林肯在葛底斯堡的演讲

逻辑严谨、观点突出的演讲稿，更能引起听众的共鸣。为帮大家了解演讲稿的写作格式与技巧，以下是小编精心整理的《林肯在葛底斯堡的演讲》，欢迎大家借鉴与参考，希望对大家有所帮助！

第一篇：林肯在葛底斯堡的演讲

林肯总统在葛底斯堡的著名演讲词

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the

unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.(中文演讲词)

林肯在葛底斯堡战场的演说

八十七年前，我们的先辈们在这个大陆上创立了一个新国家，它孕育于自由之中，奉行一切人生来平等的原则。

现在我们正从事一场伟大的内战，以考验这个国家，或者说以考验任何一个孕育于自由而奉行上述原则的国家是否能够长久存在下去。

我们在这场战争中的一个伟大战场上集会。烈士们为使这个国家能够生存下去而献出了自己的生命，我们在此集会是为了把这个战场的一部分奉献给他们作为最后安息之所。我们这样做是完全应该而且非常恰当的。

但是，从更广泛的意义上来说，这块土地我们不能够奉献，我们不能够圣化，我们不能够神化。 曾经在这里战斗过的勇士们，活着的和去世的，已经把这块土地神圣化了，这远不是我们微薄的力量所能增减的。全世界将很少注意到，也不会长期地记起我们今天 在这里所说的话，但全世界永远不会忘记勇士们在这里做过的事。勿宁说，倒是我们这些还活着的人，应该在这里把自己奉献于勇士们已经如此崇高地向前推进但尚 未完成的事业。倒是我们应该在这里把自己奉

献于仍然留在我们面前的伟大任务，以便使我们从这些光荣的死者身上汲取更多的奉献精神，来完成他们已经完全彻底 为之献身的事业;以便使我们在这里下定最大的决心，不让这些死者们白白牺牲;以便使国家在上帝福佑下得到自由的新生，并且使这个民有、民治、民享的政府永 世长存。

第二篇：林肯在葛底斯堡的演讲The Gettysburg Address

林肯在葛底斯堡的演讲The Gettysburg Address

Abraham Lincoln，(1809-1865)

November 19, 1863

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania

Fourscore and seven years ago,our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation,conceived and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are egaged in a great civil war,testing whether that nation or any nation so conceived and dedicated can long endure.We are met on the battelfield of that war.We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final-resting place for those who gave their lives that the nation might live.It is altogether and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense,we can not dedicate,we can not consecrate,we can not hallow this ground.The brave men,living and dead,have consecrated it far above our power to add or detract.The world will little note what we say here,but it can never forget what they did here.It is for us,the living,rather to be dedicated to the great task remaining before us,that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion,that the nation shall have a new birth of freedom,that the government of the people by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.

林肯在葛底斯堡的演讲

主讲：亚伯拉罕·林肯 时间：1863年11月19日 地点：美国，宾夕法尼亚州，葛底斯堡

八十七年前，我们先辈在这个大陆上创立了一个新国家，它孕育于自由之中，奉行一切人生来平等的原则。

我们正从事一场伟大的内战，以考验这个国家，或者任何一个孕育于自由和奉行上述原则的国家是否能够长久存在下去。我们在这场战争中的一个伟大战场上集会。烈士们为使这个国家能够生存下去而献出了自己的生命，我们来到这里，是要把这个战场的一部分奉献给他们作为最后安息之所。我们这样做是完全应该而且非常恰当的。

但是，从更广泛的意义上说，这块土地我们不能够奉献，不能够圣化，不能够神化。那些曾在这里战斗过的勇士们，活着的和去世的，已经把这块土地圣化了，这远不是我们微薄的力量所能增减的。我们今天在这里所说的话，全世界不大会注意，也不会长久地记住，但勇士们在这里所做过的事，全世界却永远不会忘记。毋宁说，倒是我们这些还活着的人，应该在这里把自己奉献于勇士们已经如此崇高地向前推进但尚未完成的事业。倒是我们应该在这里把自己奉献于仍然留在我们面前的伟大任务——我们要从这些光荣的死者身上吸取更多的献身精神，来完成他们已经完全彻底为之献身的事业;我们要在这里下定最大的决心，不让这些死者白白牺牲;我们要使国家在上帝福佑下自由的新生，要使这个民有、民治、民享的政府永世长存。

第三篇：林肯在葛底斯堡的演说(中英对照)

Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

(on Nov.19,1863)

Four score and seven years ago, our fathers brought forth upon this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure.

