Michelle Obama's plea for education

翻译人员: Ziming Li 校对人员: Coco Shen

This is my first trip,

这是我的第一次出访。

my first foreign trip as a first lady.

是我作为第一夫人的第一次外事出访。

Can you believe that?

你们能相信这个事实吗？

(Applause)

（掌声）

And while this is not my first visit to the U.K.,

虽然这不是我第一次来英国，

I have to say that I am glad that this is my first official visit.

我必须说很高兴我的首次官方访问是来英国。

The special relationship between the United States and the U.K.

美国和英国之间的特殊关系

is based not only on the relationship between governments,

不只是基于政府之间的关系，

but the common language and the values that we share,

而且基于我们有共同的语言和价值观。

and I'm reminded of that by watching you all today.

看见你们大家就使我想到这一点。

During my visit I've been especially honored

在访问期间我特别荣幸地

to meet some of Britain's most extraordinary women --

会见了英国一些最出色的女士。

women who are paving the way for all of you.

这些女士在为你们所有女孩子铺路。

And I'm honored to meet you,

我也很荣幸见到你们，

the future leaders of Great Britain and this world.

这些英国和世界未来的领导者。

And although the circumstances of our lives may seem very distant,

虽然我们的生活境况好像相差很远，

with me standing here as the First Lady of the United States of America,

我作为美国第一夫人站在这里，

and you, just getting through school,

而你们还正在上学。

I want you to know that we have very much in common.

我想让你们了解我们有很多共同之处。

For nothing in my life's path

因为在我生命历程中没有任何东西

would have predicted that I'd be standing here

曾经预示我会站在这里

as the first African-American First Lady

作为美利坚合众国的第一位

of the United States of America.

非洲裔第一夫人。

There is nothing in my story that would land me here.

我的资历里没有什么东西能使我站在这个位置上。

I wasn't raised with wealth or resources

我不是用财富和资源养大的

or any social standing to speak of.

也谈不上有什么社会地位。

I was raised on the South Side of Chicago.

我是在芝加哥的南边养大的。

That's the real part of Chicago.

那是芝加哥的真实部分。

And I was the product of a working-class community.

我出身于工人阶级。

My father was a city worker all of his life,

我父亲一辈子是个市政工人。

and my mother was a stay-at-home mom.

我母亲是个家庭妇女。

And she stayed at home to take care of me and my older brother.

她待在家里照顾我和我哥哥。

Neither of them attended university.

我父母都没上过大学。

My dad was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis

我爸爸被诊断有多种硬化症

in the prime of his life.

当他壮年的时候。

But even as it got harder for him to walk

但就在他变得难以行走

and get dressed in the morning --

而且早上难以穿衣的时候 --

I saw him struggle more and more --

我看着他挣扎得越来越厉害 --

my father never complained about his struggle.

我父亲却从来没有抱怨过他的困难。

He was grateful for what he had.

他对于自己拥有的一切心存感激。

He just woke up a little earlier and worked a little harder.

他只是起得更早一点，工作得更努力一点。

And my brother and I were raised with all that you really need:

我哥哥和我在成长过程中得到了人生真正需要的一切：

love, strong values

爱，强有力的价值观

and a belief that with a good education

以及一个信念，就是靠着良好的教育

and a whole lot of hard work,

还有大量的辛勤工作

that there was nothing that we could not do.

没有什么是我们做不到的。

I am an example of what's possible

我的例子就表明女孩子能创造奇迹

when girls from the very beginning of their lives

只要她们从生命最开始的时候

are loved and nurtured by the people around them.

就受到周围人的爱护和教养。

I was surrounded by extraordinary women in my life:

我的生命中围绕着非凡的女性。

grandmothers, teachers, aunts, cousins, neighbors,

祖母，老师，姨妈，表姐妹，邻居

who taught me about quiet strength and dignity.

她们教会我沉默的力量和尊严。

And my mother, the most important role model in my life,

还有我母亲，我生命中最重要的榜样，

who lives with us at the White House

她和我们住在白宫

and helps to care for our two little daughters,

帮着照顾我们的两个小女儿，

Malia and Sasha.

玛丽娅和萨莎

She's an active presence in their lives, as well as mine,

她在孩子们和我的生活中都很活跃，

and is instilling in them

并正在给她们灌输

the same values that she taught me and my brother:

她教给我和我哥哥的价值观：

things like compassion, and integrity,

同情心，正直

and confidence, and perseverance --

自信和坚定。

all of that wrapped up in an unconditional love

所有这些都包含在无条件的爱之中

that only a grandmother can give.

那是只有一个祖母才能给予的爱。

I was also fortunate enough to be cherished and encouraged

我也很幸运地从一些男性榜样那里

by some strong male role models as well,

得到珍爱和鼓励

including my father, my brother, uncles and grandfathers.

