【史料】美国独立宣言中英双语

八卦谈佚名 ▪ 2023-04-24 00:22:30

在我的个人投稿中，标题含有【史料】的专栏为历史研究的第一手史料，仅供学习使用，不代表本人任何立场。双语的内容，汉语部分为个人自行翻译，仅供参考。

独立宣言 Declaration of Independence

【背景】18世纪中叶起，英国及其北美殖民地之间的关系日渐紧张。到了70年代，双方的矛盾已经激化到了必须以战争的形式爆发的程度，1775年的列克星敦枪声打响了北美殖民地独立的浪潮。在战争中，激进派主张彻底摆脱英国统治、建立独立国家。1776年7月4日，第二届大陆会议于费城批准了《独立宣言》。

In Congress, July 4, 1776

大陆会议，1776年7月4日

THE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION OF THE THIRTEEN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

美洲十三联合州的共同声明

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

在人类活动的过程中，一群人断开和另一群人的政治联系是必要的；在世界上的政权之间宣告接受自然法则和自然界的造物主的旨意赋予他们的独立和平等的地位时，出于对人类舆论的尊重，他们必须把独立的理由告知于众。

We hold these truths to be self-evident, 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. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

我们认为下列真理是不言而喻的：人人生来平等，造物主赋予他们若干不可剥夺的权利，即生命权、自由权和获得幸福的权利。为了确保这些权利，人们之间设立了政府，它在被统治者的允许下获得它的正当权力。

That whenever any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience has shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

每当任何形式的政府成为实现这些目标的阻碍时，人们便有权利将其改换或废除，并建立一个新的政府，它建立在类似的基础上，以类似的形式组织其权力，因为它似乎最有可能影响人们的安全和幸福。的确，谨慎决定了长久建立的政府不能因暂时而轻微的理由被改变；因此，所有经验都表明：在邪恶可以被忍受时，人类更愿意遭受痛苦，而不是通过废弃一向的被习惯的形式来自我纠正。但当一长串的虐待和剥夺表明他们总是想要实行绝对的专制时，人们有权力、也有责任抛弃这样的政府，并为他们未来的安全提供新的保障。

Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

这就是这些殖民地持续忍受着的；这就是它们被迫改变他们以前的政府制度的必要理由。现在的大不列颠国王的过去是一部反复伤害和抢夺的历史，其直接目的是建立对这些州的绝对暴政。为了证明这一点，应该坦率地指出事实。

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good. He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them. He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only. He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures. He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people. He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within. He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws of Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of Lands. He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers. He has made Judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our People, and eat out their substance. He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures. He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power. He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

他拒绝通过法律，那些对公众利益最有益、最必要的法律。他禁止他的总督通过当前急迫需要的法律，除非这些法律暂缓到他同意的时候才执行；而这样暂缓执行的时候，他完全忘记了这些法律。他拒绝通过其他法律来满足广大地区人民的居住，除非这些人放弃在州议会的代表权——这一权利对人民来说不可估量，而只对暴君是可怕的。他在奇怪、不舒服且远离国家档案的地方召集立法机构，只为强迫他们服从他的指挥。他曾多次解散众议院，因为他被它坚决反对侵犯人民的权利。在解散之后，他在很长时间内不成立其他类似机构，无法消灭的立法权已经回到广大人民中来行使；同时国家仍然暴露在外部入侵和内部动荡等一切可能的危险中。他竭力阻止这些州的人口增长，为此否决外国人归化法；也拒绝通过其他法律来鼓励外国人口移民来此处，并提高新土地拨款的门槛。他通过拒绝通过建立司法权的法律来阻碍执法。他使法官的任期、薪水的多少与是否支付仅取决于他的意志。他建立了许多新的部门，派了成群的官员来骚扰我们的人民，并耗干我们的物资。在和平时期，他在没有获得我们立法机构的同意的情况下在我们这里维持着常备军。他的干涉使得军队独立于民事权利，并且凌驾于其上。他与其他人勾结，将我们置于一个无关于我们的宪法和我们的法律不承认的管辖之下；同意他们假装立法的法案：

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

为了在我们中间集结大批庞大的武装部队：

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

为了通过不被承认的审判保护军队免受对这些州的居民犯下的任何谋杀罪的惩罚：

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

为了阻断我们与世界各地的贸易：

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

为了不经我们允许对我们征税：

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

为了在许多案件中剥夺我们陪审团审判的利益：

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

为了把我们运到海外来为莫须有的罪行审判：

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

为了废除一个邻近省份的英国法律自由体系，同时在该省建立一个专制的政府，并扩大其边界，以便使其立即成为向这些殖民地引入同样的绝对统治的榜样和适当工具：

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our Governments:

为了剥夺我们的宪章，废除我们最有价值的法律，并从根本上改变我们政府的形式：

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

为了暂时废止我们的立法机构，并宣布他们被赋予在任何情况下为我们立法的权力。

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us. He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the Lives of our people.

