就职演讲
－－约翰·肯尼迪
[演讲者简介]： 约翰·肯尼迪是一位战争英雄，普利策奖获得者，整个五十年代，都是美国参议员。1960年11月，年仅43岁的他成为美国历史上由选举产生的最年轻的总统。1963年11月22日他在德克萨斯州的达拉斯遇刺身亡，是美国历史上第四位死于暗杀者的子弹的总统。
今天我们庆祝的不是政党的胜利，而是自由的胜利。这象征着一个结束，也象征着一个开端；意味着延续也意味着变革。因为我已在你们和全能的上帝面前，宣读了我们的先辈在170年前拟定的庄严誓言。
现在的世界已大不相同了。人类的巨手掌握着既能消灭人间的各种贫困，又能毁灭人间的各种生活的力量。但我们的先辈为之奋斗的那些革命信念，在世界各地仍然有着争论。这个信念就是人的权利并非来自国家的慷慨，而是来自上帝恩赐。
今天，我们不敢忘记我们是第一次革命的继承者。让我们的朋友和敌人同样听见我此时此地的讲话：火炬已经传给新一代美国人。这一代人在本世纪诞生，在战争中受过锻炼，在艰难困苦的和平时期受过陶冶，他们为我国悠久的传统感到自豪——他们不愿目睹或听任我国一向保证的、今天仍在国内外作出保证的人权渐趋毁灭。
让每个国家都知道——不论它希望我们繁荣还是希望我们衰落一为确保自由的存在和自由的胜利，我们将付出任何代价，承受任何负担，应付任何艰难，支持任何朋友，反抗任何敌人。 这些就是我们的保证——而且还有更多的保证。
对那些和我们有着共同文化和精神渊源的老盟友，我们保证待以诚实朋友那样的忠诚。我们如果团结一致，就能在许多合作事业中无往不胜：我们如果分歧对立，就会一事无成——因为我们不敢在争吵不休、四分五裂时迎接强大的挑战。
对那些我们欢迎其加入到自由行列中来的新国家，我们恪守我们的誓言：决不让一种更为残酷的暴政来取代一种消失的殖民统治。我们并不总是指望他们会支持我们的观点。但我们始终希望看到他们坚强地维护自己的自由——而且要记住，在历史上，凡愚蠢地狐假虎威者，终必葬身虎口。
对世界各地身居茅舍和乡村，为摆脱普遍贫困而斗争的人们，我们保证尽最大努力帮助他们自立，不管需要花多长时间——之所以这样做，并不是因为共产党可能正在这样做，也不是因为我们需要他们的选票，而是因为这样做是正确的。自由社会如果不能帮助众多的穷人，也就无法挽救少数富人。
对我国南面的姐妹共和国，我们提出一项特殊的保证——在争取进行的新同盟中，把我们善意的话变为善意的行动，帮助自由人们和自由的政府摆脱贫困的枷锁。但是，这种充满希望的和平革命决不可以成为敌对国家的牺牲品。我们要让所有邻国都知道，我们将和他们在一起，反对在美洲任何地区进行侵略和颠覆活动。让所有其他国家都知道，本半球的人仍然想做自己家园的主人。 1961. 1. 20
Inaugural Address
－－John Fitzgerald Kennedy
[Brief introduction to the speaker]: John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) John F. Kennedy was a war hero, a Pulitzer Prize [1]-winning author, a U. S. Senator for most of the 1950s. In November 1960, at the age of 43, he became the youngest man ever elected president of the United States. On Nov. 22, 1963, Kennedy was shot to death in Dallas, Tex [2], the fourth United States president to die by an assassin's bullet.
We observe today not a victory of party, but a celebration of freedom. Symbolizing an end, as well as a beginning, signifying renewal, as well as change. For I have sworn before you, and almighty God, the same solemn oath our forbears prescribed [3] nearly a century and three quarters ago.
The world is very different now, for man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty, and all forms of human life. And yet, the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forbears fought are still at issue [4] around the globe. The belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.
We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth [5], from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans, born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage and unwilling to witness, or permit, the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today, at home and around the world.
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well of ill, that we shall pay 
any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty. This much we pledge and more.
To those old allies, whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United there is little we cannot do, in a host of [6] cooperative ventures [7]. Divided there is little we can do. For we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split us asunder.
To those new states whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our words that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny. We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view, but we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom, and to remember that in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.
To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe, struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required, not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.
To our sister republics [8] south of our border, we offer a special pledge, to convert our good words into good deeds, in a new alliance for proGREss to assist free men and free governments in casting off [9] the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this hemisphere intends to re
注释：
1．Pulitzer Prize：普利策奖，美国的文学奖。
2．Dallas, TX：美国德克萨斯州的达拉斯市，位于美国南部。TX是Texas的简写。
3．Prescribed：规定，指示所应遵循的行动方针。我们办手续时常常听到的一句话“请填好规定的表格”用英语说就是Please complete the prescribed form。
4．at issue：issue这里是个名词，意思是“引起讨论的问题”。at issue表示正在讨论中，也就是存在争议。The matter is still at issue就是“这个问题还在讨论”。
5．go forth：意思是公布、发表，公布发表的东西也是为了让别人知道，而本文是一篇演讲，所以翻译为“让……听到”。
6．a host of：是习惯用法，与of连用，表示许多。He has a host of friends. 的意思就是“他有许多朋友”。
7．Ventures：venture的原意是冒险或冒险事业。有人说： No venture, no success. 意思就是“没有冒险就没有成功”。肯尼迪在演讲中宣称的一切理想都需要在未来得以实施。未来总是一个未知数，所以他用了venture这个词代表他希望施展抱负的事业。而他本人最终遭到暗杀，也恰恰应验了venture一词。
8．sister republics：这里是指美国边界以南的国家，也就是拉丁美洲国家，肯尼迪宣称把他们都看作美国的姐妹。
9．cast off：原意是松开、放开，比喻意义是抛弃、丢弃。这个动词词组的宾语是枷锁，所以引申为挣脱的意思。
