一個詞叫“烏班圖”(Ubuntu，意為“人道對待他人”)，這個詞其實就體現了曼德拉最偉大的天賦——他承認有一條看不見的紐帶把人類聯系在一起，他認識到人性是統一的——我們只有和其他人分享自我并關心周圍的人，我們才能最終實現與完成自我。We can never know how much of this sense was innate in him, or how much was shaped in a dark and solitary cell.But we remember the gestures, large and small--introducing his jailers as honored guests at his inauguration;taking a pitch in a Springbok uniform;turning his family’s heartbreak into a call to confront HIV/AIDS--that revealed the depth of his empathy and his understanding.He not only embodied Ubuntu, he taught millions to find that truth within themselves.我們永遠不會知道這種意識有多少得自天賦，有多少成型于黑暗與孤獨的牢獄；但我們都記得他那大大小小的種種姿態——他在總統就職典禮上像介紹貴賓一樣介紹他的看守；他穿上跳羚隊的球衣為橄欖球比賽（它在南非被視為白人運動，足球則被視為黑人運動）開球；他將痛失親人的悲傷化為防治艾滋病的呼吁——這顯示了他憐憫與理解所達到的深度。他不僅將“烏班圖”具體化，還教導千百萬人尋求他們內心深處的良知。

It took a man like Madiba to free not just the prisoner, but the jailer as well--(applause)--to show that you must trust others so that they may trust you;to teach that reconciliation is not a matter of ignoring a cruel past, but a means of confronting it with inclusion and generosity and truth.He changed laws, but he also changed hearts.正是出于“烏圖班”精神，像“馬迪巴”這樣的人才能讓囚犯和看守同獲自由——它昭示你必須信任別人，別人才可能信任你的道理；它告誡人們，和解并不是無視那悲慘的過去，而是以包容、慷慨和真誠來面對它。他不僅改變了法律，而且教化了人心。

For the people of South Africa, for those he inspired around the globe, Madiba’s passing is rightly a time of mourning, and a time to celebrate a heroic life.But I believe it should also prompt in each of us a time for self-reflection.With honesty, regardless of our station or our circumstance, we must ask: How well have I applied his lessons in my own life? It’s a question I ask myself, as a man and as a President.對于南非人民，對于被他所激勵的全世界人民，“馬迪巴”的辭世的確是一個悲慟的時刻，一個贊美他英勇一生的時刻。但我相信，它還應當是一個促使我們每個人反省的時刻。不論我們的身分地位或生活處境，我們都必須坦誠自問：在自己的生活中，在踐行他的教誨方面我做得有多好？這就是我向自己提出的問題——作為一個普通人，也作為一位總統。

We know that, like South Africa, the United States had to overcome centuries of racial subjugation.As was true here, it took sacrifice--the sacrifice of countless people, known and unknown, to see the dawn of a new day.Michelle and I are beneficiaries of that struggle.(Applause.)But in America, and in South Africa, and in countries all around the globe, we cannot allow our progress to cloud the fact that our work is not yet done.我們都知道，像南非一樣，美國也必須克服那延續了幾個世紀的種族壓迫。像南非一樣，它必以犧牲為代價——為了新世紀曙光的照臨，無數知名與不知名的人作出了犧牲。米歇爾和我是他們奮斗的受益者。然而，在美國、在南非、在全世界所有國家，我們都不能因為已有的進步而無視我們的工作尚未完成這一事實。

The struggles that follow the victory of formal equality or universal franchise may not be as filled with drama and moral clarity as those that came before, but they are no less important.For around the world today, we still see children suffering from hunger and disease.We still see run-down schools.We still see young people without prospects for the future.Around the world today, men and women are still imprisoned for their political beliefs, and are still persecuted for what they look like, and how they worship, and who they love.That is happening today.(Applause.)在追求形式平等或普遍的公民權利方面取得勝利之后，斗爭可能不像過去那樣充滿戲劇性，道義上也不像過去那樣涇渭分明，但其重要性依然不減半分。因為，今天，在世界各地，我們依然看到忍受饑餓和病痛的孩子，依然看到破敗不堪的學校，依然看到找不到未來的青年。今天，在世界各地，人們依然由于其政治信仰而被監禁，依然由于他們的外貌、宗教和性愛選擇而受迫害。這種情況，今天依然在持續發生。

And so we, too, must act on behalf of justice.We, too, must act on behalf of peace.There are too many people who happily embrace Madiba’s legacy of racial reconciliation, but passionately resist even modest reforms that would challenge chronic poverty and growing inequality.There are too many leaders who claim solidarity with Madiba’s struggle for freedom, but do not tolerate dissent from their own people.(Applause.)And there are too many of us on the sidelines, comfortable in complacency or cynicism when our voices must be heard.因此，我們也必須為正義而行動，我們也必須為和平而行動。有太多的人欣然擁抱“馬迪巴”的種族和解遺產，卻熱衷于抵制最溫和的改革——那旨在減少曠日持久的貧困和日益擴大的貧富差距的改革；有太多的領導人聲稱支持“馬迪巴”爭取自由的斗爭，卻不能容忍本國人民有任何異議；我們中間有太多人，在必須發出聲音的時候袖手旁觀，悠然自得于自己的安逸或犬儒。

