第一篇：英語名篇:葛底斯堡演講詞

--亞伯拉罕.林肯

THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS

by Abraham Lincoln

八十七年以前，我們的祖先在這大陸上建立了一個國家，它孕育于自由，并且獻身給一種理念，即所有人都是聲來平等的。

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.當前，我們正在從事一次偉大的內戰，我們在考驗，究竟這個國家，或任何一個有這種主張和這種信仰的國家，是否能長久存在。我們在那次戰爭的一個偉大的戰場上集會。我們來到這里，奉獻那個戰場上的一部分土地，作為在此地為那個國家的生存而犧牲了自己生命的人的永久眠息之所。我們這樣做，是十分合情合理的。

Now we are engaged in a great civil war testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.We are met on a great battle-field of that war.We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.可是，就更深一層意義而言，我們是無從奉獻這片土地的--無從使它成為圣地--也不能把它變為人們景仰之所。那些在這里戰斗的勇士，活著的和死去的，已使這塊土地神圣化了，遠非我們的菲薄能力所能左右。世人會不大注意，更不會長久記得我們在此地所說的話，然而他們將永遠忘不了這些人在這里所做的事。相反，我們活著的人應該獻身于那些曾在此作戰的人們所英勇推動而尚未完成的工作。我們應該在此獻身于我們面前所留存的偉大工作--由于他們的光榮犧牲，我們要更堅定地致力于他們曾作最后全部貢獻的那個事業--我們在此立志宣誓，不能讓他們白白死去--要使這個國家在上帝的庇佑之下，得到新生的自由--要使那民有、民治、民享的政府不致從地球上消失。

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate-we cannot consecrate-we cannot hallow-this ground.The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, for above our poor power to add or detract.The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us-that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion-that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain-that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom-and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

第二篇：葛底斯堡演講詞

林肯葛底斯堡演講詞

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.We are met on a great battle-field of that war.We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate – we cannot consecrate – we cannot hallow – this ground.The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion;that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain;that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom;and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

第三篇：美國總統林肯葛底斯堡演講詞

The Gettysburg Address by Abraham Lincoln 美國總統林肯葛底斯堡演講詞

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.87年以前, 我們的先輩們在這個大陸上創立了一個新國家。它孕育于自由之中, 奉行一切人生來平等的原則。

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.We are met on a great battlefield of that war.We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.現在我們正從事一場偉大的內戰, 以考驗這個國家, 或者說以考驗任何一個孕育于自由而奉行上述原則的國家是否能夠長久存在下去。我們在這場戰爭中的一個偉大war field戰場上集會。烈士們為使這個國家能夠生存survive and exist下去而獻出了自己的生命, 我們在此集會是為了把這個戰場的一部分奉獻給他們作為最后安息之所。我們這樣做是完全應該而且非常恰當的fitted for。

But in a large sense we cannot dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground.The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.The world will little note nor long remember what we say here;but it can never forget what they did here.但是, 從更廣泛的意義上來說, 這塊土地我們不能夠奉獻, 我們不能夠圣化, 我們不能夠神化apotheosize。曾在這里戰斗過的勇士們, 活著的和去世的, 已經把這塊土地神圣化了, 這遠不是我擔微薄的力量所能增減minus的。全世界將很少observe注意到、也不會長期地記起我們今天在這里所說的話, 但全世界永遠不會忘記勇士們在這里所做過的事。

It is for us the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us---that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion---that we here highly revolve that these dead shall not have died in vain---that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom;and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.毋寧說, 倒是我們這些還活著的人, 應該在這里把自己奉獻于勇士們已經如此崇高地向前推進但尚未完成的事業。倒是我們應該在這里把自己奉獻于仍然留在我們面前的偉大任務, 以便使我們從這些光榮的死者glorious身上汲取更多的獻身精神, 來完成他們已經完全徹底為之獻身的事業；以便使我們在這里下定最大的決心, 不讓這些死者白白犧牲, 以便使國家在上帝福佑下得到自由的新生a new lease of life 新生, 并且使這個民有、民治、民享的政府永世長存。

(This is the article the students have to recite.)

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.87年以前, 我們的先輩們在這個大陸上創立了一個新國家。它孕育于自由之中, 奉行一切人生來平等的原則。

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.We are met on a great battlefield of that war.We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.But in a large sense we cannot dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground.The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.The world will little note nor long remember what we say here;but it can never forget what they did here.It is for us the living, rather to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us---that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion---that we here highly revolve that these dead shall not have died in vain---that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom;and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.(This is the article the students have to recite.)

