VOA常速英语:总统日

Today is Presidents Day in the United States, when Americans pause to honor their national leaders, beginning with the first president, George Washington.
今天是美国总统日，美国人会停下手边的工作，来纪念他们国家的历届最高领导人，从第一位总统乔治·华盛顿开始。

From the time of his death in 1799, his birthday, February 22, was marked unofficially. It formally became a national holiday in 1885. Over time, Americans also began honoring another great leader, Abraham Lincoln, whose February 12 birthday falls near Washington’s. Official recognition of the two began in 1971, with a day honoring all presidents every year on the third Monday of the month.
从华盛顿1799年去世时开始，他的生日2月22日就被非正式地定为一个节日。1885年这一天正式成为了美国一个全国性的节日。随着时间的推移，美国人开始纪念另一位伟大的领导人亚伯拉罕·林肯，林肯的生日是2月12日，跟华盛顿的生日离得很近。对这两位总统的正式纪念始于1971年，并且定于每年2月第三个星期一为总统日，来纪念所有的总统。

Washington won lasting fame for leading Americans to victory in the war for independence from Britain. His popularity was such that he could have made himself a king if he’d so chosen. Some of the officers in his army, impatient with the democratic process, urged him to do just that.
华盛顿声名远播，他领导美国人民击败英国，取得了独立战争的胜利。人民如此拥戴于他，只要他愿意就可为王。华盛顿手下诸位军官对民主进程颇不耐烦，也敦促其加冕为王。

"Banish these thoughts from your mind," Washington said, and issued a stern reprimand to those who made the suggestion.He ordered the army disbanded, resigned his commission as commander-in-chief and retired to private life.
华盛顿曾说“摒弃你们的这些念头吧”，并严厉地斥责了那些提出这一建议的人。他下令解散军队，解甲归田。

At the time, America was a loose confederation of thirteen states.Over the next six years, Americans struggled to devise an effective federal government, but one that left important powers to the states. Many Americans distrusted the idea of a central government and feared abuses of power by federal officials, especially the president.
彼时，美国还是一个由13个州组成的松散联邦。在接下来6年里，美国人努力设计出了一个统管全国、但是又给各州留下巨大权力的联邦政府。许多美国人都不信任中央政府，担心联邦官员，尤其是总统，会滥用权力。

At this critical time, Washington was the one person who most Americans were willing to trust. He was the unopposed choice to be the nation’s first president.
当此关键之际，华盛顿是大多数美国人都愿意信任之人。他是美国第一任总统的不二人选。

When he took office, the United States had a constitution, but its government was not yet organized.When he stepped down, the U.S. was recognized by the world’s major powers.Washington put the nation on a sound financial footing and created an effective military to protect America’s expanding frontiers.
当他上任之时，美国只有一部宪法，连政府都还未组织起来。当他卸任之时，美国已被世界列强认可。华盛顿使美国立于良好的财务基础之上，又创建了有效的军事力量来保卫美国日益扩张的边境。

In revolutionary France, democratic ideals gave way to turmoil, terror and repression. But in the United States, under Washington’s leadership, revolution produced stable, democratic, and lawful government.By leaving office voluntarily after two four-year terms, he set an important precedent for all future presidents.He also oversaw a peaceful transfer of power from one elected leader to another, a principle vital to democracy and an example for peoples around the world.
在革命的法国，民主的理想最终让位给了混乱、恐怖和压迫。但是在美国，在华盛顿的领导下，革命产生了稳定、民主、合法的政府。华盛顿两届4年任期之后自愿离任，给未来所有总统树立了一个重要先例。他还监督了权力从一个当选领导人向另一个当选领导人的和平转移，为世界各地的人们树立了一个重要的民主原则和实例。