The questions we face today--how to promote equality and justice;how to uphold freedom and human rights;how to end conflict and sectarian war--these things do not have easy answers.But there were no easy answers in front of that child born in World War I.Nelson Mandela reminds us that it always seems impossible until it is done.South Africa shows that is true.South Africa shows we can change, that we can choose a world defined not by our differences, but by our common hopes.We can choose a world defined not by conflict, but by peace and justice and opportunity.我們今天面臨的問題——如何促進平等和正義、如何支持自由和人權、如何制止沖突和宗派戰爭——這些問題都沒有簡單的答案；但是，在那個出生于一次世界大戰期間的孩子面前也沒有。納爾遜·曼德拉提醒我們，一項事業在它成功之前看起來總是希望渺茫。南非證明他說得對。南非證明，我們能夠變革，我們能夠選擇一個不是由我們的差異而是由我們的共同希望所定義的世界。我們能夠選擇一個不是由沖突而是由和平、正義和機會所定義的世界。

We will never see the likes of Nelson Mandela again.But let me say to the young people of Africa and the young people around the world--you, too, can make his life’s work your own.Over 30 years ago, while still a student, I learned of Nelson Mandela and the struggles taking place in this beautiful land, and it stirred something in me.It woke me up to my responsibilities to others and to myself, and it set me on an improbable journey that finds me here today.And while I will always fall short of Madiba’s example, he makes me want to be a better man.(Applause.)He speaks to what’s best inside us.我們不會再看到像納爾遜·曼德拉一樣的人。但是，請允許我對非洲的年輕人和全世界的年輕人說，你們一樣能夠把他畢生的事業當作自己的事業。三十多年前，當我還是一名學生時，我了解到納爾遜·曼德拉以及在這片美麗的土地上進行的斗爭，它攪動了我內心的某種情愫。它喚醒了我對他人和自己的責任，它使我踏上了一個似乎毫無希望的旅程，正是它讓我今天站在這里。盡管我永遠不能企及“馬迪巴”典范的高度；然而是他讓我努力成為一個更好的人。他表達了我們內心最好的自己。

After this great liberator is laid to rest, and when we have returned to our cities and villages and rejoined our daily routines, let us search for his strength.Let us search for his largeness of spirit somewhere inside of ourselves.And when the night grows dark, when injustice weighs heavy on our hearts, when our best-laid plans seem beyond our reach, let us think of Madiba and the words that brought him comfort within the four walls of his cell: “It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”

在這位偉大的解放者長眠之后，當我們返回各自的城市與村莊返回我們庸常的工作生活之時，讓我們去探尋他的力量，讓我們從內心深處去發掘他博大寬厚的精神。當夜色漸濃，當非正義沉重地壓在我們的心頭，當我們精心打造的計劃看來不能實現，讓我們想想“馬迪巴”以及他身陷囹圄時給他安慰的詩句：“不管監獄之門如何狹窄，不管罪名刑罰如何深重，我是我命運的主宰：我是我靈魂的船長。”

What a magnificent soul it was.We will miss him deeply.May God bless the memory of Nelson Mandela.May God bless the people of South Africa.(Applause.)這是多么高貴的靈魂。我們將深深地懷念他。愿上帝保佑我們對納爾遜?曼德拉的記憶。愿上帝保佑南非人民。

第二篇：奧巴馬總統在曼德拉追悼會上的致辭

Remarks by President Obama at Memorial Service for Former South African President Nelson Mandela奧巴馬總統在悼念南非前總統納爾遜?曼德拉的儀式上的講話

First National Bank Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa

第一國家銀行體育場，南非，約翰內斯堡

December 10, 2013

2013年12月10日

Thank you.(Applause.)Thank you so much.Thank you.To Gra?a Machel and the Mandela family;to President Zuma and members of the government;to heads of states and government, past and present;

distinguished guests--it is a singular honor to be with you today, to celebrate a life like no other.To the people of South Africa--(applause)--people of every race and walk of life--the world thanks you for sharing Nelson Mandela with us.His struggle was your struggle.His triumph was your triumph.Your dignity and your hope found expression in his life.And your freedom, your democracy is his cherished legacy.謝謝諸位。(掌聲)多謝諸位。謝謝你們。格拉薩·馬謝爾及曼德拉的家人;祖馬(Zuma)總統和政府成員;各國歷任和現任國家元首和政府首腦;尊敬的來賓們—今天與你們在一起，贊頌這獨異于人的一生，是一種至高無上的榮耀。南非人民——(掌聲)——各族裔和各行各業的人民——全世界感謝你們與我們共同受惠于納爾遜?曼德拉。他進行的斗爭就是你們的斗爭。他的勝利就是你們的勝利。你們的尊嚴和你們的希望在他的一生中得到體現。你們的自由、你們的民主，是他寶貴的遺產。

It is hard to eulogize any man--to capture in words not just the facts and the dates that make a life, but the essential truth of a person--their private joys and sorrows;the quiet moments and unique qualities that illuminate someone’s soul.How much harder to do so for a giant of history, who moved a nation toward justice, and in the process moved billions around the world.概括任何人的生死榮辱都很難做到言至意達，——借助于言詞，不僅羅列一生的事實和日期，而且需要揭示一個人的內心深處——他們個人的歡樂和悲傷;靜默的時刻和照亮某些人靈魂的獨特品質。對于名垂史冊的一位偉人，曾率領一個國家追求正義，并且在這個過程中感動了全世界億萬民眾，歷數這一生的尊榮尤為不易。

