第一篇：奧巴馬給女兒的信：夢想不受限制,無事不能成就(中英文) 20090114

奧巴馬給女兒的信：夢想不受限制，無事不能成就（中英文）

‘What I Want for You — and Every Child in America' By President-elect Barack Obama Publication Date: 01/14/2009

Next Tuesday, Barack Obama will be sworn in as our 44th President.On this historic occasion, PARADE asked the President-elect, who is also a devoted family man, to get personal and tell us what he wants for his children.Here, he shares his letter to them.Dear Malia and Sasha，I know that you've both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let you have.But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn't make up for all the time we've been apart.I know how much I've missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me-about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want.But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day.And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore.I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours.And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours.In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential-schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them.I want them to have the chance to go to college-even if their parents aren't rich.And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity.I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer.And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other dangerous situations to protect our country-but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe.And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free-that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something.She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better-and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us.It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you've had.Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much-although you do have that obligation.But because you have an obligation to yourself.Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.These are the things I want for you-to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world.And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have.That's why I've taken our family on this great adventure.I am so proud of both of you.I love you more than you can ever know.And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.Love, Dad 奧巴馬給女兒的信：夢想不受限制，無事不能成就 出版日期：2009年1月14日

美國新當選總統巴拉克?奧巴馬在即將上任之際，寫了封感性十足的公開信給兩個尚未成年的女兒，為這2年來多半時間沒能陪在她們身旁致上歉意，并為自己為何選擇邁向白宮之路做了番解釋。

這封信發表在《大觀》雜志（Parade）周末彩版增刊上。全文翻譯如下：

親愛的瑪麗亞和莎莎：

我知道這2年你們倆隨我一路競選都有過不少樂子，野餐、游行、逛州博覽會，吃了各種或許我和你媽不該讓你們吃的垃圾食物。然而我也知道，你們倆和你媽的日子，有時候并不愜意。新來的小狗雖然令你們興奮，卻無法彌補我們不在一起的所有時光。我明白這2年我錯過的太多了，今天我要再向你們說說為何我決定帶領我們一家走上這趟旅程。

當我還年輕的時候，我認為生活就該繞著我轉：我如何在這世上得心應手，成功立業，得到我想要的。后來，你們倆進入了我的世界，帶來的種種好奇、淘氣和微笑，總能填滿我的心，照亮我的日子。突然之間，我為自己譜寫的偉大計畫顯得不再那么重要了。我很快便發現，我在你們生命中看到的快樂，就是我自己生命中最大的快樂。而我也同時體認到，如果我不能確保你們此生能夠擁有追求幸福和自我實現的一切機會，我自己的生命也沒多大價值。總而言之，我的女兒，這就是我競選總統的原因：我要讓你們倆和這個國家的每一個孩子，都能擁有我想要給他們的東西。

我要讓所有兒童都在能夠發掘他們潛能的學校就讀；這些學校要能挑戰他們，激勵他們，并灌輸他們對身處的這個世界的好奇心。我要他們有機會上大學，那怕他們的父母并不富有。而且，我要他們能找到好的工作：薪酬高還附帶健康保險的工作，讓他們有時間陪孩子、并且能帶著尊嚴退休的工作。

我要大家向發現的極限挑戰，讓你在有生之年能夠看見改善我們生活、使這個行星更干凈、更安全的新科技和發明。我也要大家向自己的人際界限挑戰，跨越使我們看不到對方長處的種族、地域、性別和宗教樊籬。

有時候為了保護我們的國家，我們不得不把青年男女派到戰場或其他危險的地方，然而當我們這么做的時候，我要確保師出有名，我們盡了全力以和平方式化解與他人的爭執，也想盡了一切辦法保障男女官兵的安全。我要每個孩子都明白，這些勇敢的美國人在戰場上捍衛的福祉是無法平白得到的：在享有作為這個國家公民的偉大特權之際，重責大任也隨之而來。

這正是我在你們這年紀時，外婆想要教我的功課，她把獨立宣言開頭幾行念給我聽，告訴我有一些男女為了爭取平等挺身而出游行抗議，因為他們認為2個世紀前白紙黑字寫下來的這些句子，不應只是空話。

她讓我了解到，美國所以偉大，不是因為它完美，而是因為我們可以不斷讓它變得更好，而讓它更好的未竟工作，就落在我們每個人的身上。這是我們交給孩子們的責任，每過一代，美國就更接近我們的理想。

我希望你們倆都愿接下這個工作，看到不對的事要想辦法改正，努力幫助別人獲得你們有過的機會。這并非只因國家給了我們一家這么多，你們也當有所回饋，雖然你們的確有這個義務，而是因為你們對自己負有義務。因為，唯有在把你的馬車套在更大的東西上時，你才會明白自己真正的潛能有多大。

這些是我想要讓你們得到的東西：在一個夢想不受限制、無事不能成就的世界中長大，長成具慈悲心、堅持理想，能幫忙打造這樣一個世界的女性。我要每個孩子都有和你們一樣的機會，去學習、夢想、成長、發展。這就是我帶領我們一家展開這趟大冒險的原因。

我深以你倆為榮，你們永遠不會明白我有多愛你們，在我們準備一同在白宮開始新生活之際，我沒有一天不為你們的忍耐、沉穩、明理和幽默而心存感激。

愛你們的爸爸

第二篇：奧巴馬告誡女兒的話(中英文)