87年以前, 我們的先輩們在這個大陸上創立了一個新國家。它孕育于自由之中, 奉行一切人生來平等的原則。

現在我們正從事一場偉大的內戰, 以考驗這個國家, 或者說以考驗任何一個孕育于自由而奉行上述原則的國家是否能夠長久存在下去。我們在這場戰爭中的一個偉大war field戰場上集會。烈士們為使這個國家能夠生存survive and exist下去而獻出了自己的生命, 我們在此集會是為了把這個戰場的一部分奉獻給他們作為最后安息之所。我們這樣做是完全應該而且非常恰當的fitted for。

但是, 從更廣泛的意義上來說, 這塊土地我們不能夠奉獻, 我們不能夠 圣化, 我們不能夠神化apotheosize。曾在這里戰斗過的勇士們, 活著的和去世的, 已經把這塊土地神圣化了, 這遠不是我擔微薄的力量所能增減minus的。全世界將很少observe注意到、也不會長期地記起我們今天在這里所說的話, 但全世界永遠不會忘記勇士們在這里所做過的事。

毋寧說, 倒是我們這些還活著的人, 應該在這里把自己奉獻于勇士們已經如此

崇高地向前推進但尚未完成的事業。倒是我們應該在這里把自己奉獻于仍然留在我們面前的偉大任務, 以便使我們從這些光榮的死者glorious身上汲取更多的獻身精神, 來完成他們已經完全徹底為之獻身的事業；以便使我們在這里下定最大的決心, 不讓這些死者白白犧牲, 以便使國家在上帝福佑下得到自由的新生a new lease of life 新生, 并且使這個民有、民治、民享的政府永世長存。

第四篇：林肯葛底斯堡演講詞

林肯葛底斯堡演講詞

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.八十七年前我們的先輩在這塊大陸上建立了一個新的國家，這個國家在爭取自由中誕生，忠于人人生來平等這一信念。

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.We are met on a great battle-field of that war.We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.目前我們正進行這一場偉大的國內戰爭，戰爭考驗著以上述信念立國的我們或其他國家，是否能長期堅持下去。今天我們在這場戰爭的戰場上集會，來把戰場的一角奉獻給為我們國家的生存而捐軀的人們，作為他們的安息之地。這是我們應該做的事。

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate – we cannot consecrate – we cannot hallow – this ground.The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract.The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion;that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain;that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom;and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.但是，從更大的意義上說，我們無權把這塊土地奉獻給他們，我們不能使這塊土地增加光彩，成為圣地。這是那些活著的或已經死去的、曾經在這里戰斗過的英雄們才使這塊土地成為神圣之土，我們無力使之增減一分。我們在這里說些什么，世人不會注意，也不會長期記住，但是英雄們的行動卻永遠不會被人們遺忘。這更要求我們這些活著的人去繼續英雄們為之戰斗并使之前進的未竟事業。我們還需要繼續為擺在我們面前的偉大的事業獻身——更忠誠于先烈們為之獻出了生命的事業；我們決不能讓先烈們的鮮血白流；——我們這個國家在上帝的保佑下，要爭得自由的新生；這個民有、民治、民享的政府一定要永遠在地球上存在下去。

Abraham Lincoln and His Gettysburg Address 林肯和他的葛底斯堡演講

Late in the evening of November 17, 1863 William Slade, a servant at the White House, called at the President’s study to see whether Lincoln needed anything.Slade was a free colored man from Virginia.His job was the buying of food used in the White House.Lincoln liked Slade, often talked with him, asking his opinion about different matters.1863年11月17日的深夜，白宮的一個傭人威廉·斯萊德走進總統的書房，問林肯是否還需要什么東西。斯萊德是個自由的黑人，來自弗吉尼亞州。他的工作是給白宮采購食品。林肯喜歡他，常常和他談話并就各種問題征求他的意見。“Listen to this, William,” Lincoln said.“See how you think it sounds.” Lincoln then read aloud the short speech he had written.“你聽聽這個，”威廉林肯說。“看你聽了覺得怎么樣。”林肯把寫好的那篇短短的演講稿大聲地念給他聽。

