70. 林肯第二次就职演说
If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which, in the providence of God, must needs come, but which, having continued through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that he gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came, shall we discern there in any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him?
假使我们以为美国的奴隶制度是这种罪恶之一，而这些罪恶按上帝的意志在所不免，但既经持续了他所指定的一段时间，他现在便要消除这些罪恶;假使我们认为上帝把这场惨烈的战争加在南北双方的头上，作为对那些招致罪恶的人的责罚，难道我们可以认为这件事有悖于虔奉上帝的信徒们所归诸上帝的那些圣德吗?
Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away? Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago so still it must be said "The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether."
我们天真地希望着，我们热忱地祈祷着，希望这战争的重罚可以很快地过去。可是，假使上帝妥让战争再继续下去，直到二百五十年来奴隶无偿劳动所积聚的财富化为乌有，并像三千年前所说的那样，等到鞭苔所流的每一滴血，被刀剑之下所流的每一滴血所抵消，那么我们仍然只能说：“主的裁判是完全正确而且公道的。”
With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the might, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.
我们对任何人都不怀恶意，我们对任何人都抱好惑，上帝让我们看到正确的事，我们就坚定地信那正确的事，让我们继续奋斗，以完成我们正在进行的工作，去治疗国家的创伤，去照顾艰苦作战的志士和他的孤儿遗孀，尽力实现并维护在我们自己之间和我国与各国之间的公正和持久的和平。
本文中重难点词汇解析：
offenses ：n。罪恶、罪行
例句：Whether in the United States or Liberia, he should be criminally investigated for these horrific offenses.
无论他在美国或利比里亚，都应该对他进行刑事侦查，追究这些可怕的罪行。
departure：n. 离开;出发;违背
例句：The secretary's sudden departure disorganized the whole company.
该秘书的突然离去使全公司陷入混乱。
righteous：adj. 正义的;正直的;公正的
例句：I know, O Lord , that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
耶和华阿，我知道你的判语是公义的。 你使我受苦，是以诚实待我。
cherish：vt. 珍爱、珍惜
例句：Life is hope, so we should cherish life.
生命就是希望,所以我们要珍爱生命.
pass away：停止、度过时间、消失
例句：And the glory of the smile had never passed away .
而且那笑容的荣光永不消失。
bind up ：包扎
例句：It will bind up mental and physical wounds, proclaim liberty to the fear-ridden mind, and liberate you completely from the limitations of poverty, failure, misery, lack, and frustration.
它会为你包扎心理和身体的创伤，对你受恐惧折磨的意识宣告自由，完全将你从穷困、失败、悲惨、欠缺和挫折中解放出来。
