100年前，壹位偉大的美國人——今天我們就站在他象征性的身影下——簽署了《解放宣言》。這項重要法令的頒布，對於千百萬灼烤於非正義殘焰中的黑奴，猶如帶來希望之光的碩大燈塔，恰似結束漫漫長夜禁錮的歡暢黎明。But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize an appalling condition.
然而，100年後，黑人依然沒有獲得自由。100年後，黑人依然悲慘地蹣跚於種族隔離和種族歧視的枷鎖之下。100年後，黑人依然生活在物質繁榮翰海的貧困孤島上。100年後，黑人依然在美國社會中間向隅而泣，依然感到自己在國土家園中流離漂泊。所以，我們今天來到這裏，要把這駭人聽聞的情況公諸於眾。In a sense we have come to our nation’s capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
從某種意義上說，我們來到國家的首都是為了兌現壹張支票。我們***和國的締造者在擬寫憲法和獨立宣言的輝煌篇章時，就簽署了壹張每壹個美國人都能繼承的期票。這張期票向所有人承諾——不論白人還是黑人——都享有不可讓渡的生存權、自由權和追求幸福權。It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.
然而，今天美國顯然對她的有色公民拖欠著這張期票。美國沒有承兌這筆神聖的債務，而是開始給黑人壹張空頭支票——壹張蓋著“資金不足”的印戳被退回的支票。但是，我們決不相信正義的銀行會破產。我們決不相信這個國家巨大的機會寶庫會資金不足。So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.
因此，我們來兌現這張支票。這張支票將給我們以寶貴的自由和正義的保障。We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.
我們來到這塊聖地還為了提醒美國：現在正是萬分緊急的時刻。現在不是從容不迫悠然行事或服用漸進主義鎮靜劑的時候。現在是實現民主諾言的時候。現在是走出幽暗荒涼的種族隔離深谷，踏上種族平等的陽關大道的時候。現在是使我們國家走出種族不平等的流沙，踏上充滿手足之情的磐石的時候。現在是使上帝所有孩子真正享有公正的時候。It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning.
忽視這壹時刻的緊迫性，對於國家將會是致命的。自由平等的朗朗秋日不到來，黑人順情合理哀怨的酷暑就不會過去。1963年不是壹個結束，而是壹個開端。