“I like it, Mr.President,” Slade said.“It sounds good.” 斯萊德說：“很好，總統先生，聽起來挺不錯。”

But Lincoln himself was mot at all satisfied with what he had written.The next day, on the train to Gettysburg, he again worked on the speech briefly.Later that same evening, in the small Gettysburg hotel room where he stayed that night, he did some more work on it.Lincoln was physically very tired.His mind was troubled by the many serious problems of war and government.It was difficult for him to think.可是林肯自己卻對他寫的一點也不滿意。第二天，在前往葛底斯堡的火車上，他對稿子又略加修改。晚上在他所住的葛底斯堡旅館的小房間里，他又把講稿再推敲了一番。林肯很累。戰爭和政府的許多嚴重的問題困擾著他，思想很難集中。In any case, the speech was short – which was the way Lincoln wanted it.He was mot the main speaker.The speaker of the day was Edward Everett.recognized as probably the greatest orator of the period.Everett was also a very distinguished man.He had been governor of Massachusetts, ambassador to Great Britain, president of Harvard College.There already existed four printed volumes of Everett’s public speeches.但是，這篇演講很短，林肯就要它短。那天的主要發言人是愛德華·艾弗萊特，不是林肯。愛德華·艾弗萊特要算是當時最有口才的演說家了。他是一位杰出的人物，當過馬薩諸塞州的州長，美國駐英國大使和哈佛大學的校長。他的演說集已經出了四冊。

Lincoln, on the other hand, was not considered an orator.He was a good political speaker, and in his political campaigns had proven himself quite capable.But on this occasion something more serious was demanded.At first, the officials in charge of the ceremony had not even wanted to invite Lincoln.Lincoln received only a printed notice of the event.But later, two weeks before the actual ceremony, he was asked, mainly for political reasons, to “say a few words” at the close of Mr.Everett’s address.Even then, some of the newspapers objected, claiming that the President was sure to take advantage of the situation to make a political show.而林肯并沒有認為他擅長演講，但他能做很好的政治講話，在政治活動中顯示了充分的才干。但是這個場合對林肯提出了更高的要求。本來負責組織這次典禮的官員根本不想請林肯，后來主要出于政治上的考慮，在舉行儀式的兩周前才給他發了一個打印的通知，請他在艾弗萊特先生演講之后“講幾句話”。即使如此，有些報紙還反對，說什么總統肯定會利用這次機會大撈政治資本。

At eleven o’clock the following morning, the parade from the town of Gettysburg to the cemetery began.Lincoln rode a horse.Those who saw him said that he bent forward even more than usual, looked particularly worn and tired.The group arrived at the place set for the ceremony at about eleven fifteen.Mr.Everett had not yet come.Bands played continuously to pass the time.At noon, Mr.Everett finally appeared.第二天上午十一點從葛底斯堡到墓地的游行開始了。林肯騎在馬上。當時看見他的人說他比平時更加彎腰躬背，顯得特別疲勞。大約十一時十五分，游行隊伍不斷奏樂以消磨時間。中午時分，艾弗萊特先生總算來了。

There were some 15,000 people present.On the platform with Lincoln sat state governors, army officers, foreign ambassadors, members of congress.Mr.Everett first addressed the President, then began his long expected speech.His speech was typical of the extended and colorful public speaking of that period.Among other things, he touched on the geography of the area, the three day battle, European history, Greek history, State’s Rights.The speech lasted for an hour and fifty-seven minutes.At its close, the audience answered with applause which was properly loud and long.那天的會約有一萬五千人出席。和林肯一起坐在主席臺上的有各州州長、軍官、外國大使、議員等。艾弗萊特先生先向總統致意，然后發表人們引頸以待的長篇演說。他的演說是當時流行的那種詞藻華麗而又冗長的典型。他談到葛斯底堡一帶的地理，三天的戰爭，歐洲、希臘的歷史，州的權力問題，等等，等等。講了一小時五十七分鐘。結束時，聽從報以響亮的，長度恰如其分的掌聲。

Lincoln then rose to speak.Everett was a tall, very handsome man, who always dressed extremely well, Lincoln’s bent and tired figure, his careless dress were in strong contrast to the impression left by Everett.Lincoln put on his glassed, took from his inside coat pocket the two small sheets of paper on which he had written his speech.However, by this time he knew most of the speech from memory, so he referred to the sheets only briefly.He spoke slowly and clearly, but his speech lasted just five minutes.It contained only nine sentences, ending with the famous words concerning a “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