Born during World War I, far from the corridors of power, a boy raised herding cattle and tutored by the elders of his Thembu tribe, Madiba would emerge as the last great liberator of the 20th century.Like Gandhi, he would lead a resistance movement--a movement that at its start had little prospect for success.Like Dr.King, he would give potent voice to the claims of the oppressed and the moral necessity of racial justice.He would endure a brutal imprisonment that began in the time of Kennedy and Khrushchev, and reached the final days of the Cold War.Emerging from prison, without the force of arms, he would--like Abraham Lincoln--hold his country together when it threatened to break apart.And like America’s Founding Fathers, he would erect a constitutional order to preserve freedom for future generations--a commitment to democracy and rule of law ratified not only by his election, but by his willingness to step down from power after only one term.“馬迪巴”出生在第一次世界大戰期間，遠離權豪勢要，兒時靠放牛維生，接受騰布部落長者的教誨，日后成為20世紀最后一位偉大的解放者。他與甘地一樣，后來成為抵抗運動的領導人—最初很少有成功希望的一場運動。他與金博士一樣，使被壓迫者的訴求得到強有力的聲張，為種族正義的道義使命發出了強大的聲音。他經歷了殘酷的監禁，在肯尼迪和赫魯曉夫時期開始身陷囹圄，直到冷戰結束之時。出獄后，他在沒有軍隊的情況下——與亞伯拉罕?林肯一樣，在國家即將分裂之際維護了國家的完整。他與美國的開國元勛一樣，為了保持今后世世代代的自由建立了憲法秩序——堅持民主和法治，不僅因為他的當選，而且也因為他愿意在完成一個任期后放棄權力。

Given the sweep of his life, the scope of his accomplishments, the adoration that he so rightly earned, it’s tempting I think to remember Nelson Mandela as an icon, smiling and serene, detached from the tawdry affairs of lesser men.But Madiba himself strongly resisted such a lifeless portrait.(Applause.)Instead, Madiba insisted on sharing with us his doubts and his fears;his miscalculations along with his victories.“I am not a saint,” he said, “unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”

縱觀他的一生，回顧他取得的一切成就、他當之無愧獲得的敬仰，我認為可以說納爾遜?曼德拉是一位彪炳青史的人物，人們應該緬懷千載。他笑容可掬，面目安詳，具有常人不具備的超塵拔俗的氣質。然而，“馬迪巴”本人強烈抵制這種刻板的形象。(掌聲)相反，“馬迪巴”堅持要我們知道他的疑惑和恐懼，了解他在走向勝利的道路上做出了哪些錯誤的估計。“我不是圣人，”他如是說，“除非你們認為圣人也會犯錯，也需要不斷嘗試。”

It was precisely because he could admit to imperfection--because he could be so full of good humor, even mischief, despite the heavy burdens he carried--that we loved him so.He was not a bust made of marble;he was a man of flesh and blood--a son and a husband, a father and a friend.And that’s why we learned so much from him, and that’s why we can learn from him still.For nothing he achieved was inevitable.In the arc of his life, we see a man who earned his place in history through struggle and shrewdness, and persistence and faith.He tells us what is possible not just in the pages of history books, but in our own lives as well.正是因為他承認不完美——因為他為人如此和藹可親，甚至還有些詼諧，盡管他經歷了諸多的重負--我們才如此喜歡他。他不是大理石制作的雕像;他是有血有肉的人——兒子和丈夫，父親和朋友。正因為如此，我們從他身上學到了很多東西。正因為如此，我們始終可以向他學習。他取得的成就沒有一樣是必然的結果。我們從他的一生中看到，他奮勇斗爭，殫智竭慮，堅韌不拔，堅持信念，在歷史上贏得了自己的地位。他告誡我們什么是可能做到的，不僅可以載入史冊，而且在我們自己的生活中得到體現。

Mandela showed us the power of action;of taking risks on behalf of our ideals.Perhaps Madiba was right that he inherited, “a proud rebelliousness, a stubborn sense of fairness” from his father.And we know he shared with millions of black and colored South Africans the anger born of, “a thousand slights, a thousand indignities, a thousand unremembered moments…a desire to fight the system that imprisoned my people,” he said.曼德拉向我們展示了行動的力量;為了我們的理想甘冒風險的力量。“馬迪巴”也許是對的，他從他父親那里繼承了“一種驕傲不羈的叛逆精神，一種頑強執著的公平信念”。我們還知道，他同千百萬南非黑人和有色人種共同懷有一種憤怒，他曾說，這種憤怒產生于“一千次輕蔑、一千次屈辱、一千個已被遺忘的時刻……一種與禁錮我的人民的制度抗爭的渴望”。

But like other early giants of the ANC--the Sisulus and Tambos--Madiba disciplined his anger and

channeled his desire to fight into organization, and platforms, and strategies for action, so men and women could stand up for their God-given dignity.Moreover, he accepted the consequences of his actions, knowing that

standing up to powerful interests and injustice carries a price.“I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination.I’ve cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and [with] equal opportunities.It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve.But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”(Applause.)