1.Stop Doubting Yourself 停止懷疑自己

If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody will.Success starts in your mind, and if all you’re doing is putting yourself down and predicting failure, it’ll become a self-fulfilling prophecy.Instead of doubting yourself, think positively.Not only will you be happier and more successful, you’ll spread it to everyone around you.如果你自己都不相信自己，那沒人會相信你。成功源于你的頭腦，如果你所做的是不斷地看扁自己，預言著未來的失敗，這就真的會成為現實。與其懷疑自己，不如積極的考慮問題。不僅會讓自己更加開心和成功，你還能夠感染到周圍的人。2.Stop Being Negative 停止消極

Now that you’re done doubting yourself, stop doubting others.You don’t like when people are critical of you, so stop being critical of others.Think about how you make other people feel – even if you have good intentions, people don’t like hearing negativity.現在你不要再懷疑自己了，也別再懷疑身邊的人。你不希望被人對你挑剔，那么也不要再去挑剔身邊的人。想想你給別人帶來的什么樣的感受吧——即使出發點是好的，別人也不想聽到那么多消極的事情呀。3.Stop Procrastinating 停止拖延

I don’t feel like procrastinating right now– I’ll do it tomorrow.When you procrastinate, you remain stagnant.Whatever you’re putting off doesn’t go away;resolve the problem, and move on.You’ll be much happier in the long run.我現在不想做，還是留到明天吧。一旦開始拖延，其實你已經停滯不前了。你拖延的事情不會自行解決。解決問題，繼續前行吧。從長遠角度來說你會更加快樂。4.Stop Being Mean 不要那么刻薄

It’s completely possible to step on someone’s toes without meaning to – it happens all the time.There’s no need to pile on by purposefully doing mean things, so make a conscious effort to stop being mean.If someone wrongs you, let it go.There’s no need to seek vengeance unless that’s the type of person you want to be.無意踩到別人的情況真的有可能會發生——常常會發生。但沒必要去處心積慮地做一些不好的事情，所以要有意識地讓自己不要那么刻薄。如果有人對你無理地對待，隨他們去好了。沒必要去報復，除非你也想成為那一類的人。5.Stop Eating Out 不要在外吃飯

Eating out is the biggest waste of money.Every so often it’s nice to treat yourself, but eating out for every meal is the quickest way to drain your bank account.Learn how to cook at least a handful of foods you enjoy: It’ll save you money, keep you healthier, and occasionally impress people.在外面吃飯真的非常非常的浪費錢。也許每次對于你而言都是一次犒賞，但每頓都在外面吃反而是花光積蓄的最快方式。至少也去學學怎么做一些自己喜歡的菜：既能省錢，還能讓你更健康，還會讓其他人眼前一亮。

6.Stop Being Lazy 不要再偷懶

Lazy people are annoying – it’s like pulling teeth getting them to do anything.If I can’t do something as simple as going to a movie with you without having to factor in an hour of convincing you to get your lazy butt out of bed, I’d rather go alone.People have enough trouble motivating themselves;don’t make your friends and family waste their valuable energy motivating you as well.懶人真的很招人煩——得像趕驢磨墨一樣逼著他們做事情。如果我想跟你看一場電影，卻不得不花一個小時說服你起床，那我寧愿一個人去看。給自己動力都不是件容易的事情，就別讓朋友和家人浪費寶貴的精力再來給你動力了吧。7.Stop Complaining 停止抱怨

We all have problems, and sometimes we need to vent to someone.That’s acceptable, but pay attention to how often you’re venting.We all love helping our friends and family, but when all you get from someone is negativity, it’s easier to cut them off than help, especially if they’re always complaining about the same things.我們都有麻煩事，有時候總想跟別人傾訴。這可以理解，但要注意你吐槽的頻率。我們都喜歡幫助朋友和家人，但如果從那個人身上我只能感知到負能量，那么還是離得越遠越好吧，尤其是當他們在反復抱怨同一件事的時候。8.Stop Being Selfish 別再那么自私

If you only think about yourself, you’ll soon find yourself by yourself.Stop for a minute and think about how your actions affect other people – did you take the last cup of coffee from the break room? Refill it!Do you live with others? Don’t drink out the milk carton.We share this world 100% of the time, so every action you take can affect other people.如果你只考慮你自己，那么很快你會發現身邊只剩下你自己。停一分鐘想想你的行為會給別人帶來什么影響吧——你是不是從休息室拿了最后一杯咖啡?再倒滿呀!你是不是和別人合租?不要喝光所有的牛奶，這個世界是一個完全由大家分享的世界，你所做的每件事都會影響到別人。

9.Stop Wasting Time 別再浪費時間

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: time is the most valuable resource we have.Don’t waste your time on unproductive things.If you want to explore the world’s dark corners, that’s great.I still associate with people who have not-so-kosher careers, but I don’t hang out with those people at the expense of my own short-and long-term goals.雖然之前說過了，但我還想再說一遍：時間是我們擁有的最寶貴的資源，不要把時間浪費在沒有意義的事情上面，如果你想探索這個世界的黑暗角落，很好。我也認識一些沒有固定工作的一些自由職業者，但我不會以犧牲自己的短期長期目標為代價和他們出去玩樂。10.Stop Making Promises 別再做承諾

Always under-promise and over-deliver.When you make a promise, you’re adding responsibility to your plate that, despite all your best intentions, you may not be able to deliver on.More often than not, your promise is an absolute(i.e ―I promise I’ll always love you‖)，and onlySith deal in absolutes.Instead of making a promise with your words, simply be there when people need you, and exceed their expectations with your actions.總是做承諾，總是做不到。每次做承諾都是不禁給自己增添了責任，無論你的出發點有多好，你都不可能完成所有的部分。大部分時候，你的承諾都太過絕對(比如―我發誓我永遠愛你‖)，也只能在絕對環境中才能實現。與其用語言許下承諾，不如在別人需要你的時候出現，然后用行動達到他們的期望吧。1.Stop Being a Pushover 不要做老好人