We are met on a great battle field of the war. We have come to dedicate a portion of the field as the final resting-place of those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.But , in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate, we cannot hallow, this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our power to add or to detract.

The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here, to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us: that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that the nation shall. under God, have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. 美国总统林肯葛底斯堡演讲词

八十七年前，我们的先辈们在这个大陆上创立了一个新国家，它孕育于自由之中，奉行一切人生来平等的原则。

现在我们正从事一场伟大的内战，以考验这个国家，或者说以考验任何一个孕育于自由而奉行上述原则的国家是否能够长久存在下去。

我们在这场战争中的一个伟大战场上集会。烈士们为使这个国家能够生存下去而献出了自己的生命，我们在此集会是为了把这个战场的一部分奉献给他们作为最后安息之所。我们这样做是完全应该而且非常恰当的

但是，从更广泛的意义上来说，这块土地我们不能够奉献，我们不能够圣化，我们不能够神化。曾经在这里战斗过的勇士们，活着的和去世的，已经把这块土地神圣 化了，这远不是我们微薄的力量所能增减的。全世界将很少注意到，也不会长期地记起我们今天在这里所说的话，但全世界永远不会忘记勇士们在这里做过的事。勿 宁说，

倒是我们这些还活着的人，应该在这里把自己奉献于勇士们已经如此崇高地向前推进但尚未完成的事业。倒是我们应该在这里把自己奉献于仍然留在我们面前 的伟大任务，以便使我们从这些光荣的死者身上汲取更多的奉献精神，来完成他们已经完全彻底为之献身的事业;以便使我们在这里下定最大的决心，不让这些死者 们白白牺牲;以便

使国家在上帝幅佑下得到自由的新生，并且使这个民有、民治、民享的政府永世长存。八十七年前，我们的先辈们在这个大陆上建立了一个以自由为理想、以人人平等为宗旨的新国家。

现在我们正进行一场大内战，考验这个国家或任何一个主张自由平等的国家`，能否长久存在。

我们在这场战争中的一个大战场上集会，来把战场的一角献给为国家生存而牺牲的烈士，作为他们永久安息之地，这是我们义不容辞、理所当然该做的事。

但是，从更深刻的意义来说，我们不能使这一角战场成为圣地，我们不能使它流芳百世，我们不能使它永垂青史。因为在这里战斗过的勇士们，活着的和死去的，已 经使这一角战场神圣化了，我们微薄的力量远远不能使它增光，或者使之减色。世人不太会注意、也不会长久记住我们在这里说的话，但是永远不会忘记他们在这里 做的事。因此，我们活着的人更应该献身于他们为之战斗并且使之前进的未竟事业。我们更应该献身于是我们面前的伟大任务，更应该不断向这些光荣牺牲的烈士学习，学习他们为事业鞠躬尽瘁、死而后已的献身精神，更应该在这里下定决心，一定不让这些烈士的鲜血白流;这个国家在上帝的保佑下，一定要得到自由和新生，这个民有、民治、民享的政府一定不能从地球上消失。

上面两个中译本，前一个不能把原文的节奏感反映出来，没能体现原文精炼的语言和感召力,不象原文那个简明扼要、铿锵有力的演说词，后一个学究气太重，离忠于原文有点距离。

范仲英编著的《实用翻译教程》(外语教语与研究出版社1994年6月版)第38至第39页有一段针对第一篇译文的批评文字，不妨抄录于此：

又如林肯《葛底斯堡演说》最后一句：

……and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

原译：并且使这个民有、民治、民享的政府永世长存。

有人认为，把 of the people, by the people, for the people 译成“民有、民治、民享”简洁有力又符合汉语习惯，奉为佳译。但我们认为，如果原作是一篇书面文章，这种译法无懈可击，堪称上乘。但原作是一篇用口头表达 的演说词。原作中 of the people, by the people, for the people 这几个重叠词，念起来琅琅上口，听起来铿锵有力，而且简单明白易懂。而“民有、民治、民享”则完全是书面语言。若用口头表达出来，让成千上万与会者听起 来，就不易听懂，或虽然听懂了也印象不深，效果不免大为逊色。胡毅教授针对上述缺点，把《葛底斯堡演说》重译了一遍，这句译文如下： 改译：要使这个归人民所有，由人民管理，为人民办事的政权在世界上永远存在。(胡毅)”