同非洲人國民大會的其他早期偉人一樣——如希蘇拉斯和塔姆伯斯——“馬迪巴”以自律來約束自己的憤怒，將自己的渴望融入為采取行動而確立組織、平臺和戰略的斗爭中，以使男女民眾能夠奮起捍衛他們的天賜尊嚴。此外，他還接受了他所采取的行動帶來的后果，知道與權勢和不公抗爭是要付出代價的。“我曾為反對白人統治而斗爭，也曾為反對黑人統治而斗爭。我一直珍藏著一個民主、自由的社會的理想，讓所有人都生活在一個和諧共處、機會均等的社會中。我希望為這個理想而生并將其付諸實現。但是，如果需要，我也愿為這樣一個理想獻出生命。”(掌聲)

第三篇：奧巴馬在曼德拉追悼會上致辭

奧巴馬在曼德拉追悼會上致辭

謝謝各位！非常感謝大家！首先我想向曼德拉家族成員、祖馬總統、尊敬的各位各國的代表們、尊敬的各位嘉賓，我覺得我今天非常榮幸在此參加曼德拉的追悼會，來紀念這一個卓越非凡的人。

各位南非的人民們，來自各行各業的人，全世界感謝你們，讓你們的國度誕生了曼德拉這位偉人，他的一生是偉大的一生，是你們的尊容。而他為你們獲得了自由和民主，這是他留下的寶貴財富。我們現在難以用言語去表達我們對曼德拉的熱愛，很難用一些數據、事實去描繪一個人的一生。我們用很多不同的事讓我們心意相連。

在這個艱難的時刻，在歷史的重要時刻，我們要讓一個國家走向正義是需要突破艱難險阻的。在一家之中出生，生于權利之家，他在部落里面成長起來。曼德拉是20世紀最偉大的自由的斗士，而他引領了反非自由運動，而這個運動也獲得了成功。就像馬丁·路德·金博士一樣，他代表那些被壓迫的人們發出了聲音，引領他們追求正義。而他忍受了監獄的苦難，忍受了不幸和磨難，而直到冷戰終結。

在他從監獄獲得自由之后，他把國家又重新團結起來，就像林肯總統那樣，他是國家的締造者，他為下一代人建立了自由的基礎。而他為國家塑造起來了民主和法治的基礎，而且在一任總統任期之后就自愿選擇從權利的高位下退出。在他的一生當中他取得了輝煌的成就。

我們記得曼德拉是我們的偶像，是我們的領袖，他永遠帶著微笑，但同時他又是堅強的自強不息的斗士。但是曼德拉也與我們分享他的疑惑，還有在他的一些光輝成就當中的疑慮。他說，如果你覺得所謂的圣人就是雖然犯錯但是永不放棄的人，而他也承認他的不完美。他有著幽默感，即使他身負重擔但是仍然微笑著面對生活。他是有血有肉的真實的一個人，有著自己的情感，他既是一位導師，又是我們親密的朋友，這是我們為什么從他身上學習到如此多的東西。

他的成就是卓越的，是無與倫比的，在他的一生當中我們看到了他不屈不撓的斗爭，他的勇氣、信仰、耐心和堅持，他向我們展示了人類的潛力，不僅是歷史上一些光輝的章節，而是我們看到的實實在在的成就，他也讓我們看到了行動的力量。

看到了他為理想所付出的艱辛的努力，從曼德拉身上我們看到了，他從他的父親那里繼承了勇氣和不懈斗爭的精神。而為成千上萬的人爭取尊嚴，即使他在監獄當中也心懷人民。就像我們歷史上的巨人一樣，他跨越了艱險。

曼德拉控制了憤怒，而是拋出了仇恨，讓人們可以獲得和解，可以重尋人的尊嚴。即使他面臨著艱難，但是他幫助我們一同去尋求正義。他說，我為了白人的統治和黑人的統治都征戰過、奮斗過、抗爭過，我是希望所有的人能夠平等自由的生活著。正是在這樣的理想之下我們希望能夠把他的精神傳承下來，我會為我所熱愛的人們，為他們做好風險的準備。

曼德拉向我們展示了行動的成就，他告訴了我們思考和理性的重要性，他告訴我們不僅要去堅持贊同的人，同時要去尊重他們即使反對人的意見。而且他把自己的經歷作為磨煉，他把他的知識傳授下去，影響他人。他在奮斗的過程當中不斷地學習，這樣才能夠向人們展示打破了種族隔離的自由是多么寶貴和重要。

曼德拉向我們展示出了想法，僅僅有想法是不夠的。不管想法有多么正確，同時也要受到法律和制度的運輸。他非常實際，把自己的信仰在實踐當中和歷史情況當中加以實驗。但是在核心價值觀方面是絕不動搖的，所以說他也提醒我們即便是身處牢獄當中也可以有奮斗精神。

但是他在監獄當中仍然制訂法律，而且不為了個人的利益而犧牲大的原則。而且他也創造了南非的《憲法》，創造了反種族制度的民主，保護了少數人的利益及大多數的利益，以及每一個南非人的自由權利。

最終曼德拉代表了人類精神的紐帶，在南非有這樣一個詞，這個詞其實就描繪了曼德拉最偉大的天賦，他意識到人類永遠有一條看不到的紐帶連接在一起，但是人性是統一的。我們在傳承精神的過程當中能夠實現自我，我們永遠不知道這樣的力量有多強，是不是這樣的力量支撐他在幽暗的監獄當中堅持奮斗。但是他卻在救人總統的時候向全世界人介紹他的監獄看守，他把他家人離世的心痛轉化為愛滋病尋找救治方法的努力。