We live in a capitalistic society in which everyone’s trying to sell us something.Everyone’s looking out for themselves in one way or another, and you need to do the same.Stop putting yourself out because you’re too shy to say no.我們所處的社會，每個人都試圖告知我們一些事情。每個人都從不同的角度去找尋著自己，你也需要，你要做的就是在合適的時候說不。12.Stop Listening to Haters 不要聽討厭的人說話

No matter what you want to do in life, there’s always someone around to tell you why it can’t and won’t work.I can come up with millions of reasons Twitter won’t work, and yet it’s one of the most popular social media sites on the web.My opinion didn’t stop Twitter’s success any more than it convinced Kobe Bryant to quit the NBA or Josh Hartnettto stop acting.Why would you let someone’s opinion stop you?

無論你想干什么，總會有人告訴你不要這么做，沒有用的。我可以想出成百萬條推特不實用的理由，但它還是互聯網上最流行的社交網站之一。我的想法不會阻止推特的成功，就像你無法勸科比退出NBA或喬什·哈奈特不要當演員了一樣，都毫無意義。那么為什么要讓別人的想法阻止你呢?

13.Stop Being Wasteful 停止浪費

You don’t finish your meals, and away food instead.You leave the faucet running when you brush your teeth, pouring precious water down the drain.You drive places you could easily walk, burning gasoline(a non-renewable resource)。You are wasteful, and it needs to stop.你飯沒吃完，然后扔掉食物;刷牙的時候還開著水龍頭，就讓寶貴的水嘩嘩的流走;明明可以走到的地方你偏要開車，燃燒汽油(無法再生資源)。如果你浪費了，那就趕緊停止這一惡習。14.Stop Littering 不要亂扔垃圾

The only thing I hate more than wasteful people are litterbugs.Litterbugs are my least favorite bug, and there are more than you’d think.If you’ve ever thrown even one piece of gum, paper, candy wrapper, cigarette butt, etc on the ground, you’re a disgusting litterbug, and you should be ashamed of yourself.There are over 7 billion people in the world– if each person only throws one ―innocent‖ piece of garbage on the ground, that’s 7 billion pieces of garbage littering a world in which nobody ―did it‖。

唯一一個讓我覺得比浪費的人更可惡的就是垃圾蟲。垃圾蟲最讓我厭惡，而且永遠多的讓你數不清。如果你曾扔過一塊口香糖，一張紙、糖果包裝、煙蒂，那么你就是惡心的垃圾蟲。你應該感到恥辱。世界上有超過70億的人——如果每個人都無意識的扔一點垃圾，那么全世界就會變成70億垃圾場，哪怕沒有罪魁禍首。

Your one decision makes a HUGE difference, and I will not allow you to blow it off and walk around with your head held high.You’re a litterbug, and it needs to stop immediately.You don’t get alifehack for this one, you filthy animal.Just stop – you already know how.你的一個決定會產生深遠的影響，我不贊成你去大馬路大聲高呼。如果你是垃圾蟲，那么就需要馬上停止了，也許不會救命，但能讓你不那么惹人厭。停止這一舉動吧，你知道該怎么做的。15.Stop Taking Everything Personally 別把每件事太往心里去

People get offended about the strangest things.Take Kendrick Lamar’s now-infamous verse on ―Control‖ this summer: he called out a list of a dozen rappers he thinks he’s better than(and he’s right)。The internet went crazy, and rappers all over the industry rushed to their mics to record a response.The thing is, all K-Dot said is he’s the best rapper.Everyone took it personally, and that’s exactly what he was going for.The lesson to learn from this is that not everything is about you, and if you’re easily upset, someone will use that to their advantage.人們會因為一些奇怪的事情感到被侵犯。就拿Kendrick Lamar這個夏天備受爭議的歌曲《Control》為例：他在歌詞中挑釁了一些他認為比他弱的說唱歌手(的確是這樣)，一石激起千層浪，整個說唱界的歌手都蜂擁錄歌作為回擊。重點在于，所有的人都認為自己是最好的說唱者，每個人都更看重自己，這就是他的目的所在。這件事教給我們的無非就是不是所有的事都要圍著你轉，如果你是玻璃心，有人會利用這一點。

16.Stop Talking 不要再說話了

Sometimes it’s best to just STFU –especially in relationships.I can’t even count how many times I created an issue that didn’t need to be an issue simply because I opened my mouth.Even if what you want to say is important, just shut up and ride it out.You can say more with your actions than words, and you can’t listen when you’re talking.有時候沉默是金——特別在情侶關系里。我都記不清到底多少次因為說錯話引發了本可以避免的爭端。即使你想說的非常重要，那也閉嘴，自行消化。你可以用行動證明一切，畢竟你自己說話的時候是聽不見的。

17.Just Stop, and Breathe… 停一下，深呼吸吧

No matter what you’re doing in life or how your day is going, there’s always room to just stop for a moment and just breathe.Try it right now to celebrate getting through this list of everything you’re doing wrong.無論你現在在干什么，這一天過得怎么樣，你都需要好好停一下深呼吸。不如現在就歇一歇，犒賞自己總算挺過了一些錯事。

第三篇：奧巴馬給女兒的信(中英對照版)

Dear Malia and Sasha, I know that you've both had a lot of fun these last two

親愛的馬莉亞和莎夏：

我知道這兩年你們倆隨我一路競選years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and 都有過不少樂子，野餐、游行、逛州博覽state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I 會，吃了各種或許我和你媽不該讓你們吃probably shouldn't have let you have.But I also know that it 的垃圾食物。然而我也知道，你們倆和你hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited 媽的日子，有時候并不愜意。新來的小狗as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn't make up for 雖然令你們興奮，卻無法彌補我們不在一all the time we've been apart.I know how much I've missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me