他已经放弃了这里的政府，宣布我们脱离了他的保护，并对我们发动了战争。他掠夺我们的海洋，摧残我们的海岸，烧毁我们的城镇，毁了我们人民的生命。

He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation. He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

此时，他正在运送大批外籍雇佣军，以完成屠杀、破坏和实施暴政的工作，这种残酷和背信弃义在最野蛮的时代都是难以比拟的，他完全不配成为一个文明国家的统治者。他强迫我们那些在公海被俘虏的同胞们举起武器对抗他们自己的国家，杀死他们的朋友和弟兄，或者被他们自己的亲友杀死。

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

他在我们中间煽动了暴动，并试图把无情的印度野蛮人带到我们边境的居民身边，他们以对所有年龄、性别和物质环境的无差别破坏闻名。

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms:

在上述压迫的每个阶段，我们都以最谦卑的条件请求：

Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people. Nor have We been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpation, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

我们一再提出的请愿却只得到了重复的侮辱。一个君主，如果他的品性被每一个可能被定义为暴君的行为标记，那么他就不适合成为一个自由人的统治者。我们也不是没有注意到我们的英国同胞。我们已经不时警告他们，他们的立法机关试图将不合理的管辖权扩大到我们身上。我们已经提醒他们我们这里的移民和定居情况。我们呼吁他们天生的正义感和宽宏大量，我们通过我们共同的血缘关系召唤他们否认这些篡夺行为，因为这些将不可避免地中断我们的联系和通信。而他们也对正义和血肉同胞的呼声置若罔闻。因此，我们必须默许这种痛斥我们分离的必要性，并像对待人类其他人一样对待他们，视他们为战争中的敌人，或者和平中的朋友。

We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

因此，我们美利坚合众国的代表，在全体大会集合，以这些殖民地善良人民的名义和权威，为了我们目的的正义性，向世界最高法官呼吁：这些联合的殖民地是、而且有权利是自由独立的国家；它们解除了对英王室的一切效忠；它们和大不列颠国之间的一切政治联系都是而且应该是被消除的；而且作为自由独立的国家，它们有充分的权力宣战、缔和、结盟、建立商贸，以及采取独立国家有权利采取的一切其他行动。为了支持这一宣言，我们坚定地依靠天赐的保佑，相互保证我们的生命、财富和神圣的荣誉。

JOHN HANCOCK, President

Attested, CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary

New Hampshire: JOSIAH BARTLETT, WILLIAM WHIPPLE, MATTHEW THORNTON

Massachusetts-Bay: SAMUEL ADAMS, JOHN ADAMS, ROBERT TREAT PAINE, ELBRIDGE GERRY

Rhode Island: STEPHEN HOPKINS, WILLIAM ELLERY

Connecticut: ROGER SHERMAN, SAMUEL HUNTINGTON, WILLIAM WILLIAMS, OLIVER WOLCOTT

Georgia: BUTTON GWINNETT, LYMAN HALL, GEO. WALTON

Maryland: SAMUEL CHASE, WILLIAM PACA, THOMAS STONE, CHARLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON

Virginia: GEORGE WYTHE, RICHARD HENRY LEE, THOMAS JEFFERSON, BENJAMIN HARRISON, THOMAS NELSON, JR., FRANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE, CARTER BRAXTON.

New York: WILLIAM FLOYD, PHILIP LIVINGSTON, FRANCIS LEWIS, LEWIS MORRIS

Pennsylvania: ROBERT MORRIS, BENJAMIN RUSH, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, JOHN MORTON, GEORGE CLYMER, JAMES SMITH, GEORGE TAYLOR, JAMES WILSON, GEORGE ROSS

Delaware:GEORGE READ, THOMAS MCKEAN, CAESAR RODNEY