他不僅代表了偉大，還教會了這么多人如何在自在尋找真理。就是像曼德拉這樣的人能夠解放不僅是囚犯，同時能夠解放看守囚犯的人。而且教會其他人如何信任自己，而且他教給我們和解不是一條殘忍的道路，而是通過包容、寬大和真理來化解這些分歧，他改變了法律，也改變了人心。

對于南非的民眾來說，對于那些全球范圍內受過他激勵的人，曼德拉的離世絕對是無比悲痛的時刻，他們都在為他哀悼，慶祝英雄般的一生。但是我相信這也是我們每個人自省的一刻，我們必須要貪嗔地面對自己，無論外界條件如何都要問自己我們有沒有在自己的生活當中運用到曼德拉的精神，運用到他教給我們的品質。

我自己也在思考，作為一個總統、作為一個人，我們知道像南非那樣，美國也有過種族制度的統治，我們也為此斗爭和奮斗長達幾十年。正是那些知名和不知名的人奮斗才有今天，我的夫人和我正是這種成果的受益者。但是在美國，還有在南非，以及全球各國，我們不能夠允許我們的進步遮蔽這樣的事實，就是我們的工作尚未完成，仍然任重而道遠。

實現平等的路上仍然有很多工作要做，可能沒有過去來的那么排山倒海，但是仍然有很多的工作要做。我們現在仍然看到孩子們忍饑挨餓死于疾病，我們看到學校被炸毀，看到年輕人完全看不到未來的希望，在世界各國我們看到有許多人仍然因為他們的政治信仰而入獄。

仍然因為他們的宗教信仰，因為他們的興趣，因為他們所愛的人而蒙受牢獄之災，現在這種情況仍然在發生。所以我們也必須為了公正而戰，為公正而行動，為和平而行動。現在還有太多的人沒有能夠獲得曼德拉所取得的成就的問責，他們仍然經受著種族歧視的煎熬，仍然生活在水深火熱貧困當中。

曼德拉致力于自由，有很多領導說是維護曼德拉的價值觀，但是卻不能夠寬容的對待他們自己的民眾。而我們有很多人在邊線當中生活，我們就坐在一旁，卻沒有發出自己的聲音。我們的聲音必須要聽到我們當前面臨的問題，比如說推動和平和公正，如何推動自由和人權，如何結束紛爭以及戰爭。這一些問題不好解答，也不好解決，但是很多問題都不好解答。比如說在一戰當中出生了曼德拉，也業面臨著那么多的難題，但是他卻會在解決問題之前不斷地奮斗，直到一切解決為止。

南非展示給我們，我們可以變化，我們可以建造這樣一個世界，根基不是我們之間的差異，而是我們之間的共同點；不是紛爭，而是機會和和平。我們無法再見到曼德拉了，但是我想告訴南非的年輕人，以及世界各國的年輕人。你們也可以使他的人生變成你們自己的。

在三十年前我還是一個學生，我學習了曼德拉的事跡了，了解了他在南非國土上所做出的奮斗。當時點燃了我身體當中的某些信念，使我想到了我的責任對我自己和其他人的責任，使我踏上這樣一條旅程，一直到我今天所在的位置。我永遠無法成為像曼德拉那樣偉大的人，但是他讓我想成為更好的人。他能喚醒我們每個人心中最美好的部分。

他這個偉大的自由斗士已然安息，我們會回到各自的生活和工作崗位，重新開始我們的日常生活。在這個過程當中讓我們繼續找尋他的力量，找尋他偉大的精神，就在我們自己的心中，在我們自己的體內找到他的這種精神。當我們的心上仍然受到不公正的負擔，似乎美好的遠景無法實現，在這些時候讓我們想想曼德拉，還有他刻在監獄墻壁上的字。不管懲罰多么嚴厲，我仍然會掌握我自己的命運，我是我靈魂的船長，多么偉大的靈魂啊。我們深切地思念他，愿上帝保佑曼德拉的靈魂，愿上帝保佑南非民眾！

曼德拉給予人們的啟示：曼德拉的偉大在于他的對南非這個國家的民族融合所做的偉大貢獻，在曼德拉擔任總統之前，南非的種族歧視是很嚴重的，曼德拉的偉大在于他不但解除了這種及其不人道的種族歧視，而且化解了民族矛盾：“要尊重別人（別的民族、人種）的生存權利！”

第四篇：美國總統奧巴馬在曼德拉追悼會上的致辭

美國總統奧巴馬在曼德拉追悼會上的致辭 謝謝各位！非常感謝大家！首先我想向曼德拉家族成員、祖馬總統、尊敬的各位各國的代表們、尊敬的各位嘉賓，我覺得我今天非常榮幸在此參加曼德拉的追悼會，來紀念這一個卓越非凡的人。

各位南非的人民們，來自各行各業的人，全世界感謝你們，讓你們的國度誕生了曼德拉這位偉人，他的一生是偉大的一生，是你們的尊容。而他為你們獲得了自由和民主，這是他留下的寶貴財富。我們現在難以用言語去表達我們對曼德拉的熱愛，很難用一些數據、事實去描繪一個人的一生。我們用很多不同的事讓我們心意相連。

在這個艱難的時刻，在歷史的重要時刻，我們要讓一個國家走向正義是需要突破艱難險阻的。在一家之中出生，生于權利之家，他在部落里面成長起來。曼德拉是20世紀最偉大的自由的斗士，而他引領了反非自由運動，而這個運動也獲得了成功。就像馬丁.路德.金博士一樣，他代表那些被壓迫的人們發出了聲音，引領他們追求正義。而他忍受了監獄的苦難，忍受了不幸和磨難，而直到冷戰終結。