— about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want.But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day.And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore.I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours.And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours.In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation.I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential — schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them.I want them to have the chance to go to college — even if their parents aren't rich.And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity.起的所有時光。我明白這兩年我錯過的太多了，今天我要再向你們說說為何我決定帶領我們一家走上這趟旅程。

當我還年輕的時候，我認為生活就該

繞著我轉：我如何在這世上得心應手，成功立業，得到我想要的。后來，你們倆進入了我的世界，帶來的種種好奇、淘氣和微笑，總能填滿我的心，照亮我的日子。

突然之間，我為自己譜寫的偉大計劃顯得不再那么重要了。我很快便發現，我在你們生命中看到的快樂，就是我自己生命中最大的快樂。而我也同時體認到，如果我不能確保你們此生能夠擁有追求幸福和自我實現的一切機會，我自己的生命也沒多大價值。總而言之，我的女兒，這就是我競選總統的原因：我要讓你們倆和這個國家的每一個孩子，都能擁有我想要給他們的東西。

我要讓所有兒童都在能夠發掘他們

潛能的學校就讀；這些學校要能挑戰他們，激勵他們，并灌輸他們對身處的這個世界的好奇心。我要他們有機會上大學，那怕他們的父母并不富有。而且我要他們能找到好的工作：薪酬高還附帶健康保險的工作，讓他們有時間陪孩子、并且能帶著尊嚴退休的工作。

I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to see new technologies and inventions that

我要大家向發現的極限挑戰，讓你在有生之年能夠看見改善我們生活、使這個improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer.And 行星更干凈、更安全的新科技和發明。我I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the 也要大家向自己的人際界限挑戰，跨越使divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us 我們看不到對方長處的種族、地域、性別from seeing the best in each other.Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war

和宗教樊籬。

有時候為了保護我們的國家，我們不and other dangerous situations to protect our country — but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe.And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free — that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something.She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better — and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us.It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you've had.Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so 得不把青年男女派到戰場或其它危險的地方，然而當我們這么做的時候，我要確保師出有名，我們盡了全力以和平方式化解與他人的爭執，也想盡了一切辦法保障男女官兵的安全。我要每個孩子都明白，這些勇敢的美國人在戰場上捍衛的福祉是無法平白得到的：在享有作為這個國家公民的偉大特權之際，重責大任也隨之而來。

這正是我在你們這年紀時，外婆想要

教我的功課，她把獨立宣言開頭幾行念給我聽，告訴我有一些男女為了爭取平等挺身而出游行抗議，因為他們認為兩個世紀前白紙黑字寫下來的這些句子，不應只是空話。

她讓我了解到，美國所以偉大，不是

因為它完美，而是因為我們可以不斷讓它變得更好，而讓它更好的未竟工作，就落在我們每個人的身上。這是我們交給孩子們的責任，每過一代，美國就更接近我們的理想。

我希望你們倆都愿接下這個工作，看

到不對的事要想辦法改正，努力幫助別人獲得你們有過的機會。這并非只因國家給了我們一家這么多，你們也當有所回饋，much — although you do have that obligation.But because 雖然你們的確有這個義務，而是因為你們you have an obligation to yourself.Because it is only when 對自己負有義務。因為，唯有在把你的馬you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that 車套在更大的東西上時，你才會明白自己you will realize your true potential.These are the things I want for you — to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements

真正的潛能有多大。

這些是我想要讓你們得到的東西：在一個夢想不受限制、無事不能成就的世界beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed 中長大，長成具慈悲心、堅持理想，能幫women who will help build that world.And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have.That's why I've taken our family on this great adventure.I am so proud of both of you.I love you more than you can ever know.And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House.Love, Dad

忙打造這樣一個世界的女性。我要每個孩子都有和你們一樣的機會，去學習、夢想、成長、發展。這就是我帶領我們一家展開這趟大冒險的原因。

我深以你倆為榮，你們永遠不會明白我有多愛你們，在我們準備一同在白宮開

始新生活之際，我沒有一天不為你們的忍耐、沉穩、明理和幽默而心存感激。

愛你們的父親

第四篇：奧巴馬寫給女兒的信

奧巴馬：給女兒的一封信

2014-09-05 [小 大] 作者：奧巴馬 來源: 文摘 點擊量：

親愛的馬莉婭、薩莎：

我知道，這兩年來，在這條競選道路上，你們享受了不少快樂時光。你們參加了野餐，列隊游行和各州的集會，還吃了不少我和你們的媽媽原來不允許你們吃的垃圾食品，所有這一切，我都非常清楚。同時我深切地體會到，對你們和你們的媽媽而言，這兩年是多么的辛苦。不過，在這個過程中，也有令人興奮的時候，就和我們家買小狗時，你們興高采烈的心情是一樣的，我知道，在過去的兩年里我錯過了許多，但今天我想對你們說，為什么我決定帶領全家踏上這條征程。

爸爸年輕的時候，曾認為生活的全部內容只有我自己，以為生活的全部意義就是怎樣才能在世界的矚目下闖蕩出一條屬于自己的路，一條成功的路，一條能夠得到我想要的一切的路。但是到了后來，你們兩個先后來到我的世界，你們對一切充滿好奇的眼神，你們淘氣的樣子，還有你們的微笑，填滿了我整顆心，也照亮了我的人生。我突然意識到，我以前為自己制定的宏偉藍圖，似乎變得不再重要了。我發現你們的快樂，才是我一生中最大的快樂。我覺得，如果我不能給你們帶來快樂和幸福，那么我的生命就沒有任何價值而言。孩子們，這就是爸爸為何會競選總統的原因: 為了你們，為了全美國的每個孩子。

