奥巴马在圣诞树亮灯活动上的讲话

Remarks by the President at the Lighting of the National Christmas Tree
总统在国家圣诞树亮灯活动上的讲话

The Ellipse
椭圆形草坪

December 6, 2013
2013年12月6日

Merry Christmas, everybody! Well, this show is always a great way to get in the holiday spirit. Every year, I rehearse my own little act, just in case. But it seems like, yet again, they couldn’t find space to squeeze me into the program. (Laughter.) You are lucky I’m not singing.
大家圣诞快乐！亮灯活动一向是感受节日气氛的很好的方式。每年我都要排练一下我自己的小节目，以防万一。不过看起来，他们又一次无法把我安排到节目中。（笑声）我不唱歌是大家的运气。

First of all, let me thank Secretary Jewell and welcome her to her first Christmas Tree Lighting. She is doing a great job for our national parks. She used to run one of America’s biggest outdoor recreation companies, and now she’s charged with protecting the great outdoors for all of us. So we appreciate her and we want to thank Neil Mulholland and the whole National Park Foundation and National Park Service team for helping to put this beautiful production together.
首先，让我感谢朱厄尔部长，并欢迎她第一次参加圣诞树亮灯活动。她为国家公园所做的工作极为出色。她过去执掌美国最大的户外休闲活动公司之一，现在她负责为我们所有人保护我们的大户外。所以，我们向她表示感谢，我们还要感谢尼尔·马尔霍兰和整个国家公园基金会及国家公园管理局团队，他们帮助组织了这场美不胜收的表演。

Let’s also give it up for Jane Lynch and all the great performers who are doing an incredible job putting us in a festive mood tonight. (Applause.) And to all Americans who are here today and watching at home, we are so glad to be part of this wonderful holiday tradition.
也让我们为简·林奇和所有出色的演员们鼓掌，今晚，他们令人赞叹的表演让我们沉浸在节日气氛中（掌声）。而且我们要对今天在这里和在家里观看表演的所有美国人说，我们很高兴地参加这一精彩的节日传统活动。

For 91 years, the National Christmas Tree has stood as a beacon of light and a promise during the holiday season. During times of peace and prosperity, challenge and change, Americans have gathered around our national tree to kick off the holiday season and give thanks for everything that makes this time of year so magical -- spending time with friends and family, and spreading tidings of peace and goodwill here at home and around the world.
91年来，国家圣诞树始终代表着节日期间的灯塔和希望。在和平和繁荣以及挑战和变化的时代，美国人民汇聚在我们的国家圣诞树下，庆祝节日的开始，并对让每年的此时美妙无比的所有事物表达感恩——与亲朋好友共度时光，并在国内和世界各地传播和平及友善的喜讯。

And this year, we give a special measure of gratitude for Nelson Mandela, a man who championed that generosity of spirit. (Applause.) In his life, he blessed us with tremendous grace and unbelievable courage. And we are all privileged to live in a world touched by his goodness.
今年，我们向倡导这一慷慨精神的纳尔逊·曼德拉致以特别的谢意（掌声）。他在一生中以高风亮节和难以置信的勇气给我们带来福祉。生活在被其美德触动的世界中是我们所有人的殊荣。

Each Christmas, we celebrate the birth of a child who came into the world with only a stable’s roof to shelter Him. But through a life of humility and the ultimate sacrifice, a life guided by faith and kindness towards others, Christ assumed a mighty voice, teaching us lessons of compassion and charity that have lasted more than two millennia. He ministered to the poor. He embraced the outcast. He healed the sick. And in Him we see a living example of scripture that we ought to love others not only through our words, but also through our deeds.
每年圣诞节，我们都庆祝一位在出生时只有马厩的屋顶为他遮风挡雨的婴孩的降生。但是，通过谦卑及付出最大牺牲的一生、由信仰及善待他人引领的一生，耶稣基督发出了强有力的声音，给予我们同情和仁爱的教诲，这些教诲已持续了两千多年。他扶助穷人。他接纳被遗弃者。他治愈病人。在他身上，我们看到经文活生生的典范，教导我们不仅应当通过我们的言词，还应当通过我们的行动去关爱他人。

It’s a message both timeless and universal -- no matter what God you pray to, or if you pray to none at all – we all have a responsibility to ourselves and to each other to make a difference that is real and lasting. We are our brother’s keeper. We are our sister’s keeper.
这是一条永恒、普世的启示——不管具有何种信仰，亦或根本不信神——我们对自己和彼此都承担着产生切实和持久的影响的责任。我们是我们的兄弟的守护者。我们是我们的姊妹的守护者。

And so in this season of generosity, let’s reach out to those who need help the most. In this season of reflection, let’s make sure that our incredibly brave servicemembers and their families know how much we appreciate their sacrifice. And there are several military families and servicemen and women here tonight. We are so grateful to you for all that you do. (Applause.)
因此，在这慷慨助人的时节，让我们向那些最需要帮助的人伸出援手。在这反思自省的时节，让我们确保我们无比英勇的军人及其家属知道我们是多么地感谢他们所作的牺牲。今晚在场的有几家军人家庭和男女军人。我们非常感谢你们所付出的一切。（掌声）

In this season of hope, let us come together as one people, one family to ensure that we’re doing everything we can to keep America the land of endless opportunity and boundless optimism for which we’re so thankful.
在这希望的时节，让我们汇集在一起，作为一国子民和一个大家庭，保证尽我们所能确保美国一直是充满无限机会和无尽乐观精神的土地，我们为此心存感激。

So on behalf of Malia, Sasha, Marian, the First Lady Michelle, plus Bo and Sunny, I want to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a joyful holiday season. God bless you. God bless our troops. God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)
在此，我代表玛莉娅、萨莎、玛丽安、第一夫人米歇尔，还有波和桑尼，谨祝大家圣诞快乐、节日愉快！愿上帝保佑大家。愿上帝保佑我们的军队。愿上帝保佑美利坚合众国。（掌声）