在他從監獄獲得自由之后，他把國家又重新團結起來，就像林肯 總統那樣，他是國家的締造者，他為下一代人建立了自由的基礎。而他為國家塑造起來了民主和法治的基礎，而且在一任總統任期之后就自愿選擇從權利的高位下退出。在他的一生當中他取得了輝煌的成就。

我們記得曼德拉是我們的偶像，是我們的領袖，他永遠帶著微笑，但同時他又是堅強的自強不息的斗士。但是曼德拉也與我們分享他的疑惑，還有在他的一些光輝成就當中的疑慮。他說，如果你覺得所謂的圣人就是雖然犯錯但是永不放棄的人，而他也承認他的不完美。他有著幽默感，即使他身負重擔但是仍然微笑著面對生活。他是有血有肉的真實的一個人，有著自己的情感，他既是一位導師，又是我們親密的朋友，這是我們為什么從他身上學習到如此多的東西。

他的成就是卓越的，是無與倫比的，在他的一生當中我們看到了他不屈不撓的斗爭，他的勇氣、信仰、耐心和堅持，他向我們展示了人類的潛力，不僅是歷史上一些光輝的章節，而是我們看到的實實在在的成就，他也讓我們看到了行動的力量。看到了他為理想所付出的艱辛的努力，從曼德拉身上我們看到了，他從他的父親那里繼承了勇氣和不懈斗爭的精神。而為成千上萬的人爭取尊嚴，即使他在監獄當中也心懷人民。就像我們歷史上的巨人一樣，他跨越了艱險。

曼德拉控制了憤怒，而是拋出了仇恨，讓人們可以獲得和解，可以重尋人的尊嚴。即使他面臨著艱難，但是他幫助我們一同去尋求正義。他說，我為了白人的統治和黑人的統治都征戰過、奮斗過、抗爭過，我是希望所有的人能夠平等自由的生活著。正是在這樣的理想之下我們希望能夠把他的精神傳承下來，我會為我所熱愛的人們，為他們做好風險的準備。

曼德拉向我們展示了行動的成就，他告訴了我們思考和理性的重要性，他告訴我們不僅要去堅持贊同的人，同時要去尊重他們即使反對人的意見。而且他把自己的經歷作為磨煉，他把他的知識傳授下去，影響他人。他在奮斗的過程當中不斷地學習，這樣才能夠向人們展示打破了種族隔離的自由是多么寶貴和重要。

曼德拉向我們展示出了想法，僅僅有想法是不夠的。不管想法有多么正確，同時也要受到法律和制度的運輸。他非常實際，把自己的信仰在實踐當中和歷史情況當中加以實驗。但是在核心價值觀方面是絕不動搖的，所以說他也提醒我們即便是身處牢獄當中也可以有奮斗精神。但是他在監獄當中仍然制訂法律，而且不為了個人的利益而犧牲大的原則。而且他也創造了南非的《憲法》，創造了反種族制度的民主，保護了少數人的利益及大多數的利益，以及每一個南非人的自由權利。

最終曼德拉代表了人類精神的紐帶，在南非有這樣一個詞，這個詞其實就描繪了曼德拉最偉大的天賦，他意識到人類永遠有一條看不到的紐帶連接在一起，但是人性是統一的。我們在傳承精神的過程當中能夠實現自我，我們永遠不知道這樣的力量有多強，是不是這樣的力量支撐他在幽暗的監獄當中堅持奮斗。但是他卻在救人總統的時候向全世界人介紹他的監獄看守，他把他家人離世的心痛轉化為愛滋病尋找救治方法的努力。他不僅代表了偉大，還教會了這么多人如何在自在尋找真理。就是像曼德拉這樣的人能夠解放不僅是囚犯，同時能夠解放看守囚犯的人。而且教會其他人如何信任自己，而且他教給我們和解不是一條殘忍的道路，而是通過包容、寬大和真理來化解這些分歧，他改變了法律，也改變了人心。

對于南非的民眾來說，對于那些全球范圍內受過他激勵的人，曼德拉的離世絕對是無比悲痛的時刻，他們都在為他哀悼，慶祝英雄般的一生。但是我相信這也是我們每個人自省的一刻，我們必須要貪嗔地面對自己，無論外界條件如何都要問自己我們有沒有在自己的生活當中運用到曼德拉的精神，運用到他教給我們的品質。我自己也在思考，作為一個總統、作為一個人，我們知道像南非那樣，美國也有過種族制度的統治，我們也為此斗爭和奮斗長達幾十年。正是那些知名和不知名的人奮斗才有今天，我的夫人和我正是這種成果的受益者。但是在美國，還有在南非，以及全球各國，我們不能夠允許我們的進步遮蔽這樣的事實，就是我們的工作尚未完成，仍然任重而道遠。實現平等的路上仍然有很多工作要做，可能沒有過去來的那么排山倒海，但是仍然有很多的工作要做。我們現在仍然看到孩子們忍饑挨餓死于疾病，我們看到學校被炸毀，看到年輕人完全看不到未來的希望，在世界各國我們看到有許多人仍然因為他們的政治信仰而入獄。仍然因為他們的宗教信仰，因為他們的興趣，因為他們所愛的人而蒙受牢獄之災，現在這種情況仍然在發生。所以我們也必須為了公正而戰，為公正而行動，為和平而行動。現在還有太多的人沒有能夠獲得曼德拉所取得的成就的問責，他們仍然經受著種族歧視的煎熬，仍然生活在水深火熱貧困當中。