我希望，每個孩子都能夠上學，去那些能夠充分發掘潛力激發創造力和想象力，教會用質疑和好奇的眼睛觀看世界的學校。我希望，每個孩子都有機會接受大學教育，即使有些孩子能夠找到工作，能拿到滿意的報酬，能享受各項福利，能在工作之余有時間陪自己的子女，能在退休后仍能享有做人的尊嚴。

我希望，大家勇于探索，攀登科學的高峰，在有生之年能親眼見證高新科技發明創造給世界帶來的變化，切身體會我們的星球在科學的帶動下，變得更加清潔，更加安全。我希望，在大家的共同努力下，人類不再有種族之分，地域之分，性別之分和信仰之分。因為只要這些認為的界限依然存在，我們就看不到彼此最美好的閃光點。

有時候我們不得不讓青年去參加戰爭，參與處理其他危險的局面，以保衛我們的國家，然而，一旦我們這樣做了，就一定要確保有足夠充分的理由說服我們非如此就解決不了問題。確信我們已經竭盡所能希望用和平的方式解決爭端。確保我們已經盡一切的可能保障戰士的安全。我希望每個孩子都明白，這些勇敢的美國人為之奮斗的幸福不是解放自我，而是一種光榮----一種作為國家公民身上所被賦予的神圣使命。這些都是你們的祖母交給我們的。那時的我和你們差不多大，當他指著獨立宣言一字一句讀給我聽時，他告訴我，我們的戰士之所以勇敢地踏上追求平等的征程，正是因為他們相信，我們的祖先在200年前寫在紙上的這些文字，一定有著深刻的內涵。

分享到：0 你們的祖母讓我明白，美國之所以偉大，并不是因為這個國家已經完美無缺，而是因為這片土地上的人么總能不斷地讓國家變得日益完美。現在，這個使命落在了我們的肩上。

我希望你們倆能擔負起這份責任，要學會不斷糾正自己的錯誤，學會付出自己的努力，讓別人也能夠得到和自己同樣的發展機會，這不僅是因為你們必須對自己負責任。道理很簡單，只有當你們胸懷大志，并努力去實現它時，你們才能發現自己的潛力所在。

這就是我對你們的希望，在你們自由成長的世界里，你們的夢想不受任何約束，也沒有你們不能做得到的事情，我希望等你們長大以后，能富有同情心和責任感，為建設一個更加美好的世界而不懈努力。我希望每個孩子都能夠擁有和你們同樣的機會，同樣的夢想和同樣茁壯成長的經歷。這就是我帶領全家踏上這條偉大征程的原因。

爸爸為你們兩個感到驕傲。你們可知道我又多么愛你們。就在我們準備一起入住白宮，開啟生活新篇章的時候，你們表現出了應有的耐心恬靜優雅和幽默。在這里，我要對你們說一聲謝謝。

第五篇：《夢想與責任：奧巴馬開學演講》中英文對照演講稿

夢想與責任：奧巴馬開學演講

Hello, everybody!Thank you.Thank you.Thank you, everybody.All right, everybody go ahead and have a seat.How is everybody doing today?(Applause.)How about Tim Spicer?(Applause.)I am here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia.And we’ve got students tuning in from all across America, from kindergarten through 12th grade.And I am just so glad that all could join us today.And I want to thank Wakefield for being such an outstanding host.Give yourselves a big round of applause.(Applause.)

大家好！謝謝你們。謝謝你們。謝謝你們大家。好，大家請就坐。你們今天都好嗎？（掌聲）蒂姆·斯派塞（Tim Spicer）好嗎？（掌聲）我現在與弗吉尼亞州阿靈頓郡韋克菲爾德高中的學生們在一起。美國各地從小學預備班到中學12年級的學生正在收聽收看。我很高興大家今天都能參與。我還要感謝韋克菲爾德高中出色的組織安排。請為你們自己熱烈鼓掌。（掌聲）

I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school.And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it’s your first day in a new school, so it’s understandable if you’re a little nervous.I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now--(applause)--with just one more year to go.And no matter what grade you’re in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer and you could’ve stayed in bed just a little bit longer this morning.我知道，今天是你們很多人開學的日子。對于進入小學預備班、初中或高中的學生，今天是你們來到新學校的第一天，心里可能有點緊張，這是可以理解的。我能想象有些畢業班學生現在感覺很不錯——（掌聲）——還有一年就畢業了。不論在哪個年級，你們有些人可能希望暑假更長一點，今天早上還能多睡一小會兒。

I know that feeling.When I was young, my family lived overseas.I lived in Indonesia for a few years.And my mother, she didn’t have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school, but she thought it was important for me to keep up with an American education.So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday.But because she had to go to work, the only time she could do it was at 4:30 in the morning.我了解這種感覺。我小時候，我們家生活在海外。我在印度尼西亞住了幾年。我媽媽沒有錢送我上其他美國孩子上的學校，但她認為必須讓我接受美式教育。因此，她決定從周一到周五自己給我補課。不過她還要上班，所以只能在清晨四點半給我上課。

Now, as you might imagine, I wasn’t too happy about getting up that early.And a lot of times, I’d fall asleep right there at the kitchen table.But whenever I’d complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and she’d say, “This is no picnic for me either, buster.”(Laughter.)