其实，胡毅的改译也不精当。Government 怎能译成“政权”。上面两个中译本中最大的败笔并不在于上面指出的那点，而在于最后一句英语里fact 后由四个that引导的同位语从句没能译出来，从句中表示决心的三个情态动词shall也没能译好，所以译文远远没有原文的感召力和节奏感。

笔者把整篇重译如下，以飨读者：

林肯在葛底斯堡的演说

八十七年前，我们的父辈在这块大陆上创建了一个新的国家。这个新的国家在自由中孕育，信奉人人生而平等的主张。

现在我们正在从事伟大的国内战争，来考验这个国家，或任何在自由中孕育，信奉人人生而平等的主张的国家，能否长久存在下去。

我们今天相聚在这场战争的一个伟大的战场上。我们相聚在这里是为了把这伟大战场的一部分奉献给那些为了我们国家的生存而献出了生命的烈士们作为最后的安息地。

我们这样做完全是合情合理的。

但在更广泛的意义上来说，我们不能奉献这块土地，我们不能使这块土地神圣，我们不能使这块土地光耀。那些勇敢的人们，那些曾经在这里战斗过的，活着和死去的人们，已经使这块土地神圣了，远非我们所能增加或减少。

世界不大会注意，也不会永久记住我们今天在这里所说的话，但世界决不能忘记他们在这里所做过的事情。

我们这些活着的人，倒是应该在这里献身于他们长久以来如此高尚地推进的，尚未完成的工作。我们倒是应该在这里献身于留在我们面前的伟大任务：那就是继承这 些光荣的先烈，对他们在这里作出最后全部贡献的事业，作出我们进一步的贡献;那就是我们在这里狠下决心，决不让这些先烈的死成为白白的牺牲;那就是我们的 国家一定要在上帝底下获得新的自由;那就是决不让人民的政府，人民选举的政府，为了人民的政府从地球上消亡。

第四篇： 林肯《葛底斯堡演讲》汉译文的对比分析

摘 要：林肯的《葛底斯堡演讲》是历史上著名的演讲名篇，多年来我国许多人都曾尝试翻译此篇演讲词。本文将以张培基《英汉翻译教程》里刊载的演讲词翻译以及许渊冲《翻译通讯》里刊载的演讲词翻译为主，对这两篇译文进行浅略分析，谈谈笔者对这两篇译文的看法。

关键词：林肯《葛底斯堡演讲》汉译文;张培基《英汉翻译教程》;许渊冲《翻译通讯》

一、原文分析

1863年11月19日，林肯在宾夕法尼亚州葛底斯堡的葛底斯堡国家公墓揭幕式中发表此次演说，哀悼在长达五个半月的葛底斯堡之役中阵亡的将士。林肯《葛底斯堡演讲》全文总共10个句子，267词，演说时间只有两分钟。本文同属表达型文本和呼唤型文本。文章没有任何多余的赘言，开门见山，立即转入正题;结尾语气坚定，给听众留下感情奔放、情意深切、逻辑严密和生动有力的深刻印象。

二、译文比较分析

1、词汇选择

原文1：Fourscore and seven years ago ... a new nation， conceived in Liberty， and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

张译：七八十年以前，我们的先辈们在这个大路上创立了一个新国家，它孕育于自由之中，奉行一切人生来平等的原则。

许译：七八十年前，我们的先辈们在这个大陆上建立了一个以自由为理想、以人人平等为宗旨的新国家。

文中conceived 和dedicated 两个动词的含义对于表现这个国家的自由平等有重要的作用。张分别使用“孕育”、“奉行”两个动词来体现;许则简化了这两个词，以“神似”的意译来取代了直译，“一个以自由为理想、以人人平等为宗旨的新国家”。笔者认为，翻译中所表达的原文含义比翻译中所采用的结构更为重要，许的简化翻译使得译文丢失了部分原文的内容。

原 文2：But， in a larger sense， we cannot dedicated―― we cannot consecrate――we cannot hallow――this ground.