接著林肯站起來講話。艾弗萊特個子高高的，英俊瀟灑，衣著講究。林肯卻是疲憊躬腰不修邊幅，在艾弗萊特面前，顯得相形見絀。林肯戴上眼鏡，從上衣夾層的口袋里掏出兩張小紙片的講話稿。但此時對講話的內容他已大致記熟，只偶爾地向稿紙瞟上一眼。他講得慢而清楚，只講了五分鐘，九句話。講話以“一個民有、民治、民享的政府”這句名言結束。

Lincoln spoke with honor of the war dead at Gettysburg, saying, “The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” But he placed chief emphasis upon the task ahead, the task so dear to his own heart.That of preserving the Union and carrying forward the principles of democracy upon which the country was based.林肯高度贊頌在葛底斯堡之戰中捐軀的將士，他說：“我們在這里說些什么，世人不會注意，也不會長期記住，但是英雄們的行動卻永遠不會被人遺忘”。林肯著重講了今后的任務，也是他的心愿，即維護合眾國不致分裂，并把作為建國基礎的民主原則貫徹到底。

When Lincoln finished, there was a moment of silence – not out of respect or admiration for anything he had said.The audience simply expected a longer speech, When Lincoln returned to his seat, there was polite applause.“The ceremony then being over, the crowd broke up quickly and lost no time in returning to their homes.”

林肯講完后，全場沉默片刻。這并非對他的講話相肅然起敬，而是人們沒有想到他的演說這么短。林肯回到座位上時，聽眾中發出幾聲出自禮貌的掌聲。然后，儀式結束，人們紛紛退場，趕緊各自回家去了。

No one at the time seemed much impressed by Lincoln’s speech.That night, on the train back to Washington, Lincoln bay stretched out on a seat, tired and discouraged.He said to a companion, “That speech was a flat failure, and the people are disappointed.” Most of the newspapers seemed to feel the same way.They called the speech unimportant, even foolish.One writer went so far as to say that every American should feel ashamed that the President of the United States had to express himself in such a stupid manner.林肯的演講似乎在當時沒有給人留下什么深刻的印象。當晚在回華盛頓的火車上，林肯攤手攤腳地坐在位子上，疲倦，沮喪。他對人說：“那篇演講糟透了，令人失望”。多數報紙也是這個看法，說那篇演講無足輕重，甚至是可笑的。有一個作者竟然說堂堂美國總統，講話如此愚蠢，這是每個美國人的恥辱。Yet others saw in the speech what later served to establish it as a part of English literature, namely, the simple and direct style, the expression in almost perfect language of the central idea for which Lincoln lived and died.Edward Everett’s opinion was typical of this point of view when, the next day, he wrote the following note to Lincoln, “I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came to near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes.” Lincoln’s answer was also typical.He replied to Everett, saying.“You could not have been excused to make a short address, nor I a long one.I am pleased to know that, in your judgment, the little I did say was not entirely a failure.” 有人當時就看到了后來使這篇演講成為英文文學中的精品的特點，它以樸素無華的風格，無懈可擊的語言闡明了林肯畢業為之奮斗和獻身的中心思想。愛德華·艾弗萊特第二天寫給林肯的條子很能代表這個看法。他寫道：“恕我大言不慚，我用了兩小時總算接觸到了您所闡明的那個中心思想。而您只用了兩分鐘就說得明明白白。”林肯的答復也是文如其人：“您做簡短的演講，人們不會原諒，正如我作長篇演講人們不會原諒一樣。您認為我那短短的講話還不是徹底失敗，我感到十分高興。“

第五篇：葛底斯堡致詞

On November 19, 1863, Abraham Lincoln went to Gettysburg in Pennsylvania to speak at the National Soldiers Cemetery.The Civil War was still going on.There was much criticism of President Lincoln at the time.He was not at all popular.He had been invited to speak at Gettysburg only out of courtesy禮貌.The principal speaker was to be Edward Everett, a famous statesman and speaker of the day.Everett was a handsome man and very popular everywhere.It is said that Lincoln prepared his speech on the train while going to Gettysburg.Late that night, alone in his hotel room and tired out, he again worked briefly on the speech.The next day Everett spoke first.he spoke for an hour and 57 minutes.His speech was a perfect example of the rich oratory講演術 of the day.Then Lincoln rose.The crowd of 15,000 people at first paid little attention to him.He spoke for only nine minutes.At the end there was little applause.Lincoln turned to a friend and remarked, “I have failed again.” On the train back to Washington he commented sadly, “That speech was a flat failure, and the people are disappointed.”