你們可以想見，我不太情愿那么早起床。有很多次，我趴在餐桌上就睡著了。但每當我抱怨的時候，我媽媽都會那樣地看我一眼，然后說：“小子，這對我也并不輕松。”（笑聲）

So I know that some of you are still adjusting to being back at school.But I’m here today because I have something important to discuss with you.I’m here because I want to talk with you about your education and what’s expected of all of you in this new school year.我知道你們有些人還在適應開學后的生活。但我今天來到這里是因為有重要的事情要和你們說。我來這里是要和你們談談你們的教育問題，以及在這個新學年對你們所有人的期望。

Now, I’ve given a lot of speeches about education.And I’ve talked about responsibility a lot.我做過很多次有關教育問題的演講。我多次談到過責任問題。

I’ve talked about teachers’ responsibility for inspiring students and pushing you to learn.我談到過教師激勵學生并督促他們學習的責任。

I’ve talked about your parents’ responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and you get your homework done, and don’t spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with the Xbox.我談到過家長的責任，要確保你們走正路，完成家庭作業，不要整天坐在電視前或玩Xbox游戲。

I’ve talked a lot about your government’s responsibility for setting high standards, and supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren’t working, where students aren’t getting the opportunities that they deserve.我多次談到過政府的責任，要制定高標準，支持教師和校長的工作，徹底改善不能為學生提供應有機會的、教育質量差的學校。

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, the best schools in the world--and none of it will make a difference, none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities, unless you show up to those schools, unless you pay attention to those teachers, unless you listen to your parents and grandparents and other adults and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.That’s what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education.然而，即使我們擁有最敬業的教師，最盡力的家長和全世界最好的學校——如果你們大家不履行你們的責任，不到校上課，不專心聽講，不聽家長、祖父祖母和其他大人的話，不付出取得成功所必須的勤奮努力，那么這一切都毫無用處，都無關緊要。這就是我今天講話的重點：你們每個人對自己的教育應盡的責任。

I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.Every single one of you has something that you’re good at.Every single one of you has something to offer.And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is.That’s the opportunity an education can provide.我首先要講講你們對自己應盡的責任。你們每個人都有自己的長處。你們每個人都能做出自己的貢獻。你們對自己應盡的責任是發現自己的能力所在。而教育能夠提供這樣的機會。

Maybe you could be a great writer--maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper--but you might not know it until you write that English paper--that English class paper that’s assigned to you.Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor--maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or the new medicine or vaccine--but you might not know it until you do your project for your science class.Maybe you could be a mayor or a senator or a Supreme Court justice--but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.你或許能成為一名出色的作家——甚至可能寫書或在報紙上發表文章——但你可能要在完成那篇英文課的作文后才會發現自己的才華。你或許能成為一名創新者或發明家——甚至可能設計出新一代iPhone或研制出新型藥物或疫苗——但你可能要在完成科學課的實驗后才會發現自己的才華。你或許能成為一名市長或參議員或最高法院的大法官——但你可能要在參加學生會的工作或辯論隊后才會發現自己的才華。

And no matter what you want to do with your life, I guarantee that you’ll need an education to do it.You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You’re going to need a good education for every single one of those careers.You cannot drop out of school and just drop into a good job.You’ve got to train for it and work for it and learn for it.不論你的生活志向是什么，我敢肯定你必須上學讀書才能實現它。你想當醫生、教師或警官嗎？你想當護士、建筑師、律師或軍人嗎？你必須接受良好的教育，才能從事上述任何一種職業。你不能指望輟學后能碰上個好工作。你必須接受培訓，為之努力，為之學習。

And this isn’t just important for your own life and your own future.What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country.The future of America depends on you.What you’re learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.這并非只對你個人的人生和未來意義重大。可以毫不夸大地說，教育給你帶來的益處將決定這個國家的未來。美國的未來取決于你們。你們今日在校學習的知識將決定我們作為一個國家是否能夠迎接我們未來所面臨的最嚴峻挑戰。

You’ll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment.You’ll need the insights and critical-thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free.You’ll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.你們將需要利用你們通過自然科學和數學課程所學到的知識和解決問題的能力來治愈癌癥、艾滋病及其他疾病，開發新的能源技術和保護我們的環境。你們將需要利用你們在歷史學和社會學課堂上所獲得的知識和獨立思考能力來抗擊貧困和解決無家可歸問題，打擊犯罪和消除歧視，使我們的國家更公平、更自由。你們將需要利用你們在所有課堂上培養的創造力和智慧來創辦新公司，增加就業機會，振興我們的經濟。

We need every single one of you to develop your talents and your skills and your intellect so you can help us old folks solve our most difficult problems.If you don’t do that--if you quit on school--you’re not just quitting on yourself, you’re quitting on your country.我們需要你們每個人發揮你們的聰明才智和技能，以便幫助老一輩人解決我們面臨的最棘手問題。如果你們不這樣做，如果你們輟學，你們不僅僅是自暴自棄，也是拋棄自己的國家。

Now, I know it’s not always easy to do well in school.I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.我自然知道要做到學業優秀并非總是易事。我知道你們許多人在生活中面臨挑戰，難以集中精力從事學業。

I get it.I know what it’s like.My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mom who had to work and who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn’t always able to give us the things that other kids had.There were times when I missed having a father in my life.There were times when I was lonely and I felt like I didn’t fit in.我明白這一點。我有親身感受。兩歲時，我父親離家而去，我是由一位單親母親撫養成人的，母親不得不工作，并時常為支付生活費用而苦苦掙扎，但有時仍無法為我們提供其他孩子享有的東西。有時，我渴望生活中能有一位父親。有時我感到孤獨，感到自己不適應社會。

