克林頓告別演說

　　In all the work I have done as president, every decision I have made, every executive action I have taken, every bill I have proposed and signed, I've tried to give all Americans the tools and conditions to build the future of our dreams, in a good society, with a strong economy, a cleaner environment, and a freer, safer, more prosperous world. 　　
　　作為總統，我所做的一切---每一個決定，每一個行政命令，提議和簽署的每一項法令，都是在努力為美國人民提供工具和創造條件，來實現美國的夢想，建設美國的未來---一個美好的社會，繁榮的經濟，清潔的環境，進而實現一個更自由、更安全、更繁榮的世界．

　　I have steered my course by our enduring values. Opportunity for all. Responsibility from all. A community of all Americans. I have sought to give America a new kind of government, smaller, more modern, more effective, full of ideas and policies appropriate to this new time, always putting people first, always focusing on the future. 　　
　　藉助我們永恆的價值，我駕馭了我的航程．機會屬於每一個美國公民；***我的***責任來自全體美國人民；所有美國人民組成了一個大家庭．我一直在努力為美國創造一個新型的政府：更小、更現代化、更有效率、面對新時代的挑戰充滿創意和思想、永遠把人民的利益放在第一位、永遠面向未來．

　　Working together, America has done well. Our economy is breaking records, with more than 22 million new jobs, the lowest unemployment in 30 years, the highest home ownership ever, the longest expansion in history. 　
　 我們在一起使美國變得更加美好．我們的經濟正在破著一個又一個的記錄，向前發展．我們已創造了2200萬個新的工作崗位，我們的失業率是30年來最低的，老百姓的購房率達到一個空前的高度，我們經濟繁榮的持續時間是歷史上最長的．

　　Our families and communities are stronger. Thirty-five million Americans have used the family leave law. Eight million have moved off welfare. Crime is at a 25-year low. Over 10 million Americans receive more college aid, and more people than ever are going to college. Our schools are better - higher standards, greater accountability and larger investments have brought higher test scores, and higher graduation rates. 　　我們的家庭、我們的社會變得更加強大．3500萬美國人曾經享受聯邦休假，800萬人重新獲得社會保障，犯罪率是25年來最低的，1000多萬美國人享受更多的入學貸款，更多的人接受大學教育．我們的學校也在改善．更高的辦學水平、更大的責任感和更多的投資使得我們的學生取得更高的考試分數和畢業成績．

　　More than three million children have health insurance now, and more than 7 million Americans have been lifted out of poverty. Incomes are rising across the board. Our air and water are cleaner. Our food and drinking water are safer. And more of our precious land has been preserved, in the continental United States, than at any time in 100 years. 　　
　　目前，已有300多萬美國兒童在享受著醫療保險，700多萬美國人已經脫離了貧困線．全國人民的收入在大幅度提高．我們的空氣和水資源更加潔淨，食品和飲用水更加安全．我們珍貴的土地資源也得到了近百年來前所未有的保護．

　　America has been a force for peace and prosperity in every corner of the globe.
　　I'm very grateful to be able to turn over the reins of leadership to a new president, with America in such a strong position to meet the challenges of the future.
　　美國已經成為地球上每個角落促進和平和繁榮的積極力量．我非常高興能於此時將領導權交給新任總統，強大的美國正面臨未來的挑戰．

　　Tonight, I want to leave you with three thoughts about our future. First, America must maintain our record of fiscal responsibility. Through our last four budgets, we've turned record deficits to record surpluses, and we've been able to pay down $600 billion of our national debt, on track to be debt free by the end of the decade for the first time since 1835. 　　
　　今晚，我希望大家能從以下3點審視我們的未來：第一，美國必須保持它的良好財政狀況．通過過去4個財政年度的努力，我們已經把破紀錄的財政赤字變為破紀錄的盈餘．並且，我們已經償還了6000億美元的國債，我們正向10年內徹底償還國家債務的目標邁進，這將是1835年以來的第一次．

　　Staying on that course will bring lower interest rates, greater prosperity and the opportunity to meet our big challenges. If we choose wisely, we can pay down the debt, deal with the retirement of the baby boomers, invest more in our future and provide tax relief. 　　
　　只要這樣做，就會帶來更低的利率、更大的經濟繁榮，從而能夠迎接將來更大的挑戰．如果我們做出明智的選擇，我們就能償還債務，解決***二戰後出生的***一大批人們的退休問題，對未來進行更多的投資，並減輕稅收．

　　Second, because the world is more connected every day in every way, America's security and prosperity require us to continue to lead in the world. At this remarkable moment in history, more people live in freedom that ever before. Our alliances are stronger than ever. People all around the world look to America to be a force for peace and prosperity, freedom and security. The global economy is giving more of our own people, and billions around the world, the chance to work and live and raise their families with dignity. 　　
　　第二，世界各國的聯絡日益緊密．為了美國的安全與繁榮，我們應繼續融入世界．在這個特別的歷史時刻，更多的美國人民享有前所未有的自由．我們的盟國更加強大．全世界人民期望美國成為和平與繁榮、自由與安全的力量．全球經濟給予美國民眾以及全世界人民更多的機會去工作、生活，更體面地養活家庭．

