How wonderful it is

that nobody need wait a single moment

before starting to improve the world.

任何人都可以改进世界，

这是多么美妙的一件事情！ 

    奥巴马已经成为了美国的神！美国人民热切期盼他能真正拯救美国。

    今天，我要让广大的中国朋友从一个父亲的角度去了解奥巴马。他是一位了不起的父亲！

Dear Malia and Sasha, 
        [1] I know that you've both had a lot of fun these last two years on the campaign trail, going to picnics and parades and state fairs, eating all sorts of junk food your mother and I probably shouldn't have let you have. But I also know that it hasn't always been easy for you and Mom, and that as excited as you both are about that new puppy, it doesn't make up for all the time we've been apart. I know how much I've missed these past two years, and today I want to tell you a little more about why I decided to take our family on this journey.

       【1】我知道你俩在过去两年的竞选活动中获得了不少乐趣，如参加野餐、游行和州际交易会，还有享用我和你们妈妈或许不应该纵容你们去吃的各种无益快餐类食品。但我同样知道对你们和妈妈来说这趟旅程都不容易，你们与那只新小狗虽然都为此体验到了兴奋，但那都不足以补偿我们不能在一起的时光。我知道我是如何地怀念这过去的两年，今天，我想告诉你们更多的一些关于为何我把我的家庭带入这趟旅程的事情。

        [2] When I was a young man, I thought life was all about me - about how I'd make my way in the world, become successful, and get the things I want. But then the two of you came into my world with all your curiosity and mischief and those smiles that never fail to fill my heart and light up my day. And suddenly, all my big plans for myself didn't seem so important anymore. I soon found that the greatest joy in my life was the joy I saw in yours. And I realized that my own life wouldn't count for much unless I was able to ensure that you had every opportunity for happiness and fulfillment in yours. In the end, girls, that's why I ran for President: because of what I want for you and for every child in this nation. 

       【2】在我小的时候，我认为生活的一切都是以我为中心——关于如何出人头地，如何去成功，如何得到我所想要的一切。但是，你们两个来到了我的世界里，你们对世界的好奇，你们的微笑总是让我感到无比幸福。突然，我那些曾经有过的野心变得不再重要！不久，我发现，我最大的快乐就是看到你们快乐。我也意识到，如果我不能确保你们有追求幸福和成就的机会，那么我的人生也没有什么意义！亲爱的女儿们，这就是我为什么竞选总统的原因，因为我想让你们和这个国家的每一个孩子幸福！

        [3] I want all our children to go to schools worthy of their potential - schools that challenge them, inspire them, and instill in them a sense of wonder about the world around them. I want them to have the chance to go to college - even if their parents aren't rich. And I want them to get good jobs: jobs that pay well and give them benefits like health care, jobs that let them spend time with their own kids and retire with dignity.

      【3】 我想我的孩子们就读可以不辜负她们潜能的学校——这些学校赋予他们挑战，启发他们，并灌输她们周遭世界的精妙。我希望她们能有机会入读大学——即使她们的父母并不富裕。我还希望他们获得好的工作：回报丰厚，并且提供如健康保险等福利，能让她们有时间与孩子们共度，并能有尊严地退休。

        [4] I want us to push the boundaries of discovery so that you'll live to see new technologies and inventions that improve our lives and make our planet cleaner and safer. And I want us to push our own human boundaries to reach beyond the divides of race and region, gender and religion that keep us from seeing the best in each other.

      【4】我想我们能够扩展知识的边界，那么你们就可以在有生之年看到能改善我们生活和使我们的星球更加干净和安全的新科技和新发明。我还想我们能够扩展人类的边界，从而超越种族、地域、性别和宗教的隔阂，它们一直使我们不能看到彼此最好的一面。 

        [5] Sometimes we have to send our young men and women into war and other dangerous situations to protect our country - but when we do, I want to make sure that it is only for a very good reason, that we try our best to settle our differences with others peacefully, and that we do everything possible to keep our servicemen and women safe. And I want every child to understand that the blessings these brave Americans fight for are not free - that with the great privilege of being a citizen of this nation comes great responsibility.

      【5】有时，我们得派遣我们的年轻人到战争或其他危险的境地中去，以保卫我们的国家——但是当我们如此做的时候，我要确认那是具备充足理由的，我们尽力去和平解决与他人的分歧，还有我们尽可能保证我们的公职人员的人身安全。且我希望每个孩子都明白这些勇敢的美国人为此斗争的福祉并非唾手可得——身为这个国家的公民，虽享有广泛的公民权利，同时亦要承担沉重的公民义务。 

        [6] That was the lesson your grandmother tried to teach me when I was your age, reading me the opening lines of the Declaration of Independence and telling me about the men and women who marched for equality because they believed those words put to paper two centuries ago should mean something.
      【6】这就是我像你们这般年纪时你们的祖母给我上的一课，她给我念《独立宣言》的开篇，告诉我那些游行以争取平等的人们，是因为相信这些两个世纪前就写进本本的文字是有其意义的。

       [7] She helped me understand that America is great not because it is perfect but because it can always be made better-and that the unfinished work of perfecting our union falls to each of us. It's a charge we pass on to our children, coming closer with each new generation to what we know America should be.
      【7】她帮助我认识到美国之所以伟大，并非因为它完美，而是因为它堪于造就而日渐昌明——而使我们的国家臻于完美的未竟事业落在我们每一个人的身上。这是我们传给我们的孩子的任务，随着每一代人的建设而越渐接近我们理想中的美国所应该具有的风貌。

       [8] I hope both of you will take up that work, righting the wrongs that you see and working to give others the chances you've had. Not just because you have an obligation to give something back to this country that has given our family so much - although you do have that obligation. But because you have an obligation to yourself. Because it is only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you will realize your true potential.
      【8】我想你们俩接过这个任务，去纠正你们所见的错误，赋予他人与你相等的机会。不单是因为你们有义务去回馈这个给予我们一家如此之多的国家——虽说你们确有此义务。而是因为你们对自己要有所担当。因为只有当为着比个人更远大的东西而行进时，你们才能发现自己真正的潜力。

        [9] These are the things I want for you - to grow up in a world with no limits on your dreams and no achievements beyond your reach, and to grow into compassionate, committed women who will help build that world. And I want every child to have the same chances to learn and dream and grow and thrive that you girls have. That's why I've taken our family on this great adventure.
      【9】这些是我希望你们能够享有的——在一个不对你们梦想和成就作规限的世界里成长，成为富于同情心和为贡献世界出力的忠诚女性。而且我希望每一个孩子都拥有像你们这般学习，梦想，成长与盛放的机会。那正是我把我的家庭带入这趟伟大的冒险之因由。

      [10] I am so proud of both of you. I love you more than you can ever know. And I am grateful every day for your patience, poise, grace, and humor as we prepare to start our new life together in the White House. 
      【10】我为你们俩感到骄傲。我对你们的爱超越你们的想像。我们即将迎来新的生活，非常感谢你们所展现出来的耐心、姿态、优雅和幽默。