张译：但是，从更广泛的意义上来说，这块土地我们不能够奉献，我们不能够圣化，我们不能够神化。

许译：但是，从更深刻的意义来说，我们不能使这一角战场成为圣地，我们不能使它流芳百世，我们不能使它永垂青史。

原文中这三个词dedicated， consecrate和hallow意思逐步深入递进，烘托了牺牲战士们的崇高性，表现出了庄重严肃的情感。dedicated 有“奉献，投身于、致力于”的意思;consecrate有“为……祝圣，使圣化”的意思;hallow有“把……视为神圣，使成为神圣”的意思。因此，可以看出，张是根据原文，以直译的方式来处理这个句子。许则进行了加工，用四字成语显得更有气势，语气不断加深。

2、句式结构与逻辑

原 文3：It is rather for us…… task remaining before us――that from these honored dead…… he last full measure of devotion; that we …… shall not have died in vain; that the nation shall... and that government of the people， by the people， for the people， shall not perish from the earth.

张译：倒是我们应该在这里把自己奉献于仍然留在我们面前的伟大任务――以便使我们从这些光荣的死者身上汲取更多的奉献精神，来完成他们已经完全彻底为之献身的事业;以便使我们在这里下定最大的决心，不让这些死者们白白牺牲;以便使国家在上帝福佑下得到自由的新生，并且使这个民有、民治、民享的政府永世长存。

许译：我们更应该献身于我们面前的伟大任务，更应该不断向这些光荣牺牲的烈士学习，学习他们为事业鞠躬尽瘁、死而后已的献身精神，更应该在这里下定决心，一定不让这些烈士的鲜血白流;这个国家在上帝的保佑下，一定要得到自由和新生，这个民有、民治、民享的政府一定不能从地球上消失。

这段话句式结构复杂，4个that引导了4个task的同位语从句。从句式结构到具体的措辞，两位先生的翻译都有很大的不同。张用“以便使……以便使……以便使……并且使……”的句式结构对原句进行分解;而许采用的是“更应该……更应该……更应该……一定要……”句式结构。二者翻译均有排比句式的强烈情感色彩。而对于原文中出现的shall，张译为“让，使”，许译为“让，一定”。从许的措辞，如“鞠躬尽瘁、死而后已”“一定不能从地球上消失”等中，可以看出他的翻译相对情感色彩更为激烈，强硬;而张的翻译，如“白白牺牲”“永世长存”等，则较为缓和的情感，更能表现出对牺牲者的谦卑的态度。

三、总结

《葛底斯堡演讲》属于政治性的演讲词，两位先生的译作各有千秋。张培基的译文贴切原文意思，词句的翻译处理更加精致;许渊冲的译文多采用四字成语，气势磅礴。但是，笔者认为后者的翻译在细节处理，如遣词用句上过于意译。因此，笔者认为张培基的译文较好。

[1]古今明《林肯葛底斯堡演说词译文的对比分析》外语研究[J]1988年第4期

[2]宗福常《<林肯总统葛底斯堡演说词>汉译研究》《镇江师专学报》[J]19987年第3期

第五篇：林肯葛底斯堡演讲词

Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. 八十七年前我们的先辈在这块大陆上建立了一个新的国家，这个国家在争取自由中诞生，忠于人人生来平等这一信念。

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting-place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. 目前我们正进行这一场伟大的国内战争，战争考验着以上述信念立国的我们或其他国家，是否能长期坚持下去。今天我们在这场战争的战场上集会，来把战场的一角奉献给为我们国家的生存而捐躯的人们，作为他们的安息之地。这是我们应该做的事。

But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate – we cannot consecrate – we cannot hallow – this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us, the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us – that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth. 但是，从更大的意义上说，我们无权把这块土地奉献给他们，我们不能使这块土地增加光彩，成为圣地。这是那些活着的或已经死去的、曾经在这里战斗过的英雄们才使这块土地成为神圣之土，我们无力使之增减一分。我们在这里说些什么，世人不会注意，也不会长期记住，但是英雄们的行动却永远不会被人们遗忘。这更要求我们这些活着的人去继续英雄们为之战斗并使之前进的未竟事业。我们还需要继续为摆在我们面前的伟大的事业献身——更忠诚于先烈们为之献出了生命的事业;我们决不能让先烈们的鲜血白流;——我们这个国家在上帝的保佑下，要争得自由的新生;这个民有、民治、民享的政府一定要永远在地球上存在下去。

Abraham Lincoln and His Gettysburg Address 林肯和他的葛底斯堡演讲

Late in the evening of November 17, 1863 William Slade, a servant at the White House, called at the President’s study to see whether Lincoln needed anything. Slade was a free colored man from Virginia. His job was the buying of food used in the White House. Lincoln liked Slade, often talked with him, asking his opinion about different matters. 1863年11月17日的深夜，白宫的一个佣人威廉·斯莱德走进总统的书房，问林肯是否还需要什么东西。斯莱德是个自由的黑人，来自弗吉尼亚州。他的工作是给白宫采购食品。林肯喜欢他，常常和他谈话并就各种问题征求他的意见。 “Listen to this, William,” Lincoln said. “See how you think it sounds.” Lincoln then read aloud the short speech he had written.