　　But the forces of integration that have created these good opportunities also make us more subject to global forces of destruction, to terrorism, organized crime and narco-trafficking, the spread of deadly weapons and disease, the degradation of the global environment. 　　
　　但是，這種世界融合的趨勢一方面為我們創造了良好的機會，但同時使得我們在全球範圍內更容易遭致破壞性力量、恐怖主義、有組織的犯罪、***活動，致命性武器和疾病傳播的威脅．

　　The expansion of trade hasn't fully closed the gap between those of us who live on the cutting edge of the global economy and the billions around the world who live on the knife's edge of survival. 　　
　　儘管世界貿易不斷擴大，但它沒能縮小處於全球經濟繁榮中的我們同數十億處於死亡邊緣的人們之間的距離．

　　This global gap requires more than compassion. It requires action. Global poverty is a powder keg that could be ignited by our indifference.
　　In his first inaugural address, Thomas Jefferson warned of entangling alliances. But in our times, America cannot and must not disentangle itself from the world. If we want the world to embody our shared values, then we must assume a shared responsibility.
　　要解決世界貧富兩極分化需要的不是同情和憐憫，而是實際行動．貧窮有可能被我們的漠不關心激化而成為火藥桶．
　　托馬斯-傑斐遜在他的就職演說中告誡我們結盟的危害．但是，在我們這個時代，美國不能，也不可能使自己脫離這個世界．如果我們想把我們共有的價值觀賦予這個世界，我們必須共同承擔起這個責任．

　　If the wars of the 20th century, especially the recent ones in Kosovo and Bosnia, have taught us anything, it is that we achieve our aims by defending our values and leading the forces of freedom and peace. We must embrace boldly and resolutely that duty to lead, to stand with our allies in word and deed, and to put a human face on the global economy so that expanded trade benefits all people in all nations, lifting lives and hopes all across the world. 　　
　　如果 20世紀的歷次戰爭，尤其是新近在科索沃地區和波斯尼亞爆發的戰爭，能夠讓我們得到某種教訓的話，我們從中得到的啟示應是：由於捍衛了我們的價值觀並領導了自由和和平的力量，我們才達到了目標．我們必須堅定勇敢地擁抱這個信念和責任，在語言和行動上與我們的同盟者們站在一起，領導他們按這條道路前進；循著在全球經濟中以人為本的觀念，讓不斷髮展的貿易能夠使所有國家的所有人受益，在全世界範圍內提高他們的生活水平和實現他們的夢想．

　　Third, we must remember that America cannot lead in the world unless here at home we weave the threads of our coat of many colors into the fabric of one America. As we become ever more diverse, we must work harder to unite around our common values and our common humanity. 　　
　　第三，我們必須牢記如果我們不團結一致，美國就不能領先世界．隨著我們變得越來越多樣化，我們必須更加努力地團結在共同價值觀和共同人性的旗幟下．

　　We must work harder to overcome our differences. In our hearts and in our laws, we must treat all our people with fairness and dignity, regardless of their race, religion, gender or sexual orientation and regardless of when they arrived in our country, always moving toward the more perfect union of our founders' dreams. 　　
　　我們要加倍努力地工作，克服生活中存在的種種分歧．於情於法，我們都要讓我們的人民受到公正的待遇，不論他是哪一個民族、信仰何種宗教、什麼性別或性傾向，或者何時來到這個國家．我們時時刻刻都要為了實現先輩們建立高度團結的美利堅合眾國的夢想而奮鬥．

　　Hillary, Chelsea and I join all Americans in wishing our very best to the next president, George W. Bush, to his family and his administration in meeting these challenges and in leading freedom's march in this new century. 　　
　　希拉里、切爾西和我同美國人民一起，向即將就任的布什總統、他的家人及美國新政府致以衷心的祝福，希望新政府能夠勇敢面對挑戰，並高扛自由大旗在新世紀闊步前進．

　　As for me, I'll leave the presidency more idealistic, more full of hope than the day I arrived and more confident than ever that America's best days lie ahead. 　　
　　對我來說，當我離開總統寶座時，我充滿更多的理想，比初進白宮時更加充滿希望，並且堅信美國的好日子還在後面．

　　My days in this office are nearly through, but my days of service, I hope, are not. In the years ahead, I will never hold a position higher or a covenant more sacred than that of president of the United States. But there is no title I will wear more proudly than that of citizen.
　　我的總統任期就要結束了，但是我希望我為美國人民服務的日子永遠不會結束．在我未來的歲月裡，我再也不會擔任一個能比美利堅合眾國總統更高的職位、簽訂一個比美利堅合眾國總統所能簽署的更為神聖的契約了．當然，沒有任何一個頭銜能讓我比作為一個美國公民更為自豪的了．

　　Thank you. God bless you, and God bless America.
　　謝謝你們！願上帝保佑你們！願上帝保佑美國！