曼德拉致力于自由，有很多領導說是維護曼德拉的價值觀，但是卻不能夠寬容的對待他們自己的民眾。而我們有很多人在邊線當中生活，我們就坐在一旁，卻沒有發出自己的聲音。我們的聲音必須要聽到我們當前面臨的問題，比如說推動和平和公正，如何推動自由和人權，如何結束紛爭以及戰爭。這一些問題不好解答，也不好解決，但是很多問題都不好解答。比如說在一戰當中出生了曼德拉，也業面臨著那么多的難題，但是他卻會在解決問題之前不斷地奮斗，直到一切解決為止。南非展示給我們，我們可以變化，我們可以建造這樣一個世界，根基不是我們之間的差異，而是我們之間的共同點；不是紛爭，而是機會和和平。我們無法再見到曼德拉了，但是我想告訴南非的年輕人，以及世界各國的年輕人。你們也可以使他的人生變成你們自己的。

在三十年前我還是一個學生，我學習了曼德拉的事跡了，了解了他在南非國土上所做出的奮斗。當時點燃了我身體當中的某些信念，使我想到了我的責任對我自己和其他人的責任，使我踏上這樣一條旅程，一直到我今天所在的位置。我永遠無法成為像曼德拉那樣偉大的人，但是他讓我想成為更好的人。他能喚醒我們每個人心中最美好的部分。

他這個偉大的自由斗士已然安息，我們會回到各自的生活和工作崗位，重新開始我們的日常生活。在這個過程當中讓我們繼續找尋他的力量，找尋他偉大的精神，就在我們自己的心中，在我們自己的體內找到他的這種精神。當我們的心上仍然受到不公正的負擔，似乎美好的遠景無法實現，在這些時候讓我們想想曼德拉，還有他刻在監獄墻壁上的字。不管懲罰多么嚴厲，我仍然會掌握我自己的命運，我是我靈魂的船長，多么偉大的靈魂啊。我們深切地思念他，愿上帝保佑曼德拉的靈魂，愿上帝保佑南非民眾！

第五篇：奧巴馬在曼德拉追悼會上的致辭(英文)

奧巴馬在曼德拉追悼會上的致辭（英文）

Remarks by President Obama at Memorial Service for Former South

African President Nelson Mandela

Time:December 10, 2013

Place: First National Bank Stadium, Johannesburg, South Africa

To Gra?aMachel and the Mandela family;to President Zuma and members of the government;to heads of states and government, past and present;distinguished guests it is a singular honor to be with you today, to celebrate a life like no other.To the people of South Africa people of every race and walk of life the world thanks you for sharing Nelson Mandela with us.His struggle was your struggle.His triumph was your triumph.Your dignity and your hope found expression in his life.And your freedom, your democracy is his cherished legacy.It is hard to eulogize any man to capture in words not just the facts and the dates that make a life, but the essential truth of a person their private joys and sorrows;the quiet moments and unique qualities that illuminate someone’s soul.How much harder to do so for a giant of history, who moved a nation toward justice, and in the process moved billions around the world.Born during World War I, far from the corridors of power, a boy raised herding cattle and tutored by the elders of his Thembu tribe, Madiba would emerge as the last great liberator of the 20th century.Like Gandhi, he would lead a resistance movement a movement that at its start had little prospect for success.Like Dr.King, he would give potent voice to the claims of the oppressed and the moral necessity of racial justice.He would endure a brutal imprisonment that began in the time of Kennedy and Khrushchev, and reached the final days of the Cold War.Emerging from prison, without the force of arms, he would like Abraham Lincoln hold his country together when it threatened to break apart.And like America’s Founding Fathers, he would erect a constitutional order to preserve freedom for future generations a commitment to democracy and rule of law ratified not only by his election, but by his willingness to step down from power after only one term.Given the sweep of his life, the scope of his accomplishments, the adoration that he so rightly earned, it’s tempting I think to remember Nelson Mandela as an icon, smiling and serene, detached from the tawdry affairs of lesser men.But Madiba himself strongly resisted such a lifeless portrait.Instead, Madiba insisted on sharing with us his doubts and his fears;his miscalculations along with his victories.“I am not a saint,” he said, “unless you think of a saint as a sinner who keeps on trying.”

