Good morning! 早上好！
It is wonderful to be back at the United States Military Academy -- the oldest continuously occupied military post in America -- as we commission the newest officers in the United States Army. 很高兴能再次回到美国军事学院——美国历史最悠久的持续驻军军事基地——为美国陆军授衔新一代军官。
Thank you, General Hagenbeck, for your introduction, on a day that holds special meaning for you and the Dean, General Finnegan. Both of you first came to West Point in the Class of 1971 and went on to inspire soldiers under your command. You've led this Academy to a well-deserved recognition: best college in America. And today, you're both looking forward to a well-deserved retirement from the Army. General Hagenbeck and Judy, General Finnegan and Joan, we thank you for 39 years of remarkable service to the Army and to America. 感谢黑根贝克将军的介绍，今天对你和芬尼根院长而言意义非凡。你们二人都是1971届西点校友，此后在各自指挥岗位上激励了无数士兵。你们引领这所学院赢得了实至名归的荣誉：全美最佳大学。今天，你们二位都将迎来从陆军光荣退休的时刻。黑根贝克将军与朱迪、芬尼根将军与琼，我们感谢你们三十九年来为陆军和美国做出的卓越贡献。
To the Commandant, General Rapp, the Academy staff and faculty, most of whom are veterans, thank you for your service and for inspiring these cadets to become the "leaders of character" they are today. Let me also acknowledge the presence of General Shinseki, Secretary McHugh, the members of Congress who are with us here today, including two former soldiers this Academy knows well, Senator Jack Reed and Congressman Patrick Murphy. 致训导长拉普将军、学院的全体教职员工——其中大多数是退伍军人——感谢你们的付出，感谢你们激励这些学员成长为今天的"品格领袖"。我也要向在场的新关将军、麦克休部长，以及今天到场的各位国会议员致意，其中包括两位本院熟知的退伍军人——杰克·里德参议员和帕特里克·墨菲众议员。
To all the families here -- especially all the moms and dads -- this day is a tribute to you as well. The decision to come to West Point was made by your sons and daughters, but it was you who instilled in them a spirit of service that has led them to this hallowed place in a time of war. So on behalf of the American people, thank you for your example and thank you for your patriotism. 致在座的所有家庭——尤其是所有的父亲和母亲——今天也是对你们的致敬。来西点的决定是你们的子女做出的，但正是你们在他们心中植入了服务的精神，引导他们在战争年代来到这片圣地。因此，我代表美国人民，感谢你们的榜样，感谢你们的爱国之心。
To the United States Corps of Cadets, and most of all, the Class of 2010 -- it is a singular honor to serve as your Commander-in-Chief. As your Superintendent indicated, under our constitutional system my power as President is wisely limited. But there are some areas where my power is absolute. And so, as your Commander-in-Chief, I hereby absolve all cadets who are on restriction for minor conduct offenses. I will leave the definition of "minor" -- to those who know better. 致美国学员团，尤其是2010届的同学们——担任你们的三军统帅是无上的荣耀。正如你们的院长所言，在我们的宪政体制下，总统的权力受到了明智的限制。但在某些领域，我的权力是绝对的。因此，作为你们的三军统帅，我在此赦免所有因轻微违纪行为被禁闭的学员。"轻微"的定义，我就留给更清楚的人去界定。
Class of 2010, today is your day -- a day to celebrate all that you've achieved, in the finest tradition of the soldier-scholar, and to look forward to the important service that lies ahead. 2010届的同学们，今天是属于你们的日子——一个庆祝你们以军人学者最优良传统所取得的一切成就的日子，也是展望未来重要使命的日子。
You have pushed yourself through the agony of Beast Barracks, the weeks of training in rain and mud, and, I'm told, more inspections and drills than perhaps any class before you. Along the way, I'm sure you faced a few moments when you asked yourself: "What am I doing here?" I have those moments sometimes. 你们熬过了野兽营的煎熬，经历了雨水泥泞中的数周训练，据我所知，你们承受的检阅和操练比以往任何一届都多。一路走来，我确信你们都曾有过这样自问的时刻："我究竟在这里做什么？"我有时也会有这样的时刻。
You've trained for the complexities of today's missions, knowing that success will be measured not merely by performance on the battlefield, but also by your understanding of the cultures and traditions and languages in the place where you serve. 你们为当今复杂的任务进行了训练，深知成功不仅以战场上的表现为衡量标准，更取决于你们对所服务地区的文化、传统和语言的理解。