To the contrary, the Gettysburg Address has become known as one of the supreme masterpieces of eloquence in the English language.Some newspaper at first criticized the speech.But little by little, as people read the speech, they began to understand better.They began to appreciate its simplicity and its deep meaning.On November 20, Everett wrote Lincoln “I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came as near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes.” Today, every American school child learns Lincoln's Gettysburg Address by heart.Now everyone thinks of it as one of the greatest orations演說, 致詞 ever given in American history.背景：偉大的蓋茨堡戰役于一八六三年七月在這個賓夕法尼亞小鎮的街上及其周圍地區持續了三天之久，此次戰役是內戰的轉折點。國會決定把這一片曾有許多英勇戰士犧牲生命的戰場建為國家公墓。林肯總統親自從華盛頓前來為此墓地舉行揭幕禮。他在一八六三年十一月十九日所發表的獻詞雖然很短，但卻是所有闡釋民主信念的最雄辯動人的演詞之一。

fourscore 八十

bring forth 提出, 出示, 展示

conceive 構想出，孕育出 be conceived in…在…之中孕育 dedicate 獻身于, 致力于 be dedicated to奉獻給 proposition主張；提議；建議 be engaged in 從事于 portion一部分

altogether 完全；全然

fitting 適合的, 相稱的, 適宜的 proper 適當的, 正確的, 正當的 consecrate 獻給, 宣布為或隔離為神圣的，使神圣化

hallow使成為神圣；極端崇敬

a hallowed ground 圣地 detract 減損；去掉 note 注意, 記錄

nobly高貴地, 豪爽地, 崇高地 advance 促進；改善

devotion 熱愛, 投入，獻身 cause 目標, 理想, 事業 resolve 決心, 決定 in vain 徒然，無價值的 perish 毀滅, 消亡；枯萎

GETTYSBURG ADDRESS Abraham Lincoln Delivered on the 19th Day of November, 1863 Cemetery Hill, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Fourscore and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth on this continent a new Nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.Now, we are engaged in a great Civil War, testing whether that Nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.We are met on a great battlefield of that war.We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives(so)that that Nation might live.It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate---we can not consecrate---we can not hallow this ground.The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us---that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion;that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain;that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom;and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.葛底斯堡致詞 亞伯拉罕·林肯 1863年11月19日 于賓夕法尼亞州

87年前，我們的先輩們在這塊大陸上創立了一個新的國家，它孕育于自由之中，奉行人人生來平等的原則。

現在我們正從事一場偉大的內戰，以考驗這個國家，或者任何一個孕育于自由并奉行人人生來平等原則的國家，能否長久存在下去。我們在這場戰爭中的一個偉大戰場上集會。我們來到這里是要把這個戰場的一部分奉獻給烈士作為他們最后的安息之所，烈士們在這里獻出了自己的生命，為的是使這個國家能夠存在下去。我們這樣做是完全恰當而且是非常正確的。

但是從更廣的意義上來說，我們沒有能力奉獻，我們沒有能力貢獻，我們沒有能力使這塊土地神圣化。那些勇士們，活著的和死去的，曾在這里戰斗過的勇士們，已經把這塊土地神圣化了，這已遠遠超出我們卑微的力量所能增減的。全世界不大會留意，也不會記住多久，我們今天在這里說了些什么，但卻永遠也不會忘記勇士們在這里做了些什么。

因此不如說，應該是我們這些還活著的人，在這里使自己投身于勇士們已經如此崇高地向前推進但尚未完成的事業。不如說應該是我們在這里把自己奉獻于仍然留在我們面前的偉大任務——從這些光榮的死者身上汲取更多的獻身精神，投身于他們已經完全徹底為之獻身的事業；我們在這里下定最大的決心，不會讓這些死者白白犧牲；讓這個國家，在上帝的福佑下，使自由得到新生，要讓這個由人民組成的政府，由人民管理的政府，為人民做事的政府，永遠都不會從地球上消失（要使這個民有、民治、民享的政府永世長存）。