美国第11任总统波尔克的就职演讲

New communities and States are seeking protection under its aegis, and multitudes from the Old World are flocking to our shores to participate in its blessings, beneath its benign sway peace and prosperity prevail.
新的社区和州正在它的支持下寻求保护，而来自旧大陆的人群正蜂拥至我们的海岸来分享它的祝福,在它的善良统治下和平和繁荣盛行。

Freed from the burdens and miseries of war, our trade and intercourse have extended throughout the world.
从战争的重负和苦难中得以解放，我们的贸易和交往遍布整个世界。

Mind, no longer tasked in devising means to accomplish or resist schemes of ambition, usurpation, or conquest, is devoting itself to man's true interests in developing his faculties and powers and the capacity of nature to minister to his enjoyments.
人的思想不再从事设法达到或抵抗野心, 掠夺或征服，而投入到人类真正的利益中，发展人的能力和力量，以及自然的能力来服务于人的享乐。

Genius is free to announce its inventions and discoveries, and the hand is free to accomplish whatever the head conceives not incompatible with the rights of a fellow being.
天才可以自由公布他的发明和发现，而且只要头脑可以想出的与同胞权利不相违的主意，都可以自由地去实现它。

All distinctions of birth or of rank have been abolished.
所有出生和阶级的区别被消除了。

All are entitled to equal rights and equal protection.
所有人都享有平等的权利和平等的保护。

No union exists between church and state, and perfect freedom of opinion is guaranteed to all sects and creeds.
教会和政府之间不存在联合，保证所有的教派和信条都享有完全的观点自由。

These are some of the blessings secured to our happy land by Federal Union.
这是由我们联邦联盟为我们幸福土地所保障的一些祝福。

To perpetuate them it is our sacred duty to preserve it.
我们神圣的职责是维护他并使之永久。

Who shall assign limits to the achievements of free minds and free hands under the protection of this glorious Union.
在这样的伟大联盟的保护下，有谁会限制自由思想和自由之手的创造呢？

No treason to mankind since the organization of society would be equal in atrocity to that of him who would lift his hand to destroy it. He would overthrow the noblest structure of human wisdom, which protects himself and his fellow man.
自从社会有组织以来，没有谁对人类的背叛在凶残上可等同某人举起其手试图破坏我们联盟的行为。那就是要推翻智慧组织。保护他和他的同胞的最高贵的人类。

He would stop the progress of free government and involve his country either in anarchy or despotism.
那就是要阻止自由政府的前进，并把其国家带入混乱和暴政中。

He would extinguish the fire of liberty, which warms and animates the hearts of happy millions, and invites all the nations of the earth to imitate our example.
那就是要熄灭那温暖并启动幸福大众之心的，吸引世上各国模仿我们的自由之火。

If he say that error and wrong are committed in the administration of the Government, let him remember that nothing human can be perfect, and that under no other system of government revealed by Heaven or devised by man has reason been allowed so free and broad a scope to combat error.
如果那人说政府的执政犯有错误，让他记住人不可能完美，并且没有任何其它上天或人类创立的政府体制能像我们的那样，给理性以如此自由和宽阔的范围来和错误斗争。

Has the sword of despots proved to be a safer or surer instrument of reform in government than enlightened reason?
难道暴君的刀剑比启蒙的理智更能成为政府改革中安全，可靠的手段？

Does he expect to find among the ruins of this Union a happier abode for our swarming millions than they now have under it?
他是否期望在联邦的废墟之中，为我们的百万人群找到比他们现在更幸福的住所？

Every lover of his country must shudder at the thought of the possibility of its dissolution, and will be ready to adopt the patriotic sentiment," Our Federal Union it must be preserved."
每一个爱国都会因面对可能解散联邦的思想而战栗，并准备好接受那爱国的情感：“必须维护我们的联邦联盟。”