You've reached out across borders, with more international experience than any class in Academy history. You've not only attended foreign academies to forge new friendships, you've welcomed into your ranks cadets from nearly a dozen countries. 你们跨越国界伸出手，获得了学院历史上最丰富的国际经验。你们不仅赴外国军校学习、结下新的友谊，还把来自近十二个国家的学员纳入了你们的行列。
You've challenged yourself intellectually in the sciences and the humanities, in history and technology. You've achieved a standard of academic excellence that is without question, tying the record for the most post-graduate scholarships of any class in West Point history. 你们在科学与人文学科、历史与技术领域中挑战自我。你们取得了无可置疑的学术卓越标准，平了西点历史上研究生奖学金人数最多的纪录。
This includes your number one overall cadet and your valedictorian -- Liz Betterbed and Alex Rosenberg. And by the way, this is the first time in Academy history where your two top awards have been earned by female candidates. 这其中包括你们的总成绩第一名和致辞代表——莉兹·贝特贝德和亚历克斯·罗森伯格。顺便说一句，这是学院历史上首次两项最高荣誉都由女性学员获得。
This underscores a fact that I've seen in the faces of our troops from Baghdad to Bagram -- in the 21st century, our women in uniform play an indispensable role in our national defense. And time and again, they have proven themselves to be role models for our daughters and our sons -- as students and as soldiers and as leaders in the United States armed forces. 这印证了我从巴格达到巴格拉姆、从我军将士脸上看到的一个事实——在21世纪，我们的女军人在国防中扮演着不可或缺的角色。她们一次又一次地证明了自己是我们儿女的榜样——无论是作为学生、军人，还是作为美军的领导者。
And the faces in this stadium show a simple truth: America's Army represents the full breadth of America's experience. You come from every corner of our country -- from privilege and from poverty, from cities and small towns. You worship all of the great religions that enrich the life of our people. You include the vast diversity of race and ethnicity that is fundamental to our nation's strength. 这座体育场中的面孔展示了一个简单的事实：美国军队代表了美国经历的完整广度。你们来自祖国的每一个角落——来自富贵与贫穷，来自城市与小城镇。你们信仰所有丰富我国人民生活的重要宗教。你们囊括了构成我国力量根基的种族与民族的多样性。
There is, however, one thing that sets you apart. Here in these quiet hills, you've come together to prepare for the most difficult test of our time. You signed up knowing your service would send you into harm's way, and you did so long after the first drums of war were sounded. In you we see the commitment of our country, and timeless virtues that have served our nation well. 然而，有一点让你们与众不同。在这片静谧的山丘间，你们相聚于此，为应对我们这个时代最艰难的考验做准备。你们在报名时就明知服役将使你们身处险境，而你们是在战争的第一声鼓点响起许久之后才做出这一决定的。在你们身上，我们看到了我国的承诺，以及那些造福我国的不朽美德。
We see your sense of duty -- including those who have earned their right shoulder patch -- their right shoulder combat patches, like the soldier who suffered a grenade wound in Iraq, yet still helped his fellow soldiers to evacuate -- your First Captain of the Corps of Cadets, Tyler Gordy. 我们看到你们的责任感——包括那些赢得右肩臂章的人——即右肩战斗臂章，就像那位在伊拉克被手榴弹所伤、却仍帮助战友撤离的士兵——你们的学员团第一队长泰勒·戈迪。
We see your sense of honor -- in your respect for tradition, knowing that you join a Long Grey Line that stretches through the centuries; and in your reverence for each other, as when the Corps stands in silence every time a former cadet makes the ultimate sacrifice for our nation. Indeed, today we honor the 78 graduates of this Academy who have given their lives for our freedom and our security in Iraq and Afghanistan. 我们看到你们的荣誉感——体现在对传统的尊重，深知自己加入了绵延数个世纪的"灰长队"；也体现在对彼此的敬意之中，正如每当昔日校友为国捐躯时，学员团都会肃立默哀。今天，我们缅怀七十八位本院毕业生，他们为我们的自由与安全在伊拉克和阿富汗献出了生命。
And we see your love of country -- a devotion to America captured in the motto you chose as a class, a motto which will guide your lives of service: "Loyal 'Til the End." 我们看到你们对国家的热爱——这种对美国的赤诚，凝聚在你们作为班级选择的座右铭中，这条座右铭将指引你们的服务人生："忠诚到底。"
