專四晨讀美文：Inaugural Address of Obama

Inaugural Address of Obama
Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real.
They are serious and they are many.
They will not be met easily or in a short span of time.
But know this, America-they will be met.
We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture,
the time has come to set aside childish things.
The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit;
to choose our better history;
to carry forward that precious gift,
that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation:
the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free,
and all deserve a chance
to pursue their full measure of happiness.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation,
we understand that greatness is never a given.
It must be earned.
Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less.
It has not been the path for the fainthearted-
for those who prefer leisure over work,
or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame.
Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers,
the makers of things-
some celebrated but more often
men and women obscure in their labor,
who have carried us up the long,
rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
We are shaped by every language and culture,
drawn from every end of this Earth;
and because we have tasted
the bitter swill of civil war and segregation,
and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united,
we cannot help but believe
that the old hatreds shall someday pass;
that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve;
that as the world grows smaller,
our common humanity shall reveal itself;
and that America must play its role in ushering
in a new era of peace.
America. In the face of our common dangers,
in this winter of our hardship,
let us remember these timeless words.
With hope and virtue,
let us brave once more the icy currents,
and endure what storms may come.
Let it be said by our children's children
that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end,
that we did not turn back nor did we falter;
and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us,
we carried forth that great gift of freedom
and delivered it safely to future generations.