包括我父亲，我哥哥，叔伯和祖父。

The men in my life taught me some important things, as well.

我生命中的男人们也教会我一些重要的东西。

They taught me about what a respectful relationship

他们教会我互相尊重的男女关系

should look like between men and women.

应该是什么样子的。

They taught me about what a strong marriage feels like:

拥有一个牢固的婚姻是什么感觉。

that it's built on faith and commitment

就是建立在信念和承诺之上

and an admiration for each other's unique gifts.

以及对彼此独特天赋的赞赏。

They taught me about what it means

他们教我意识到什么叫

to be a father

当一个父亲

and to raise a family.

并养育一家人。

And not only to invest in your own home

而且不只是关注自己的家庭

but to reach out and help raise kids

也要伸手去帮助养育

in the broader community.

更广泛的社区里的孩子

And these were the same qualities

这些同样的品质

that I looked for in my own husband,

也是我在自己的丈夫身上寻找的，

Barack Obama.

就是巴拉克•奥巴马

And when we first met,

在我们最初相识的时候

one of the things that I remember is that he took me out on a date.

我记得，他带我出去约会。

And his date was to go with him to a community meeting.

他的约会是和他一起去开一个社区会议。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

I know, how romantic.

是啊，够浪漫的吧。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

But when we met, Barack was a community organizer.

我们相识的时候，巴拉克是一个社区组织者。

He worked, helping people to find jobs

他的工作是帮助人家找工作

and to try to bring resources into struggling neighborhoods.

以及努力把资源带给有困难的邻里。

As he talked to the residents in that community center,

当他同那个社区中心里的居民交谈的时候

he talked about two concepts.

他谈到两个概念。

He talked about "the world as it is" and "the world as it should be."

他谈到“现实世界”和“理想世界”。

And I talked about this throughout the entire campaign.

我在竞选的整个过程中也谈到这些。

What he said, that all too often,

他说，我们常常

is that we accept the distance between those two ideas.

接受了这两种观念之间的差距。

And sometimes we settle for the world as it is,

有的时侯我们满足于现实世界，

even when it doesn't reflect our values and aspirations.

即使它没有反映我们的价值观和愿望。

But Barack reminded us on that day,

但是那天巴拉克提醒了我们，

all of us in that room, that we all know

在那间屋子里的所有人，我们都知道

what our world should look like.

我们的世界应该是什么样子的。

We know what fairness and justice and opportunity look like.

我们知道公平，正义和机会是什么样子的。

We all know.

我们全都知道。

And he urged the people in that meeting,

他敦促那个会上的人们，

in that community,

那个社区里的人们，

to devote themselves to closing the gap

把他们自己献身于

between those two ideas,

缩小那两种观念之间的差距，

to work together to try to make the world as it is

一起努力把现实世界

and the world as it should be, one and the same.

变成和理想世界一样。

And I think about that today because I am

我今天想起这些是因为

reminded and convinced that all of you in this school

我确信这所学校里你们所有的人

are very important parts of closing that gap.

都是缩小这差距非常重要的因素。

You are the women who will build the world as it should be.

你们是要建立理想世界的女性。

You're going to write the next chapter in history.

你们将写出历史的下一个篇章。

Not just for yourselves, but for your generation

不只是为你们自己，而且是为你们一代人

and generations to come.

以及未来的几代人。

And that's why getting a good education

这就是为什么得到良好的教育

is so important.

是这么的重要。

That's why all of this that you're going through --

这就是为什么你们正在经历的所有这一切

the ups and the downs, the teachers that you love and the teachers that you don't --

好事和坏事，你们喜欢的和不喜欢的老师 --

why it's so important.

为什么都这么重要。

Because communities and countries and ultimately the world

因为社区和国家还有归根结底这个世界，

are only as strong as the health of their women.

它们的强大只取决于其中女性的健康。

And that's important to keep in mind.

记住这一点很重要。

Part of that health includes an outstanding education.

这个健康的一部分包括出类拔萃的教育。

The difference between a struggling family and a healthy one

一个艰困的家庭与一个健康的家庭之间的区别

is often the presence of an empowered woman

通常就是有一个或几个说话算数的女人

or women at the center of that family.

处于家庭的核心。

The difference between a broken community and a thriving one

一个破败的社区与一个茁壮成长的社区的区别

is often the healthy respect between men and women

通常取决于男女间能否相互尊重

who appreciate the contributions each other makes to society.

他（她）们感激对方为社会所做的贡献。

The difference between a languishing nation

一个日趋衰弱的国家

and one that will flourish

与一个强盛的国家的区别

is the recognition that we need equal access to education

就是其中的男孩和女孩

for both boys and girls.