Duty. Honor. Love of country. Everything you have learned here, all that you've achieved here, has prepared you for today -- when you raise your right hand; when you take that oath; when your loved one or mentor pins those gold bars on your shoulders; when you become, at long last, commissioned officers in the United States Army. 责任。荣誉。爱国。你们在这里学到的一切，在这里取得的一切成就，都为今天做好了准备——当你们举起右手；当你们宣誓；当你们的亲人或导师把金色肩章别在你们肩上；当你们终于成为美军的现役军官。
This is the ninth consecutive commencement that has taken place at West Point with our nation at war. This time of war began in Afghanistan -- a place that may seem as far away from this peaceful bend in the Hudson River as anywhere on Earth. The war began only because our own cities and civilians were attacked by violent extremists who plotted from a distant place, and it continues only because that plotting persists to this day. 这是西点在我国处于战争状态下连续举行的第九届毕业典礼。这场战争始于阿富汗——那个地方似乎离哈德逊河这处宁静的河湾比地球上任何地方都遥远。这场战争的起因是我们的城市和平民遭到了暴力极端分子的袭击，他们在遥远的地方密谋策划；而战争之所以延续至今，只是因为那种密谋至今未曾停止。
For many years, our focus was on Iraq. And year after year, our troops faced a set of challenges there that were as daunting as they were complex. A lesser Army might have seen its spirit broken. But the American military is more resilient than that. Our troops adapted, they persisted, they partnered with coalition and Iraqi counterparts, and through their competence and creativity and courage, we are poised to end our combat mission in Iraq this summer. 多年来，我们的重心放在伊拉克。年复一年，我军在那里面临着既艰巨又复杂的种种挑战。换作一支较弱的军队，其士气或许早已崩溃。但美国军队的韧性远不止于此。我们的部队适应了环境，坚持了下来，与联军和伊拉克伙伴并肩作战，凭借他们的能力、创造力和勇气，我们有望在今年夏天结束在伊拉克的战斗任务。
Even as we transition to an Iraqi lead and bring our troops home, our commitment to the Iraqi people endures. We will continue to advise and assist Iraqi security forces, who are already responsible for security in most of the country. And a strong American civilian presence will help Iraqis forge political and economic progress. This will not be a simple task, but this is what success looks like: an Iraq that provides no haven to terrorists; a democratic Iraq that is sovereign and stable and self-reliant. 即便我们在向伊拉克方面移交主导权、撤回我军之际，我们对伊拉克人民的承诺依然不变。我们将继续为伊拉克安全部队提供指导和协助，他们已负责起该国大部分地区的安全。强大的美国文职力量将帮助伊拉克人推动政治和经济进步。这不是一项简单的任务，但这正是成功的模样：一个不向恐怖分子提供庇护的伊拉克；一个主权独立、稳定、自力更生的民主伊拉克。
And as we end the war in Iraq, though, we are pressing forward in Afghanistan. Six months ago, I came to West Point to announce a new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. And I stand here humbled by the knowledge that many of you will soon be serving in harm's way. I assure you, you will go with the full support of a proud and grateful nation. 然而，就在我们结束伊拉克战争之际，我们正在阿富汗继续推进。六个月前，我来到西点，宣布了一项针对阿富汗和巴基斯坦的新战略。今天我站在这里，深知你们中的许多人不久就将奔赴险地，对此我深感谦卑。我向你们保证，你们将带着一个自豪而感恩的国家的全力支持前行。
We face a tough fight in Afghanistan. Any insurgency that is confronted with a direct challenge will turn to new tactics. And from Marja to Kandahar, that is what the Taliban has done through assassination and indiscriminate killing and intimidation. Moreover, any country that has known decades of war will be tested in finding political solutions to its problems, and providing governance that can sustain progress and serve the needs of its people. 我们在阿富汗面临着一场艰苦的战斗。任何叛乱一旦遭到直接挑战，都会转向新的战术。从马尔贾到坎大哈，这正是塔利班通过暗杀、滥杀和恐吓所做的事。此外，任何经历过数十年战乱的国家，在寻找政治解决方案、建立能够维持进步并满足人民需求的治理方面，都将受到考验。