It was precisely because he could admit to imperfection because he could be so full of good humor, even mischief, despite the heavy burdens he carried that we loved him so.He was not a bust made of marble;he was a man of flesh and blood a son and a husband, a father and a friend.And that’s why we learned so much from him, and that’s why we can learn from him still.For nothing he achieved was inevitable.In the arc of his life, we see a man who earned his place in history through struggle and shrewdness, and persistence and faith.He tells us what is possible not just in the pages of history books, but in our own lives as well.Mandela showed us the power of action;of taking risks on behalf of our ideals.Perhaps Madiba was right that he inherited, “a proud rebelliousness, a stubborn sense of fairness” from his father.And we know he shared with millions of black and colored South Africans the anger born of, “a thousand slights, a thousand indignities, a thousand unremembered moments…a desire to fight the system that imprisoned my people,” he said.But like other early giants of the ANCthe Sisulus and TambosMadiba disciplined his anger and channeled his desire to fight into organization, and platforms, and strategies for action, so men and women could stand up for their God-given dignity.Moreover, he accepted the consequences of his actions, knowing that standing up to powerful interests and injustice carries a price.“I have fought against white domination and I have fought against black domination.I’ve cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and [with] equal opportunities.It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve.But if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

Mandela taught us the power of action, but he also taught us the power of ideas;the importance of reason and arguments;the need to study not only those who you agree with, but also those who you don’t agree with.He understood that ideas cannot be contained by prison walls, or extinguished by a sniper’s bullet.He turned his trial into an indictment of apartheid because of his eloquence and his passion, but also because of his training as an advocate.He used decades in prison to sharpen his arguments, but also to spread his thirst for knowledge to others in the movement.And he learned the language and the customs of his oppressor so that one day he might better convey to them how their own freedom depend upon his.Mandela demonstrated that action and ideas are not enough.No matter how right, they must be chiseled into law and institutions.He was practical, testing his beliefs against the hard surface of circumstance and history.On core principles he was unyielding, which is why he could rebuff offers of unconditional release, reminding the Apartheid regime that “prisoners cannot enter into contracts.”

But as he showed in painstaking negotiations to transfer power and draft new laws, he was not afraid to compromise for the sake of a larger goal.And because he was not only a leader of a movement but a skillful politician, the Constitution that emerged

was worthy of this multiracial democracy, true to his vision of laws that protect minority as well as majority rights, and the precious freedoms of every South African.And finally, Mandela understood the ties that bind the human spirit.There is a word in South AfricaUbuntu(a word that captures Mandela’s greatest gift: his recognition that we are all bound together in ways that are invisible to the eye;that there is a oneness to humanity;that we achieve ourselves by sharing ourselves with others, and caring for those around us.We can never know how much of this sense was innate in him, or how much was shaped in a dark and solitary cell.But we remember the gestures, large and small introducing his jailers as honored guests at his inauguration;taking a pitch in a Springbok uniform;turning his family’s heartbreak into a call to confront HIV/AIDS that revealed the depth of his empathy and his understanding.He not only embodied Ubuntu, he taught millions to find that truth within themselves.It took a man like Madiba to free not just the prisoner, but the jailer as well(to show that you must trust others so that they may trust you;to teach that reconciliation is not a matter of ignoring a cruel past, but a means of confronting it with inclusion and generosity and truth.He changed laws, but he also changed hearts.For the people of South Africa, for those he inspired around the globe, Madiba’s passing is rightly a time of mourning, and a time to celebrate a heroic life.But I believe it should also prompt in each of us a time for self-reflection.With honesty, regardless of our station or our circumstance, we must ask: How well have I applied his lessons in my own life?It’s a question I ask myself, as a man and as a President.We know that, like South Africa, the United States had to overcome centuries of racial subjugation.As was true here, it took sacrifice the sacrifice of countless people, known and unknown, to see the dawn of a new day.Michelle and I are beneficiaries of that struggle.But in America, and in South Africa, and in countries all around the globe, we cannot allow our progress to cloud the fact that our work is not yet done.The struggles that follow the victory of formal equality or universal franchise may not be as filled with drama and moral clarity as those that came before, but they are no less important.For around the world today, we still see children suffering from hunger and disease.We still see run-down schools.We still see young people without prospects for the future.Around the world today, men and women are still imprisoned for their political beliefs, and are still persecuted for what they look like, and how they worship, and who they love.That is happening today.And so we, too, must act on behalf of justice.We, too, must act on behalf of peace.There are too many people who happily embrace Madiba’s legacy of racial reconciliation, but passionately resist even modest reforms that would challenge chronic poverty and growing inequality.There are too many leaders who claim

solidarity with Madiba’s struggle for freedom, but do not tolerate dissent from their own people.And there are too many of us on the sidelines, comfortable in complacency or cynicism when our voices must be heard.The questions we face today how to promote equality and justice;how to uphold freedom and human rights;how to end conflict and sectarian war these things do not have easy answers.But there were no easy answers in front of that child born in World War I.Nelson Mandela reminds us that it always seems impossible until it is done.South Africa shows that is true.South Africa shows we can change, that we can choose a world defined not by our differences, but by our common hopes.We can choose a world defined not by conflict, but by peace and justice and opportunity.We will never see the likes of Nelson Mandela again.But let me say to the young people of Africa and the young people around the world you, too, can make his life’s work your own.Over 30 years ago, while still a student, I learned of Nelson Mandela and the struggles taking place in this beautiful land, and it stirred something in me.It woke me up to my responsibilities to others and to myself, and it set me on an improbable journey that finds me here today.And while I will always fall short of Madiba’s example, he makes me want to be a better man.He speaks to what’s best inside us.After this great liberator is laid to rest, and when we have returned to our cities and villages and rejoined our daily routines, let us search for his strength.Let us search for his largeness of spirit somewhere inside of ourselves.And when the night grows dark, when injustice weighs heavy on our hearts, when our best-laid plans seem beyond our reach, let us think of Madiba and the words that brought him comfort within the four walls of his cell: “It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”

What a magnificent soul it was.We will miss him deeply.May God bless the memory of Nelson Mandela.May God bless the people of South Africa.END