“你听听这个，”威廉林肯说。“看你听了觉得怎么样。”林肯把写好的那篇短短的演讲稿大声地念给他听。

“I like it, Mr. President,” Slade said. “It sounds good.” 斯莱德说：“很好，总统先生，听起来挺不错。”

But Lincoln himself was mot at all satisfied with what he had written. The next day, on the train to Gettysburg, he again worked on the speech briefly. Later that same evening, in the small Gettysburg hotel room where he stayed that night, he did some more work on it. Lincoln was physically very tired. His mind was troubled by the many serious problems of war and government. It was difficult for him to think. 可是林肯自己却对他写的一点也不满意。第二天，在前往葛底斯堡的火车上，他对稿子又略加修改。晚上在他所住的葛底斯堡旅馆的小房间里，他又把讲稿再推敲了一番。林肯很累。战争和政府的许多严重的问题困扰着他，思想很难集中。 In any case, the speech was short – which was the way Lincoln wanted it. He was mot the main speaker. The speaker of the day was Edward Everett. recognized as probably the greatest orator of the period. Everett was also a very distinguished man. He had been governor of Massachusetts, ambassador to Great Britain, president of Harvard College. There already existed four printed volumes of Everett’s public speeches.

但是，这篇演讲很短，林肯就要它短。那天的主要发言人是爱德华·艾弗莱特，不是林肯。爱德华·艾弗莱特要算是当时最有口才的演说家了。他是一位杰出的人物，当过马萨诸塞州的州长，美国驻英国大使和哈佛大学的校长。他的演说集已经出了四册。

Lincoln, on the other hand, was not considered an orator. He was a good political speaker, and in his political campaigns had proven himself quite capable. But on this occasion something more serious was demanded. At first, the officials in charge of the ceremony had not even wanted to invite Lincoln. Lincoln received only a printed notice of the event. But later, two weeks before the actual ceremony, he was asked, mainly for political reasons, to “say a few words” at the close of Mr. Everett’s address. Even then, some of the newspapers objected, claiming that the President was sure to take advantage of the situation to make a political show. 而林肯并没有认为他擅长演讲，但他能做很好的政治讲话，在政治活动中显示了充分的才干。但是这个场合对林肯提出了更高的要求。本来负责组织这次典礼的官员根本不想请林肯，后来主要出于政治上的考虑，在举行仪式的两周前才给他发了一个打印的通知，请他在艾弗莱特先生演讲之后“讲几句话”。即使如此，有些报纸还反对，说什么总统肯定会利用这次机会大捞政治资本。

At eleven o’clock the following morning, the parade from the town of Gettysburg to the cemetery began. Lincoln rode a horse. Those who saw him said that he bent forward even more than usual, looked particularly worn and tired. The group arrived at the place set for the ceremony at about eleven fifteen. Mr. Everett had not yet come. Bands played continuously to pass the time. At noon, Mr. Everett finally appeared.

第二天上午十一点从葛底斯堡到墓地的游行开始了。林肯骑在马上。当时看见他的人说他比平时更加弯腰躬背，显得特别疲劳。大约十一时十五分，游行队伍不断奏乐以消磨时间。中午时分，艾弗莱特先生总算来了。

There were some 15,000 people present. On the platform with Lincoln sat state governors, army officers, foreign ambassadors, members of congress. Mr. Everett first addressed the President, then began his long expected speech. His speech was typical of the extended and colorful public speaking of that period. Among other things, he touched on the geography of the area, the three day battle, European history, Greek history, State’s Rights. The speech lasted for an hour and fifty-seven minutes. At its close, the audience answered with applause which was properly loud and long. 那天的会约有一万五千人出席。和林肯一起坐在主席台上的有各州州长、军官、外国大使、议员等。艾弗莱特先生先向总统致意，然后发表人们引颈以待的长篇演说。他的演说是当时流行的那种词藻华丽而又冗长的典型。他谈到葛斯底堡一带的地理，三天的战争，欧洲、希腊的历史，州的权力问题，等等，等等。讲了一小时五十七分钟。结束时，听从报以响亮的，长度恰如其分的掌声。