So this war has changed over the last nine years, but it's no less important than it was in those days after 9/11. We toppled the Taliban regime -- now we must break the momentum of a Taliban insurgency and train Afghan security forces. We have supported the election of a sovereign government -- now we must strengthen its capacities. We've brought hope to the Afghan people -- now we must see that their country does not fall prey to our common enemies. 这场战争在过去九年中发生了变化，但其重要性丝毫不少于"9·11"之后的那些日子。我们推翻了塔利班政权——如今我们必须打破塔利班叛乱的势头，并训练阿富汗安全部队。我们支持了一个主权政府的选举——如今我们必须加强其能力。我们为阿富汗人民带来了希望——如今我们必须确保他们的国家不会落入我们共同的敌人之手。
Cadets, there will be difficult days ahead. We will adapt, we will persist, and I have no doubt that together with our Afghan and international partners, we will succeed in Afghanistan. 学员们，前路还会有艰难的日子。我们将适应，我们将坚持，我毫不怀疑，与阿富汗及国际伙伴携手，我们必将在阿富汗取得成功。
Now even as we fight the wars in front of us, we also have to see the horizon beyond these wars -- because unlike a terrorist whose goal is to destroy, our future will be defined by what we build. We have to see that horizon, and to get there we must pursue a strategy of national renewal and global leadership. We have to build the sources of America's strength and influence, and shape a world that's more peaceful and more prosperous. 即便我们应对眼前的战争，我们也必须看到这些战争之外的地平线——因为恐怖分子的目标是毁灭，而我们的未来将由我们所建设的一切来定义。我们必须看到那片地平线，要到达那里，我们必须推行一项国家复兴与全球领导的战略。我们必须夯实美国力量与影响力的源泉，塑造一个更加和平、更加繁荣的世界。
Time and again, Americans have risen to meet and to shape moments of change. This is one of those moments -- an era of economic transformation and individual empowerment; of ancient hatreds and new dangers; of emerging powers and new global challenges. And we're going to need all of you to help meet these challenges. 一次又一次，美国人奋起迎接并塑造变革的时刻。如今正是这样的时刻之一——一个经济转型与个人赋权的时代；一个旧有仇恨与新危险并存的时代；一个新兴大国与新的全球挑战交织的时代。我们将需要你们所有人来帮助应对这些挑战。
You've answered the call. You, and all who wear America's uniform, remain the cornerstone of our national defense, the anchor of global security. And through a period when too many of our institutions have acted irresponsibly, the American military has set a standard of service and sacrifice that is as great as any in this nation's history. 你们响应了召唤。你们，以及所有身穿美国军装的人，依然是我国国防的基石、全球安全的锚点。在太多机构行为失责的时期，美国军队树立了一项服务与牺牲的标准，其伟大程度不亚于我国历史上任何一个时期。
Now the rest of us -- the rest of us must do our part. And to do so, we must first recognize that our strength and influence abroad begins with steps we take at home. We must educate our children to compete in an age where knowledge is capital, and the marketplace is global. We must develop clean energy that can power new industry and unbound us from foreign oil and preserve our planet. We have to pursue science and research that unlocks wonders as unforeseen to us today as the microchip and the surface of the moon were a century ago. 如今我们其他人——我们其他人也必须尽自己的一份力。要做到这一点，我们必须首先认识到，我们在海外的力量与影响力始于我们在国内采取的步骤。我们必须教育我们的孩子，使他们能够在知识即资本、市场是全球化的时代中竞争。我们必须发展清洁能源，以驱动新产业、摆脱对外国石油的依赖并保护我们的星球。我们必须推进科学与研究，解锁那些在今天看来如同一个世纪前的微芯片和月球表面一样无法预见的奇迹。
Simply put, American innovation must be the foundation of American power -- because at no time in human history has a nation of diminished economic vitality maintained its military and political primacy. And so that means that the civilians among us, as parents and community leaders, elected officials, business leaders, we have a role to play. We cannot leave it to those in uniform to defend this country -- we have to make sure that America is building on its strengths. 简而言之，美国的创新必须成为美国力量的根基——因为在人类历史上，从未有任何一个经济活力衰退的国家能够维持其军事与政治的主导地位。这意味着我们中的平民——作为父母、社区领袖、民选官员、商界领袖——都有自己的角色要扮演。我们不能把保卫国家的责任都留给身穿军装的人——我们必须确保美国在自身优势之上继续建设。
