VOA常速英语:U.S. Constitution Preamble

Next, an editorial reflecting American ideals and institutions.
接下来，是一篇反映美国理念和制度的社论。

"We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense,promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity,do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”
“我们美国人民为建设一个更完善的联邦、建立司法体系、确保国内安定、提供共同防御、提升公共福利、保障我们及子孙后代享受自由，我们为美利坚合众国颁布并建立宪法。”

These words from the Preamble to the United States Constitution are a brief introductory statement of the Constitution’s fundamental purposes and guiding principles. It serves solely as an introduction, and does not assign powers to the federal government,nor does it provide specific limitations on government action.
这些出自美国宪法序言的话是对宪法基本目的和指导原则的简要的介绍性说明。它只是一篇介绍，既不能赋予联邦政府权利，也不能为政府活动提供具体限制。

The framers of the US Constitution believed that political action should be conducted through institutions that derive their authority from the citizens. The republic they wanted to establish would depend on a system of frequent elections, division and balance of power, autonomy of the civil service, civilian control of the military, the enactment of laws and regulations by elected representatives, and their impartial enforcement. And the power of the national government would be checked and balanced by the powers of the state governments.
美国宪法的制定者认为政治活动应该在机构的指导下进行，这些机构的权力来自美国人民。他们想建立的共和政体依赖于经常进行选举、分权与制衡、行政部门的自主权、文职政府控制军队、通过选举产生的代表来颁布法律和条例，以及公正执法。国家政府的权力要受到州政府权力的制约与均衡。

The framers wanted to spare the United States the fate of Europe,which they saw as hobbled for centuries by the arbitrary rule of tyrants, protracted wars, court intrigues and factionalism.They wanted political institutions that were as transparent, accountable, and inclusive as possible.
制宪者想使美国不要重蹈欧洲的覆辙，他们看到欧洲数世纪以来都在艰难前行，由于暴君的专横统治、旷日持久的战争、宫廷阴谋和党派之争。他们想使政治机构尽可能透明、负有责任和包容性。

One striking aspect of the American system of government is that, while the United States is one country, American constitutional law recognizes a federation of state governments separate from (and not subdivisions of) the federal government,each of which has an important degree of sovereignty over its own affairs. However, each state’s sovereignty is limited by the U.S. Constitution; which is the supreme law of the land, defining and limiting the powers of both the federal and state governments.In the event of a conflict, a valid federal law supersedes.
美国政体的突出一面是，虽然美国是一个国家，但美国宪法承认脱离联邦政府（和不属于联邦政府行政区划）的州政府联盟，它们在处理自己事务时都有重要的自主权。然而，每个州的自主权受美国宪法的限制；作为美国本土的最高法律，它定义并限制联邦和州政府的权力。如果发生冲突，则优先遵循联邦法律。

In 1863, in the midst of a terrible civil war which threatened to destroy the union established by the Constitution, President Abraham Lincoln reaffirmed the essential character of the United States government, as defined in the preamble.He called it “government of the people, by the people, for the people.”
1863年，正值美国恐怖内战时期，内战险些摧毁了宪法建立起来的联邦，总统亚伯拉罕·林肯重申了美国政府的根本特性，正如序言中定义的那样。他说“美国政府是民有、民治、民享的政府。”

And it remains so today.
这一根本特性至今未变。