是否有平等受教育的机会

And this school, named after the U.K.'s first female doctor,

这所学校以英国的第一个女医生命名，

and the surrounding buildings named for Mexican artist Frida Kahlo,

学校的建筑以其他三位女士命名：墨西哥艺术家福丽达•卡萝

Mary Seacole,

玛丽•希珂

the Jamaican nurse known as the "black Florence Nightingale,"

她是被称为“黑人南丁格尔”的牙买加护士，

and the English author, Emily Bronte,

以及英国作家艾米丽•勃朗特

honor women who fought sexism, racism and ignorance,

这都是为了纪念这些女士，她们与性别歧视，种族歧视和无知做斗争，

to pursue their passions to feed their own souls.

从而追求她们的激情以充实自己的灵魂。

They allowed for no obstacles.

她们没有顾及任何障碍。

As the sign said back there, "without limitations."

就像后面这个标语写的，“全然无限”。

They knew no other way to live

她们没想以其它的方式生活

than to follow their dreams.

而只是追随她们的梦想。

And having done so, these women

正因为如此，这四位女士

moved many obstacles.

去除了很多障碍。

And they opened many new doors

她们创造了很多新的机会

for millions of female doctors and nurses

为成百上千万的女医生和女护士们

and artists and authors,

女艺术家和女作家们，

all of whom have followed them.

她们都追随了这四位女士。

And by getting a good education,

通过得到良好的教育

you too can control your own destiny.

你们也可以掌控自己的命运。

Please remember that.

请记住这一点。

If you want to know the reason why I'm standing here,

如果你们想知道我能站在这里的原因，

it's because of education.

那就是因为教育。

I never cut class. Sorry, I don't know if anybody is cutting class.

我从来不逃课。对不起，我不知道这里是否有人逃课。

I never did it.

我从来没那么做。

I loved getting As.

我喜欢得‘优’

I liked being smart.

我喜欢做聪明人。

I liked being on time. I liked getting my work done.

我喜欢准时。我喜欢把我的功课做完。

I thought being smart was cooler than anything in the world.

我觉得做聪明人比世界上任何事都要酷。

And you too, with these same values,

按照同样的价值观，你们同样可以

can control your own destiny.

掌控你们自己的命运。

You too can pave the way.

你们也可以铺出路来。

You too can realize your dreams,

你们也可以实现你们的梦想，

and then your job is to reach back

然后你们的任务就是伸出手

and to help someone just like you do the same thing.

去帮助像你们一样的人实现梦想。

History proves that it doesn't matter

历史证明，无论是

whether you come from a council estate

你们来自穷人家

or a country estate.

或来自富人家。

Your success will be determined

你们的成功取决于

by your own fortitude,

你们自己的坚韧，

your own confidence, your own individual hard work.

你们自己的信心，你们自己的辛勤工作。

That is true. That is the reality of the world that we live in.

真是这样。这就是我们所生活的世界的真实情况。

You now have control over your own destiny.

你们的命运现在掌握在自己手上。

And it won't be easy -- that's for sure.

但这并不容易。那是一定的。

But you have everything you need.

可是你们拥有你们所需要的一切。

Everything you need to succeed,

要成功所需的一切，

you already have, right here.

你们已经都有了。

My husband works in this big office.

我丈夫在一个大办公室里工作。

They call it the Oval Office.

他们管它叫椭圆办公室。

In the White House, there's the desk that he sits at --

在白宫里，有一个他坐在那儿办公的桌子。

it's called the Resolute desk.

那个办公桌名为“坚决”。

It was built by the timber of Her Majesty's Ship Resolute

桌子是用女王陛下“坚决”号船的木料打造的。

and given by Queen Victoria.

是维多利亚女王送的。

It's an enduring symbol of the friendship between our two nations.

它是我们两国之间友谊的永久象征。

And its name, Resolute,

它的名字，“坚决”，

is a reminder of the strength of character that's required

提醒我们要有这样的风骨

not only to lead a country,

不只是领导一个国家，

but to live a life of purpose, as well.

而且要度过一个有意义的人生。

And I hope in pursuing your dreams, you all remain resolute,

我希望在追求你们的梦想时，你们都能保持坚定，

that you go forward without limits,

向前进而不受限制，

and that you use your talents -- because there are many; we've seen them;

发挥你们的才能 -- 因为你们才华横溢。我们见识过

it's there --

确实有才华。

that you use them to create the world as it should be.

用你们的才华去创建那个理想世界

Because we are counting on you.

因为我们指望着你们。

We are counting on every single one of you

我们指望着你们每一个人

to be the very best that you can be.

尽你们的全力，做到最好。

Because the world is big.

因为这个世界很大。

And it's full of challenges.

充满了挑战。

And we need strong, smart, confident young women

我们需要坚强的，聪明的，自信的年轻女性

to stand up and take the reins.

站出来执掌乾坤。

We know you can do it. We love you. Thank you so much.

我们知道你们能做到。我们爱你们。谢谢大家。

(Applause)

（掌声）