As we build these economic sources of our strength, the second thing we must do is build and integrate the capabilities that can advance our interests, and the common interests of human beings around the world. America's armed forces are adapting to changing times, but your efforts have to be complemented. We will need the renewed engagement of our diplomats, from grand capitals to dangerous outposts. 在夯实这些经济实力源泉的同时，我们要做的第二件事是建立并整合能够推进我们利益、以及全世界人类共同利益的能力。美国的武装力量正在适应不断变化的时代，但你们的努力需要得到补充。我们需要外交官重新投入，从宏大的首都到危险的边哨。
We need development experts who can support Afghan agriculture and help Africans build the capacity to feed themselves. We need intelligence agencies that work seamlessly with their counterparts to unravel plots that run from the mountains of Pakistan to the streets of our cities. We need law enforcement that can strengthen judicial systems abroad, and protect us here at home. And we need first responders who can act swiftly in the event of earthquakes and storms and disease. 我们需要发展专家来支持阿富汗农业，帮助非洲国家建立自给自足的能力。我们需要情报机构与同行无缝合作，以瓦解从巴基斯坦山区延伸到我们城市街道的阴谋。我们需要执法力量来加强海外的司法体系，并保护国内的安全。我们需要急救人员能够在地震、风暴和疾病发生时迅速行动。
The burdens of this century cannot fall on our soldiers alone. It also cannot fall on American shoulders alone. Our adversaries would like to see America sap its strength by overextending our power. And in the past, we've always had the foresight to avoid acting alone. We were part of the most powerful wartime coalition in human history through World War II. We stitched together a community of free nations and institutions to endure and ultimately prevail during a Cold War. 这个世纪的重担不能只落在我们的军人身上。它也不能只落在美肩之上。我们的对手乐见美国因过度扩张力量而消耗自身实力。而在过去，我们始终有先见之明，避免单独行动。在二战中，我们是人类历史上最强大的战时联盟的一员。我们缝合起一个自由国家与机构的共同体，在冷战中坚守并最终取得胜利。
Yes, we are clear-eyed about the shortfalls of our international system. But America has not succeeded by stepping out of the currents of cooperation -- we have succeeded by steering those currents in the direction of liberty and justice, so nations thrive by meeting their responsibilities and face consequences when they don't. 是的，我们对国际体系的缺陷看得清楚。但美国从未通过退出合作的潮流而取得成功——我们之所以成功，在于将这些潮流引向自由与正义的方向，让各国因履行责任而繁荣，因未尽义务而承担后果。
So we have to shape an international order that can meet the challenges of our generation. We will be steadfast in strengthening those old alliances that have served us so well, including those who will serve by your side in Afghanistan and around the globe. As influence extends to more countries and capitals, we also have to build new partnerships, and shape stronger international standards and institutions. 因此，我们必须塑造一个能够应对我们这一代人挑战的国际秩序。我们将坚定不移地加强那些为我们服务良好的旧有联盟，包括那些将在阿富汗和全球范围内与你们并肩作战的盟友。随着影响力延伸至更多的国家和首都，我们还必须建立新的伙伴关系，并塑造更强有力的国际标准与机构。
This engagement is not an end in itself. The international order we seek is one that can resolve the challenges of our times -- countering violent extremism and insurgency; stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and securing nuclear materials; combating a changing climate and sustaining global growth; helping countries feed themselves and care for their sick; preventing conflict and healing wounds. If we are successful in these tasks, that will lessen conflicts around the world. It will be supportive of our efforts by our military to secure our country. 这种接触本身并非目的。我们所寻求的国际秩序，应能解决我们这个时代的挑战——打击暴力极端主义与叛乱；阻止核武器扩散并确保核材料安全；应对气候变化并维持全球增长；帮助各国实现粮食自给并照料病患；防止冲突、疗愈创伤。如果我们在这些任务中取得成功，将减少世界各地的冲突。它将支持我军为保障我国安全所做的努力。