So I wasn’t always as focused as I should have been on school, and I did some things I’m not proud of, and I got in more trouble than I should have.And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.我并非總是像我應該做到的那樣專心學習，我也曾做過我如今不能引以為豪的一些事情，我曾惹過不應該惹的麻煩。我的人生原本會輕易陷入更糟糕的境地。

But I was--I was lucky.I got a lot of second chances, and I had the opportunity to go to college and law school and follow my dreams.My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, she has a similar story.Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn’t have a lot of money.But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.但是，我當年際遇不錯。我有過許多第二次機會，我有幸能上大學，上法學院，追求自己的理想。我的妻子，我們的第一夫人米歇爾?奧巴馬，也有著類似的經歷。她的父母都未曾上過大學，家里很窮。但他們非常勤奮，她也是如此，因此她得以進入一些美國最好的學校。

Some of you might not have those advantages.Maybe you don’t have adults in your life who give you the support that you need.Maybe someone in your family has lost their job and there’s not enough money to go around.Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don’t feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren’t right.你們中有一些人可能沒有那些有利條件。或許你們生活中沒有成年人為你們提供你們所需要的支持。或許你們家中有人失業，經濟非常拮據。或許你們生活在使你們感覺不安全的社區，或有朋友逼迫你們去做你們知道不對的事情。

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life--what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you’ve got going on at home--none of that is an excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude in school.That’s no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school.There is no excuse for not trying.然而說到底，你們生活的環境、你們的膚色、你們的原籍、你們的經濟收入、你們家中的境況等等，這一切都不能成為你們不用功或不努力的理由。你們沒有理由不服從你們的老師、逃學、或輟學。沒有理由不付出努力。

Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up.No one’s written your destiny for you, because here in America, you write your own destiny.You make your own future.你們目前的狀況并不決定著你們的未來。沒有人決定你們的命運，在美國，你們決定自己的命運。你們掌握自己的未來。

That’s what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.這就是像你們這樣的年輕人每天都在做的事情，全美各地都是如此。

Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas.Jazmin didn’t speak English when she first started school.Neither of her parents had gone to college.But she worked hard, earned good grades, and got a scholarship to Brown University--is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to becoming Dr.Jazmin Perez.來自得州羅馬城的賈茲敏 佩雷斯（Jazmin Perez）就是一個例證，她剛開始上學時并不會說英文。她的父母都沒有上過大學。然而，她非常勤奮，成績優秀，獲得了布朗大學的獎學金，她如今正在讀研究生，攻讀公共衛生專業，不久將成為賈茲敏 佩雷斯博士。

I’m thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who’s fought brain cancer since he was three.He’s had to endure all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer--hundreds of extra hours--to do his schoolwork.But he never fell behind.He’s headed to college this fall.我想起了加州洛斯阿爾托斯城的安多尼 舒爾茨（Andoni Schultz），他從三歲開始就一直與腦癌進行抗爭，他不得不忍受各類治療和手術帶來的痛苦，其中一項手術曾影響了他的記憶，因此他花在功課上的時間比一般人長得多，要多出數百個小時。然而，他從未落后。他今年秋季將邁進大學。

And then there’s Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois.Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods in the city, she managed to get a job at a local health care center, start a program to keep young people out of gangs, and she’s on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.我還想起家鄉伊利諾伊州芝加哥市的尚特爾 史蒂夫（Shantell Steve）。她曾在芝加哥最困難的社區生活，寄養于多個不同的家庭，但她最終在一家地方醫療中心找到工作，并開始了一項幫助年輕人遠離流氓團伙的計劃，她即將以優異成績從中學畢業，緊接著將上大學。

And Jazmin, Andoni, and Shantell aren’t any different from any of you.They face challenges in their lives just like you do.In some cases they’ve got it a lot worse off than many of you.But they refused to give up.They chose to take responsibility for their lives, for their education, and set goals for themselves.And I expect all of you to do the same.賈茲敏、安多尼和尚特爾與你們中間的每個人沒什么兩樣。跟你們一樣，他們在生活中面臨種種挑戰。在某些情況下，他們的處境比起你們許多人更差。但他們拒絕放棄。他們決定要為自己的一生、自己的教育負起責任，為自己設定各項奮斗目標。我期待你們大家都會這樣做。

That’s why today I’m calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education--and do everything you can to meet them.Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending some time each day reading a book.Maybe you’ll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community.Maybe you’ll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all young people deserve a safe environment to study and learn.Maybe you’ll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn.And along those lines, by the way, I hope all of you are washing your hands a lot, and that you stay home from school when you don’t feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.因此，我今天呼吁你們每一個人為自己的教育設定目標，并盡自己的最大努力來實現這些目標。你的目標可以是一件十分簡單的事情，例如完成家庭作業、上課專心聽講、或每天花一點時間讀一本書。也許你會決定要參加課外活動或在你的社區提供志愿服務。也許你會決定挺身而出保護那些因為身份或長相而受人戲弄或欺負的孩子，原因是你和我一樣認為所有的年輕人都應該享有一個適合讀書和學習的安全環境。也許你會決定更好地照料自己，以便有更充沛的精力來學習。順便提一下，除了這些事情外，我希望大家要勤洗手，身體感到不舒服的時候要呆在家里不去上學，這樣我們能防止人們在今年秋冬季節染上流感。

But whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it.I want you to really work at it.但無論你決定做什么，我希望你保證去做。我希望你腳踏實地地去做。

I know that sometimes you get that sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work--that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star.Chances are you’re not going to be any of those things.我知道有時候你會從電視上得到這樣的印象：你不用做任何艱苦的工作就能發財致富并取得成功，唱小調、打籃球或成為真人秀明星是走向成功的途徑。但實際情況是：你可能不會成為其中的一員。

The truth is, being successful is hard.You won’t love every subject that you study.You won’t click with every teacher that you have.Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right at this minute.And you won’t necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.事實上，取得成功不是輕而易舉的事情。你不會喜歡你學習的每一門課目。你不會與你的每一位老師都很投契。不是所有的家庭作業似乎都與你眼前的生活完全有關。你第一次嘗試做每件事的時候，不一定成功。

That’s okay.Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who’ve had the most failures.J.K.Rowling’s--who wrote Harry Potter--her first Harry Potter book was rejected 12 times before it was finally published.Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team.He lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career.But he once said, “I have failed over and over and over again in my life.And that’s why I succeed.”

