|
 | 林肯總統感恩節文告（1863年） |
| | 一年一度的感恩節又到了。"基甸聊天" (http://ocimx.com/jdlt）約我說點什麼。我想到了1863年林肯總統的感恩節文告。1999年感恩節時我把該文告翻譯成中文如下（當時在網上沒有找到中文譯本），今天又補譯漏掉的末尾兩句，送給各位朋友。如果您想聽聽我如何用略帶湘音的鄉音錄製的聲情並茂的朗誦，請點擊上述基甸聊天鏈接（今天稍後會發表）。祝您感恩節闔家快樂！
林肯總統感恩節文告（1863年）
即將過去的一年充滿了天祥地靈的福氣。
我們時時享用這些福氣，卻常常忘了飲水思源。然而有一些不同凡響的福上之福，不可能不穿透並軟化那對全能上帝的惠賜已麻木不仁的心靈。
在這場規模空前甚至引發異邦對我們虎視眈眈的慘烈內戰當中，我們保持了與世界各民族的和平，保障了社會秩序，保護了法律的尊嚴，保守了戰地外的和睦。戰場正隨著我們聯邦海陸軍的節節勝利而大大縮小。
犁頭、梭子或船隻並沒有因為和平工業的財力往國防的必要轉移而停滯。開荒斧頭拓寬了我們居住的地界，鐵礦、煤礦和貴金屬礦連年增產。
儘管軍營、圍城及戰場造成廢墟浩劫，我們的人口持續增長。國力增強令人欣喜，人民定將繼續享有更大自由。這些偉大的事情，不是出於人心的設計，也不是人的手能成全，乃是來源於至高上帝的恩賜。
他誠然因我們的罪孽而發怒，但仍然樂意賜下慈愛憐憫。我深深覺得，全體美國人民應當萬眾一心，向至高上帝致以莊嚴而虔誠的謝忱。
因此，我謹邀請全美各地的同胞以及海外僑胞，把十一月的最後一個禮拜四分別出來，向住在天上的慈愛父神獻上感恩與讚美。當我們這樣敬拜這位拯救與賜福我們的上帝的同時，我建議每人本着為民族的邪惡與叛逆而謙卑痛悔的心，把所有因為這場無法避免的內戰而成為孤兒、寡婦、哀哭與受害者的同胞，交託在上帝恩惠的手中，懇求全能者伸手醫治我們民族的傷痕，並按照他的美意，儘快恢復那完全的和平、和諧、安寧與聯邦。
謹此為證，親手加蓋，合眾國印。
林肯總統寫於華盛頓市，主後一千八百六十三年十月三日，合眾國獨立第八十八年
(張儒民譯於1999年感恩節，2013年感恩節補譯末尾兩句，並稍微修改)
原文：
By the President of the United States of America.
A Proclamation.
The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies.
To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.
In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union.
Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore.
Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things.
They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.
I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.
And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.
By the President: Abraham Lincoln |
|