More than anything else, though, our success will be claimed by who we are as a country. This is more important than ever, given the nature of the challenges that we face. Our campaign to disrupt, dismantle, and to defeat al Qaeda is part of an international effort that is necessary and just. 然而，比一切都更重要的是，我们的成功将由我们作为一个国家的本质所定义。鉴于我们所面临挑战的性质，这一点比以往任何时候都更加重要。我们瓦解、击溃并战胜"基地"组织的行动，是一项必要且正义的国际努力的一部分。
But this is a different kind of war. There will be no simple moment of surrender to mark the journey's end -- no armistice, no banner headline. Though we have had more success in eliminating al Qaeda leaders in recent months than in recent years, they will continue to recruit, and plot, and exploit our open society. 但这是一场不同寻常的战争。不会有简单的投降时刻来标志这段旅程的终点——不会有停战协议，不会有醒目的头条。尽管近几个月来我们在清除"基地"组织领导人方面比近年来取得了更多成功，他们仍将继续招募、密谋，并利用我们开放的社会。
We see that in bombs that go off in Kabul and Karachi. We see it in attempts to blow up an airliner over Detroit or an SUV in Times Square, even as these failed attacks show that pressure on networks like al Qaeda is forcing them to rely on terrorists with less time and space to train. We see the potential duration of this struggle in al Qaeda's gross distortions of Islam, their disrespect for human life, and their attempt to prey upon fear and hatred and prejudice. 我们在喀布尔和卡拉奇爆炸的炸弹中看到了这一点。我们在企图炸毁飞往底特律的客机或在时代广场引爆越野车的图谋中看到了这一点，即便这些失败的袭击表明，对"基地"组织等网络的压力正迫使他们依赖训练时间和空间更少的恐怖分子。我们在"基地"组织对伊斯兰教的严重歪曲、对人类生命的漠视以及利用恐惧、仇恨和偏见的企图之中，看到了这场斗争可能持续的时日之久。
So the threat will not go away soon, but let's be clear: Al Qaeda and its affiliates are small men on the wrong side of history. They lead no nation. They lead no religion. We need not give in to fear every time a terrorist tries to scare us. We should not discard our freedoms because extremists try to exploit them. We cannot succumb to division because others try to drive us apart. 因此威胁不会很快消失，但我们要明确："基地"组织及其附属者是站在历史错误一边的小人物。他们不领导任何国家。他们不领导任何宗教。我们不必每次恐怖分子试图恐吓我们就屈服于恐惧。我们不应因为极端分子试图利用我们的自由就抛弃这些自由。我们不能因为他人试图分裂我们而陷入分裂。
We are the United States of America. We are the United States of America, and we have repaired our union, and faced down fascism, and outlasted communism. We've gone through turmoil, we've gone through Civil War, and we have come out stronger -- and we will do so once more. 我们是美利坚合众国。我们是美利坚合众国，我们修复了我们的联邦，战胜了法西斯主义，比共产主义更长寿。我们经历过动荡，我们经历过内战，而我们走出困境时更加强大——我们将再次如此。
And I know this to be true because I see the strength and resilience of the American people. Terrorists want to scare us. New Yorkers just go about their lives unafraid. Extremists want a war between America and Islam, but Muslims are part of our national life, including those who serve in our United States Army. Adversaries want to divide us, but we are united by our support for you -- soldiers who send a clear message that this country is both the land of the free and the home of the brave. 我之所以确信这一点为真，是因为我看到了美国人民的力量与韧性。恐怖分子想吓唬我们。纽约人却只是无所畏惧地照常生活。极端分子想要美国与伊斯兰之间爆发战争，但穆斯林是我国国民生活的一部分，包括那些在我们美国陆军中服役的人。对手想要分裂我们，但我们对你们的支持让我们团结一致——军人们传递了一个明确的信息：这个国家既是自由之地，也是勇者之乡。
You know, in an age of instant access to information, a lot of cynicism in the news, it's easy to lose perspective in a flood of pictures and the swirl of political debate. Power and influence can seem to ebb and flow. Wars and grand plans can be deemed won or lost day to day, even hour to hour. As we experience the immediacy of the image of a suffering child or the boasts of a prideful dictator, it's easy to give in to the belief sometimes that human progress has stalled -- that events are beyond our control, that change is not possible. 要知道，在一个信息触手可及、新闻充斥愤世嫉俗言论的时代，人很容易在图片的洪流和政治辩论的漩涡中失去判断力。权力与影响力似乎时起时落。战争与宏伟计划日复一日、甚至时复一时地被宣告胜败。当我们目睹受苦儿童的画面或傲慢独裁者的夸耀时，很容易偶尔产生一种信念——认为人类进步已经停滞，事件已超出我们的掌控，变革已无可能。
