Unit-5-Give-Me-Liberty-or-Give-Me-Death-课文翻译

Unit5GiveMeLibertyorGiveMeDeathPatrickHenry1.Mr.President:NomanthinksmorehighlythanIdoofthepatriotism,aswellasabilities,oftheveryworthygentlemenwhohavejustaddressedthehouse.Butdifferentmenoftenseethesameobjectindifferentlights;and,therefore,Ihopeitwillnotbethoughtdisrespectfultothosegentlemen,if,entertaining,asIdo,opinionsofacharacterveryoppositetotheirs,Ishallspeakforthmysentimentsfreelyandwithoutreserve.Thisisnotimeforceremony.Thequestionbeforethehouseisoneofawfulmomenttothiscountry.Formyownpart,Iconsideritasnothinglessthanaquestionoffreedomorslavery.Andinproportiontothemagnitudeofthesubjectoughttobethefreedomofthedebate.Itisonlyinthiswaythatwecanhopetoarriveattruth,andfulfillthegreatresponsibilitywhichweholdtoGodandourcountry.ShouldIkeepbackmyopinionsatsuchatime,throughfearofgivingoffence,Ishouldconsidermyselfasguiltyoftreasontowardmycountry,andofanactofdisloyaltytowardtheMajestyofHeaven,whichIrevereaboveallearthlykings.2.Mr.President,itisnaturaltomantoindulgeintheillusionsofhope.Weareapttoshutoureyesagainstapainfultruth,andlistentothesongofthatsirentillshetransformsusintobeasts.Isthisthepartofwisemen,engagedinagreatandarduousstruggleforliberty?Arewedisposedtobeofthenumberofthosewhohavingeyesseenot,andhavingearshearnot,thethingswhichsonearlyconcerntheirtemporalsalvation?Formypart,whateveranguishofspirititmaycost,I'mwillingtoknowthewholetruth;toknowtheworstandtoprovideforit.3.Ihavebutonelampbywhichmyfeetareguided,andthatisthelampofexperience.Iknowofnowayofjudgingofthefuturebutbythepast,IwishtoknowwhattherehasbeenintheconductoftheBritishministryforthelasttenyearstojustifythosehopeswithwhichgentlemenhavebeenpleasedtosolacethemselvesandthehouse?Isitthatinsidioussmilewithwhichourpetitionhasbeenlatelyreceived?Trustitnot,sir;itwillproveasnaretoyourfeet.Suffernotyourselvestobebetrayedwithakiss.Askyourselveshowthisgraciousreceptionofourpetitioncomportswiththosewarlikepreparationswhichcoverourwatersanddarkenourland.Arefleetsandarmiesnecessarytoaworkofloveandreconciliation?Haveweshownourselvessounwillingtobereconciledthatforcemustbecalledintowinbackourlove?Letusnotdeceiveourselves,sir.Thesearetheimplementsofwarandsubjugation—thelastargumentstowhichkingsresort.4.Iaskgentlemen,sir,whatmeansthismartialarray,ifitspurposebenottoforceustosubmission?Cangentlemenassignanyotherpossiblemotiveforit?HasGreatBritainanyenemyinthisquarteroftheworld,tocallforallthisaccumulationofnaviesandarmies?No,sir,shehasnone.Theyaremeantforus:theycanbemeantfornoother.TheyaresentovertobindandrivetuponusthosechainswhichtheBritishministryhavebeensolongforging.5.Andwhathavewetoopposetothem?Shallwetryargument?Sir,wehavebeentryingthatforthelasttenyears.Haveweanythingnewtoofferuponthesubject?Nothing.Wehaveheldthesubjectupineverylightofwhichitiscapable;butithasbeenallinvain.Shallweresorttoentreatyandhumblesupplication?Whattermsshallwefindwhichhavenotalreadybeenexhausted?Letusnot,Ibeseechyou,sir,deceiveourselveslonger.6.Sir,wehavedoneeverythingthatcouldbedonetoavertthestormwhichisnowcomingon.Wehavepetitioned;wehaveremonstrated;wehavesupplicated;wehaveprostratedourselvesbeforethethrone,andhaveimploreditsinterpositiontoarrestthetyrannicalhandsoftheministryandParliament.Ourpetitionshavebeenslighted;ourremonstranceshaveproducedadditionalviolenceandinsult;oursupplicationshavebeendisregarded;andwehavebeenspurnedwithcontemptfromthefootofthethrone!Invain,afterthesethings,mayweindulgethefondhopeofpeaceandreconciliation.Thereisnolongeranyroomforhope.Ifwewishtobefree,ifwemeantopreserveinviolatethoseinestimableprivilegesforwhichwehavebeensolongcontending,ifwemeannotbaselytoabandonthenoblestruggleinwhichwehavebeensolongengaged,andwhichwehavepledgedourselvesnevertoabandonuntilthegloriousobjectofourcontestshallbeobtained—wemustfight!Irepeatit,sir,wemustfight!AnappealtoarmsandtotheGodofHostsisallthatisleftus!7.Theytellus,sir,thatweareweak—unabletocopewithsoformidableanadversary.Butwhenshallwebestronger?Willitbethenextweek,orthenextyear?Willitbewhenwearetotallydisarmed,andwhenaBritishguardshallbestationedineveryhouse?Shallwegatherstrengthbyirresolutionandinaction?Shallweacquirethemeansofeffectualresistancebylyingsupinelyonourbacksandhuggingthedelusivephantomofhopeuntilourenemiesshallhaveboundushandandfoot?Sir,wearenotweak,ifwemakeaproperuseofthosemeanswhichtheGodofnaturehathplacedinourpower.Threemillionsofpeople,armedintheholycauseofliberty,andinsuchacountryasthatwhichwepossess,areinvinciblebyanyforcewhichourenemycansendagainstus.Besides,sir,weshallnotfightourbattlesalone.ThereisajustGodwhopresidesoverthedestiniesofnationsandwhowillraiseupfriendstofightourbattlesforus.Thebattle,sir,isnottothestrongalone;itistothevigilant,theactive,thebrave.Besides,sir,wehavenoelection.Ifwewerebaseenoughtodesireit,itisnowtoolatetoretirethecontest.Thereisnoretreatbutinsubmissionandslavery!Ourchainsareforged!TheirclangingmaybeheardontheplainsofBoston!Thewarisinevitable—andletitcome!Irepeatit,sir,letitcome!8.Itisinvain,sir,toextenuatethematter.Gentlemenmaycry,Peace,peace—butthereisnopeace.