tecel

Hello, Chicago.

芝加哥的市民，你们好！

   If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

   如果现在仍然有人在那里怀疑着美国是不是任何事情都可能发生的地方，疑惑于我们国家的缔造者们的梦想是否还鲜活地存在于这个时代，对我们民主的力量打上问号的话，今夜就是你的答案。

It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

这是这个国家前所未见的、在学校和教堂（投票站前）排起的长队得出的答案；是等了三、四个小时的选民得出的答案，许多人还是有生以来第一次投票，因为他们相信这一次一定会不一样，相信他们的声音会是这次（大选）不一样之所在。

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states, we are, and always will be, the United States of America.

这是美国人共同说出的答案，无论老还是少，无论穷还是富，无论民主党还是共和党，无论是黑人、白人、西班牙裔、亚裔还是本土原住民，无论是同性恋者还是异性恋者，无论是残疾人还是非残疾人，都向世界发出同一种信息——我们从来不是个体的一群人或者红州和蓝州的一群人，我们是，而且永远将是，美利坚合众国。

  It’s the answer that led those who’ve been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

长久以来，很多人一再被告知，要对我们所能取得的成绩极尽讥讽、担忧和怀疑之能事，但这个答案让这些人伸出手来把握历史之弧，并再次使它朝向美好明天的希望延伸。

    It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment, change has come to America.

已经过去这么长时间了，但在今晚，由于我们在今天、在这场大选中、在这个具有决定性的时刻所做的，改变已经降临美国。

    A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Senator McCain. Senator McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he’s fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader. I congratulate him; I congratulate Governor Palin for all that they’ve achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.

今天晚上早些时候，我接到了麦凯恩参议员极具风度的来电。麦凯恩参议员在这场大选中经过了长久、艰难的奋斗，而他为自己所深爱的这个国家奋斗的时间更长、更艰难。他为美国做出了我们绝大多数人难以去想像的牺牲，我们的生活也因这位无畏无私的领导人所做出的贡献而变得更美好。我向他和佩林州长所取得的成绩表示祝贺，我也期待着与他们一起在未来的几个月中为延续这个国家的希望而共同努力。

 I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

我要感谢我在这次（竞选）旅程中的伙伴－－已当选美国副总统的乔伊·拜登。他全心参与竞选活动，为他在斯克兰顿从小到大的伙伴以及在他回德拉华的火车上遇到的男男女女代言。

    And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years, the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation’s next first lady Michelle Obama.

如果没有一个人顽强不屈的支持，我今晚就不会站在这里，她是我过去16年来最好的朋友、我们一家人的中坚和我一生的挚爱、我们国家的下一位第一夫人：米西尔·奥巴马。

    Sasha and Malia I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us to the new White House. And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother’s watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

莎夏和玛丽亚，我爱你们两个超出你们的想象，你们已经得到了一条新的小狗，它将与我们一起入驻白宫。虽然我的祖母已经不在世了，但我知道她与培育我所以为我的亲人肯定都正在看着我。今晚，我想念他们，我知道自己欠他们的无可估量。   

 To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you’ve given me. I am grateful to them.

我要感谢我妹妹马娅和阿尔玛，以及我所有的兄弟姐妹，感谢你们对我的所有支持，对此我深表感激。

     To my campaign manager David Plouffe, my chief strategist David Axelrod, and the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what             you’ve sacrificed to get it done.

还有，我要感谢我的的竞选经理大卫·普劳夫、首席策略师大卫·艾克斯罗德，以及政治竞选历史上最好的竞选团队－－是你们成就了今天，我永远感激你们为实现今天的成就所做出的牺牲。

But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you.

而最重要的是，我永远不会忘记这场胜利真正的归属－－它属于你们。

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start             with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched             in the halls of Washington it began in the backyards of Des Moines             and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston.

我从来不是最有希望赢得这个位置的候选人。一开始，我们没有太多钱，也没有得到太多人的支持。我们的竞选活动并非策划于华盛顿的华庭之内，而是始于得梅因的后院、康科德的客厅、查尔斯顿的前厅。

It was built by working men and women who dug into what little             savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty             dollars to this cause. It drew strength from the young people who             rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy; who left their homes             and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep;             from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and             scorching heat to knock on the doors of perfect strangers; from the             millions of Americans who volunteered, and organized, and proved             that more than two centuries later, a government of the people, by             the people and for the people has not perished from this Earth. This             is your victory.

是辛勤劳作的男人、女人从其微薄的积蓄中，艰难地5块钱、10块钱、20块钱地捐给我们这次竞选才取得这场胜利的。我们从年轻人那里得到了力量，他们拒绝接受被认为这代人冷漠的荒诞说法；还有那些为了工作而离开了自己的家乡、离开亲人的人，他们拿很少的报酬，甚至连睡觉的时间也少得可怜；同时也源自那些已经不算年轻的人们，他们冒着酷暑严寒，敲开陌生人的家门进行宣传；更源自数百万的美国民众，他们自发地组织起来，证明了在（建国）两百多年以后，民有、民治、民享的政府并未从这个地球上消失。这是你们的胜利。

I know you didn’t do this just to win an election and I know you             didn’t do it for me. You did it because you understand the enormity             of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we             know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our             lifetime two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in             a century. Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave             Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of             Afghanistan to risk their lives for us. There are mothers and             fathers who will lie awake after their children fall asleep and             wonder how they’ll make the mortgage, or pay their doctor’s bills,             or save enough for college. There is new energy to harness and new             jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and             alliances to repair.

  我知道，你们的所做所为并不仅仅是为了赢得一场大选，我也知道，你们做这一切并不是为了我。你们这样做是因为你们懂得摆在面前的任务是多么艰巨。因为即使我们今夜在这里欢庆，我们也知道明天将面临我们一生当中最为艰巨的挑战－－两场战争、一个处于危险的星球、一百年来最为严重的金融危机。即使今晚站在这里，我们知道伊拉克的沙漠里和阿富汗的群山中有英勇的美国兵醒来，甘愿冒着生命危险保护我们。还有在孩子熟睡后仍难以入眠的父母，担心如何偿还按揭、或还清医生的账单或是攒够钱供孩子上大学。新的能源亟待开发、新工作机会亟待创造；新的学校亟待修建，众多威胁亟待应对、许多同盟关系亟待修复。

  The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you, we as a people will get there.

  前方的道路会很漫长。我们的攀岩会很陡峭。我们可能无法在一年甚或一届之内达到上述目标，但，美国，我从未像今晚这样更加相信，相信我们会实现上述目标。我向你们承诺－－我们作为一个整体将会达到上述目标。

There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can’t solve every problem. But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it’s been done in America for 221 years – block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

以后我们也许会遭遇不少挫折和错误的开端。对于我作为总统所做的每项决定和政策，将会有不少人无法认同。我们也知道政府并非能解决每个问题。但我会坦陈地与你们一起面对我们所面临的挑战。我会倾听你们的意见，尤其是在我们意见相左之时。同时最重要的是，我会邀请你们参与重建这个国家，就像美国221年来唯一不变的方式——一砖一瓦、携手并肩。

    What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night. This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were. It can’t happen without you , without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.