But this nation was founded upon a different notion. We believe, "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." And that truth has bound us together, a nation populated by people from around the globe, enduring hardship and achieving greatness as one people. 但这个国家建立在一种不同的理念之上。我们信奉"人人生而平等，造物主赋予他们若干不可剥夺的权利，其中包括生命、自由和对幸福的追求"。这一真理将我们团结在一起，使我们成为一个由来自全球各地的人组成的国家，共担艰辛，作为一个民族共同成就伟大。
And that belief is as true today as it was 200 years ago. It is a belief that has been claimed by people of every race and religion in every region of the world. Can anybody doubt that this belief will be any less true -- any less powerful -- two years, two decades, or even two centuries from now? 这一信念在今天如同两百年前一样真实。这是一种被世界上每一个地区、每一个种族和宗教的人民所奉行的信念。有谁会怀疑这一信念在两年、二十年、甚至两个世纪后会变得不再真实——不再有力？
And so a fundamental part of our strategy for our security has to be America's support for those universal rights that formed the creed of our founding. And we will promote these values above all by living them -- through our fidelity to the rule of law and our Constitution, even when it's hard; even when we're being attacked; even when we're in the midst of war. 因此，我们安全战略的一个根本部分，必须是美国对那些构成我们建国信条的普遍权利的支持。我们将主要通过践行这些价值观来推动它们——通过对法治和宪法的忠诚，即便在艰难时刻；即便在遭受攻击之时；即便在战争之中。
And we will commit ourselves to forever pursuing a more perfect union. Together with our friends and allies, America will always seek a world that extends these rights so that when an individual is being silenced, we aim to be her voice. Where ideas are suppressed, we provide space for open debate. Where democratic institutions take hold, we add a wind at their back. When humanitarian disaster strikes, we extend a hand. Where human dignity is denied, America opposes poverty and is a source of opportunity. That is who we are. That is what we do. 我们将致力于永远追求一个更完美的联邦。与我们的朋友和盟友一道，美国将始终寻求一个延伸这些权利的世界，以便当个人被噤声时，我们力争成为她的声音。当思想被压制时，我们提供公开辩论的空间。当民主制度扎根时，我们为其助力。当人道主义灾难降临时，我们伸出援手。当人类尊严被剥夺时，美国反对贫困，并成为机遇的源泉。这就是我们。这就是我们所做的。
We do so with no illusions. We understand change doesn't come quick. We understand that neither America nor any nation can dictate every outcome beyond its borders. We know that a world of mortal men and women will never be rid of oppression or evil. What we can do, what we must do, is work and reach and fight for the world that we seek -- all of us, those in uniform and those who are not. 我们这样做并非抱有幻想。我们明白变革不会迅速到来。我们明白无论是美国还是任何国家，都无法主宰其边界之外的每一个结果。我们知道，一个由凡人组成的世界永远不会摆脱压迫或邪恶。我们能做的、我们必须做的，是为我们所追求的世界而努力、去争取、去战斗——我们所有人，无论是身穿军装还是不是。
And in preparing for today, I turned to the world -- to the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes. And reflecting on his Civil War experience, he said, and I quote, "To fight out a war you must believe in something and want something with all your might. So must you do to carry anything else to an end worth reaching." Holmes went on, "More than that, you must be willing to commit yourself to a course, perhaps a long and hard one, without being able to foresee exactly where you will come out." 在为今天做准备时，我求助于奥利弗·温德尔·霍姆斯的话语。在回顾他的内战经历时，他说过这样一段话，我引述如下："要打赢一场战争，你必须相信某些东西，并全力以赴地去追求某些东西。要完成任何值得达到的目标，你也必须如此。"霍姆斯接着说："不仅如此，你必须愿意将自己投身于一条道路，也许是漫长而艰难的道路，而无法确切预见自己将走向何方。"
America does not fight for the sake of fighting. We abhor war. As one who has never experienced the field of battle -- and I say that with humility, knowing, as General MacArthur said, "The soldier above all others prays for peace" -- we fight because we must. We fight to keep our families and communities safe. We fight for the security of our allies and partners, because America believes that we will be safer when our friends are safer; that we will be stronger when the world is more just. 美国不为打仗而打仗。我们憎恶战争。作为一个从未亲历战场的人——我怀着谦卑说这番话，深知麦克阿瑟将军所言，"军人比任何人都更祈求和平"——我们打仗是因为我们必须打。我们为保护家人和社区的安全而战。我们为盟友和伙伴的安全而战，因为美国相信，当我们的朋友更安全时，我们也会更安全；当世界更公正时，我们也会更强大。
