1973年1月20日，星期六
……
When we met here four years ago，America was bleak in spirit，depressed by the prospect of seemingly endless war abroad and of destructive conflict at home．
4年前我们在这里相聚时，美国无精打采。国外的战争似乎没完没了，国内的冲突又造成了破坏，一切令人压抑。
As we meet here today，we stand on the threshold of a new era of peace in the world．
今天我们在这里相聚时，我们正站在世界和平新时代的门槛上。
The central question before us is：How shall we use that peace？
摆在我们面前的中心问题是：我们将怎样利用这个和平时代？
Let us resolve that this era we are about to enter will not be what other postwar periods have so often been：a time of retreat and isolation that leads to stagnation at home and invites new danger abroad．
让我们下定决心，使我们即将跨入的这个时代，避免成为历次战争后屡见不鲜的那种时代：一个导致国内停滞不前、国外危险迭出的退却和孤立的时代。
Let us resolve that this will be what it can become：a time of great responsibilities greatly borne，in which we renew the spirit and the promise of America as we enter our third century as a nation．
让我们下定决心，使这个时代能成为肩负重任的时代；在这个时代里，当我们步入立国的第三个世纪时，我们将更新美国的精神和希望。
This past year saw far－reaching results from our new policies for peace．By continuing to revitalize our traditional friendships，and by our missions to Peking and to Moscow，we were able to establish the base for a new and more durable pattern of relationships among the nations of the world．Because of Americas bold initiatives，1972will be long remembered as the year of the greatest progress since the end of World War II toward a lasting peace in the world．
在过去一年中，我们争取和平的各项新政策取得了意义深远的成果。通过不断加强同各国的传统友谊，出访北京和莫斯科，我们为世界各国建立一种新颖的、更加持久的关系模式奠定了基础。由于美国的大胆倡议，1972年将作为第二次世界大战结束以来在走向世界持久和平的坦道上取得最巨大进展的年头，而为人们永志铭记。
The peace we seek in the world is not the flimsy peace which is merely an interlude between wars，but a peace which can endure for generations to come．
我们在世界上谋求的和平，不是战争间歇那样的昙花一现的和平，而是能使下几代人持续享有的和平。
It is important that we understand both the necessity and the limitations of Americas role in maintaining that peace．
重要的是，我们要理解美国为维护这种和平而发挥作用的必要性和局限性。
Unless we in America work to preserve the peace，there will be no peace．
如果我们美国不竭尽全力保卫和平，就不会有和平。
Unless we in America work to preserve freedom，there will be no freedom．
如果我们美国不竭尽全力保卫自由，就不会有自由。
But let us clearly understand the new nature of Americas role，as a result of the new policies we have adopted over these past four years．
可是，作为以往4年我们采取新政策所获得的结果，我们应该对美国角色的新性质有个透彻的理解。
We shall respect our treaty commitments．
我们将尊重我们的条约义务。
We shall support vigorously the principle that no country has the right to impose its will or rule on another by force．
我们将努力支持这样一条原则：任何国家都无权运用武力将其意志或统治强加于别的国家。
We shall continue，in this era of negotiation，to work for the limitation of nuclear arms，and to reduce the danger of confrontation between the great powers．
我们将在这个谈判时代，继续致力于限制核武器，减少强国之间发生冲突的危险。
We shall do our share in defending peace and freedom in the world．But we shall expect others to do their share．
我们将为维护世界和平与自由而贡献一份力量。但是，我们也期待其他国家贡献一份力量。
The time has passed when America will make every other nations conflict our own，or make every other nations future our responsibility，or presume to tell the people of other nations how to manage their own affairs．
美国把别国的冲突视为自己的冲突，或把关心别国的前途视为自己的职责，或认为应该告诉别国人民怎样管理国家事务，这样的时代已一去不复返了。
Just as we respect the right of each nation to determine its own future，we also recognize the responsibility of each nation to secure its own future．
正如我们尊重各国都有权利决定自己的未来。我们也认为各国都有责任保卫自己的未来。
Just as Americas role is indispensable in preserving the worlds peace，so is each nations role indispensable in preserving its own peace．
正如美国在维护世界和平中所扮演的角色是不可或缺的那样，各国在维护其自身和平时所扮演的角色也是不可或缺的。
Together with the rest of the world，let us resolve to move forward from the beginnings we have made．Let us continue to bring down the walls of hostility which have divided the world for too long，and to build in their place bridges of understanding—so that despite profound differences between systems of government，the people of the world can be friends．
让我们同世界各国一起，决心把我们业已开创的事业向前推进。让我们继续努力，推倒那些使世界长期处于分裂状态的充满敌意的隔墙，代之以建立起理解的桥梁——这样，尽管各国政府体制存在着巨大差异，但世界人民却可以成为朋友。
Let us build a structure of peace in the world in which the weak are as safe as the strong—in which each respects the right of the other to live by a different system－in which those who would influence others will do so by the strength of their ideas，and not by the force of their arms．
让我们在世界上建立和平机制，使弱者和强者同样感到安全，使人人都尊重他人在不同制度下生活的权利，使人们用思想的力量，而不是用武力去影响别人。
Let us accept that high responsibility not as a burden，but gladly—gladly because the chance to build such a peace is the noblest endeavor in which a nation can engage；gladly，also，because only if we act greatly in meeting our responsibilities abroad will we remain a great Nation，and only if we remain a great Nation will we act greatly in meeting our challenges at home．
让我们接受这一崇高职责，不是作为负担，而是欣然接受——因为有机会建立这样的和平，是一个国家所能从事的最高尚的事业，还因为只有以伟大的行动来履行我们在海外的责任，才能保持一个大国的风范：而只有保持大国的风范，才能以伟大的行动迎接国内的挑战。
……
Inaugural Address of Jimmy Carter（1977）
Thursday，January 20，1977