Lincoln then rose to speak. Everett was a tall, very handsome man, who always dressed extremely well, Lincoln’s bent and tired figure, his careless dress were in strong contrast to the impression left by Everett. Lincoln put on his glassed, took from his inside coat pocket the two small sheets of paper on which he had written his speech. However, by this time he knew most of the speech from memory, so he referred to the sheets only briefly. He spoke slowly and clearly, but his speech lasted just five minutes. It contained only nine sentences, ending with the famous words concerning a “government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

接着林肯站起来讲话。艾弗莱特个子高高的，英俊潇洒，衣着讲究。林肯却是疲惫躬腰不修边幅，在艾弗莱特面前，显得相形见绌。林肯戴上眼镜，从上衣夹层的口袋里掏出两张小纸片的讲话稿。但此时对讲话的内容他已大致记熟，只偶尔地向稿纸瞟上一眼。他讲得慢而清楚，只讲了五分钟，九句话。讲话以“一个民有、民治、民享的政府”这句名言结束。

Lincoln spoke with honor of the war dead at Gettysburg, saying, “The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.” But he placed chief emphasis upon the task ahead, the task so dear to his own heart. That of preserving the Union and carrying forward the principles of democracy upon which the country was based. 林肯高度赞颂在葛底斯堡之战中捐躯的将士，他说：“我们在这里说些什么，世人不会注意，也不会长期记住，但是英雄们的行动却永远不会被人遗忘”。林肯着重讲了今后的任务，也是他的心愿，即维护合众国不致分裂，并把作为建国基础的民主原则贯彻到底。

When Lincoln finished, there was a moment of silence – not out of respect or admiration for anything he had said. The audience simply expected a longer speech, When Lincoln returned to his seat, there was polite applause. “The ceremony then being over, the crowd broke up quickly and lost no time in returning to their homes.”

林肯讲完后，全场沉默片刻。这并非对他的讲话相肃然起敬，而是人们没有想到他的演说这么短。林肯回到座位上时，听众中发出几声出自礼貌的掌声。然后，仪式结束，人们纷纷退场，赶紧各自回家去了。

No one at the time seemed much impressed by Lincoln’s speech. That night, on the train back to Washington, Lincoln bay stretched out on a seat, tired and discouraged. He said to a companion, “That speech was a flat failure, and the people are disappointed.” Most of the newspapers seemed to feel the same way. They called the speech unimportant, even foolish. One writer went so far as to say that every American should feel ashamed that the President of the United States had to express himself in such a stupid manner. 林肯的演讲似乎在当时没有给人留下什么深刻的印象。当晚在回华盛顿的火车上，林肯摊手摊脚地坐在位子上，疲倦，沮丧。他对人说：“那篇演讲糟透了，令人失望”。多数报纸也是这个看法，说那篇演讲无足轻重，甚至是可笑的。有一个作者竟然说堂堂美国总统，讲话如此愚蠢，这是每个美国人的耻辱。 Yet others saw in the speech what later served to establish it as a part of English literature, namely, the simple and direct style, the expression in almost perfect language of the central idea for which Lincoln lived and died. Edward Everett’s opinion was typical of this point of view when, the next day, he wrote the following note to Lincoln, “I should be glad if I could flatter myself that I came to near to the central idea of the occasion in two hours as you did in two minutes.” Lincoln’s answer was also typical. He replied to Everett, saying. “You could not have been excused to make a short address, nor I a long one. I am pleased to know that, in your judgment, the little I did say was not entirely a failure. ” 有人当时就看到了后来使这篇演讲成为英文文学中的精品的特点，它以朴素无华的风格，无懈可击的语言阐明了林肯毕业为之奋斗和献身的中心思想。爱德华·艾弗莱特第二天写给林肯的条子很能代表这个看法。他写道：“恕我大言不惭，我用了两小时总算接触到了您所阐明的那个中心思想。而您只用了两分钟就说得明明白白。”林肯的答复也是文如其人：“您做简短的演讲，人们不会原谅，正如我作长篇演讲人们不会原谅一样。您认为我那短短的讲话还不是彻底失败，我感到十分高兴。“