So cadets, a long and hard road awaits you. You go abroad because your service is fundamental to our security back home. You go abroad as representatives of the values that this country was founded upon. And when you inevitably face setbacks -- when the fighting is fierce or a village elder is fearful; when the end that you are seeking seems uncertain -- think back to West Point. 所以，学员们，一条漫长而艰辛的道路正等待着你们。你们走向海外，因为你们的服务对国内的安全至关重要。你们走向海外，作为这个国家立国价值观的代表。当你们不可避免地遭遇挫折——当战斗激烈或村中长老心生畏惧；当你们所寻求的结局显得不确定时——请回想起西点。
Here, in this peaceful part of the world, you have drilled and you have studied and come of age in the footsteps of great men and women -- Americans who faced times of trial, and who even in victory could not have foreseen the America they helped to build, the world they helped to shape. 在这里，在世界这片宁静的角落，你们在伟大男女的足迹中操练、学习并走向成熟——他们是面临过考验时代的美国人，即便在胜利之时也无法预见他们帮助建立的美国、他们帮助塑造的世界。
George Washington was able to free a band of patriots from the rule of an empire, but he could not have foreseen his country growing to include 50 states connecting two oceans. 乔治·华盛顿能够将一队爱国者从一个帝国的统治下解放出来，但他无法预见他的国家会发展为连接两大洋的五十个州。
Grant was able to save a union and see the slaves freed, but he could not have foreseen just how much his country would extend full rights and opportunities to citizens of every color. 格兰特能够拯救联邦、看到奴隶获得自由，但他无法预见他的国家会向各种肤色的公民充分扩展权利与机会。
Eisenhower was able to see Germany surrender and a former enemy grow into an ally, but he could not have foreseen the Berlin Wall coming down without a shot being fired. 艾森豪威尔能够看到德国投降、昔日的敌人成长为盟友，但他无法预见柏林墙会在不发一枪的情况下倒塌。
Today it is your generation that has borne a heavy burden -- soldiers, graduates of this Academy like John Meyer and Greg Ambrosia who have braved enemy fire, protected their units, carried out their missions, earned the commendation of this Army, and of a grateful nation. 如今，是你们这一代人承担了沉重的负担——军人们，像约翰·梅尔和格雷格·安布罗西亚这样的本院毕业生，他们冒着敌人的炮火，保护部队，执行任务，赢得了这支军队和一个感恩国家的嘉奖。
From the birth of our existence, America has had a faith in the future -- a belief that where we're going is better than where we've been, even when the path ahead is uncertain. To fulfill that promise, generations of Americans have built upon the foundation of our forefathers -- finding opportunity, fighting injustice, forging a more perfect union. Our achievement would not be possible without the Long Grey Line that has sacrificed for duty, for honor, for country. 自我们立国之初，美国就对未来抱有信念——相信我们要去的地方比我们来的地方更好，即便前路充满不确定。为实现这一承诺，一代又一代的美国人在先辈奠基之上继续建设——寻找机遇，对抗不公，锻造一个更完美的联邦。如果没有那条为责任、荣誉、国家而牺牲的"灰长队"，我们的成就是不可能实现的。
And years from now when you return here, when for you the shadows have grown longer, I have no doubt that you will have added your name to the book of history. I have no doubt that we will have prevailed in the struggles of our times. I have no doubt that your legacy will be an America that has emerged stronger, and a world that is more just, because we are Americans, and our destiny is never written for us, it is written by us, and we are ready to lead once more. 多年之后，当你们重返这里，当你们的身影已被时光拉长，我毫不怀疑你们已经把自己的名字写入了历史的篇章。我毫不怀疑我们将在我们这个时代的斗争中取得胜利。我毫不怀疑你们留下的遗产将是一个更加强大的美国和一个更加公正的世界，因为我们是美国人，我们的命运从不曾为我们书写，而是由我们自己书写，而我们已准备好再次引领。
Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America. 谢谢。愿上帝保佑你们。愿上帝保佑美利坚合众国。