這些都沒關系。世界上最成功的人士中有一些是遭遇失敗最多的人。作者J.K.羅琳（J.K.Rowling）所寫的系列小說《哈利 波特》（Harry Potter）第一部在獲得出版之前被退稿12次。邁克爾?喬丹（Michael Jordan）曾被他的高中籃球隊除名。在喬丹的籃球生涯中，他輸過數百場比賽，有成千上萬個球沒有投中。但他曾說過：“在我的一生中，我失敗了一次又一次、一次又一次。這就是我成功的原因。”

These people succeeded because they understood that you can’t let your failures define you--you have to let your failures teach you.You have to let them show you what to do differently the next time.So if you get into trouble, that doesn’t mean you’re a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to act right.If you get a bad grade, that doesn’t mean you’re stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.這些人士獲得成功，因為他們懂得：你不能讓失敗來限制你，而必須讓失敗來開導你。你必須讓失敗向你展示下次如何以不同的方式去做這件事情。因此，如果你遇到麻煩，那并不表示你是麻煩的制造者，而意味著你需要更加努力去把它做對。如果你有一門課分數低，那不表示你比別人笨，而只表示你需要花更多的時間學習。

No one’s born being good at all things.You become good at things through hard work.You’re not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport.You don’t hit every note the first time you sing a song.You’ve got to practice.The same principle applies to your schoolwork.You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right.You might have to read something a few times before you understand it.You definitely have to do a few drafts of a paper before it’s good enough to hand in.沒有一個人天生擅長做各種事情。你通過勤奮而變得擅長于各種事情。第一次從事新的體育項目時，你不可能是一位主力隊員。第一次唱一首歌曲時，你不可能唱準每個音。你必須練習。同樣的道理適用于你的學業。你可能要把一道數學題做幾次才把它做對。你可能要把一些材料閱讀幾遍才能理解。在交出一篇優美的作文之前，你肯定需要打幾遍草稿。

Don’t be afraid to ask questions.Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.I do that every day.Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength because it shows you have the courage to admit when you don’t know something, and that then allows you to learn something new.So find an adult that you trust--a parent, a grandparent or teacher, a coach or a counselor--and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.不要害怕提問。不要在需要幫助時害怕請求別人幫助。我天天請求別人的幫助。請求幫助不是軟弱的表現，它是力量的標志，因為它表明你有勇氣承認自己對某些事情不懂，這樣做會使你學到新的東西。因此，請確定一位你信任的成年人，例如家長、祖父母或老師、教練或輔導員，請他們幫助你遵循既定計劃實現你的目標。

And even when you’re struggling, even when you’re discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you, don’t ever give up on yourself, because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.即使當你苦苦掙扎、灰心喪氣、感到其他人對你不抱希望時，也不要對你自己喪失信心，因為當你自暴自棄時，你也拋棄了自己的國家。

The story of America isn’t about people who quit when things got tough.It’s about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.書寫美國歷史的不是在困難時刻退縮的人，而是堅持不懈、加倍努力的人，他們對國家的愛促使他們全力以赴。

It’s the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and they founded this nation.Young people.Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war;who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon.Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google and Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.書寫美國歷史的是250年前坐在你們的位置上的學生，他們后來進行了獨立戰爭并創建了這個國家。還有75年前坐在你們的位置上的年輕人和學生，他們走出了大蕭條并打贏了一場世界大戰；他們為民權而奮斗并把宇航員送上了月球。至于20年前坐在你們的位置上的學生，他們創辦了谷歌（Google）、嘰喳網（Twitter）和臉譜網（Facebook），改變了我們交流溝通的方式。

So today, I want to ask all of you, what’s your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a President who comes here in 20 or 50 or 100 years say about what all of you did for this country?

而今天，我要問問你們大家，你們將做出什么貢獻？你們將解決什么問題？你們將有什么發現？20年、50年或100年后來到這里講話的總統將會怎樣評價你們大家為這個國家所做的一切？

Now, your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions.I’m working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books and the equipment and the computers you need to learn.But you’ve got to do your part, too.So I expect all of you to get serious this year.I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do.I expect great things from each of you.So don’t let us down.Don’t let your family down or your country down.Most of all, don’t let yourself down.Make us all proud.你們的家人、你們的老師和我正在竭盡全力保證你們接受必要的教育，以便回答上述問題。我正在努力工作，以便你們的教室得到修繕，你們能夠得到學習所需的課本、設備和電腦。但你們也必須盡自己的努力。因此，我希望你們大家從今年起認真對待這個問題。我希望你們盡最大努力做好每一件事。我希望你們每個人都有出色的表現。不要讓我們失望。不要讓你們的家人或你們的國家失望。而最重要的是，不要辜負你們自己，而要讓我們都能[為你們]感到驕傲。

Thank you very much, everybody.God bless you.God bless America.Thank you.(Applause.)

非常感謝你們大家。愿主保佑你們。愿主保佑美國。謝謝你們。（掌聲）