成功人士的英文演講稿
演講作為一種重要的交流方式在西方擁有長遠的歷史,可以追溯到亞里士多德時期。隨著人類社會的發展,演講一直作為一種重要的交流方式應用於各種場合之中,並且發揮著越來越重要的作用。以下是小編分享給大家的關於,歡迎大家前來閱讀!
篇1:
——馬丁·路德·金演講稿:我已達至峰頂中英文
馬丁·路德·金演講稿:我已達至峰頂英文版 I've Been to the Mountaintop
Thank you very kindly, my friends. As I listened to Ralph Abernathy and his eloquent and generous introduction and then thought about myself, I wondered who he was talking about. It's always good to have your closest friend and associate to say something good about you. And Ralph Abernathy is the best friend that I have in the world. I'm delighted to see each of you here tonight in spite of a storm warning. You reveal that you are determined to go on anyhow.
Something is happening in Memphis; something is happening in our world. And you know, if I were standing at the beginning of time, with the possibility of taking a kind of general and panoramic view of the whole of human history up to now, and the Almighty said to me, "Martin Luther King, which age would you like to live in?" I would take my mental flight by Egypt and I would watch God's children in their magnificent trek from the dark dungeons of Egypt through, or rather across the Red Sea, through the wilderness on toward the promised land. And in spite of its magnificence, I wouldn't stop there.
I would move on by Greece and take my mind to Mount Olympus. And I would see Plato, Aristotle, Socrates, Euripides and Aristophanes assembled around the Parthenon. And I would watch them around the Parthenon as they discussed the great and eternal issues of reality. But I wouldn't stop there.
I would go on, even to the great heyday of the Roman Empire. And I would see developments around there, through various emperors and leaders. But I wouldn't stop there.
I would even come up to the day of the Renaissance, and get a quick picture of all that the Renaissance did for the cultural and aesthetic life of man. But I wouldn't stop there.
I would even go by the way that the man for whom I am named had his habitat. And I would watch Martin Luther as he tacked his ninety-five theses on the door at the church of Wittenberg. But I wouldn't stop there.
I would come on up even to 1863, and watch a vacillating President by the name of Abraham Lincoln finally come to the conclusion that he had to sign the Emancipation Proclamation. But I wouldn't stop there.
I would even come up to the early thirties, and see a man grappling with the problems of the bankruptcy of his nation. And come with an eloquent cry that we have nothing to fear but "fear itself." But I wouldn't stop there.
Strangely enough, I would turn to the Almighty, and say, "If you allow me to live just a few years in the second half of the 20th century, I will be happy."
Now that's a strange statement to make, because the world is all messed up. The nation is sick. Trouble is in the land; confusion all around. That's a strange statement. But I know, somehow, that only when it is dark enough can you see the stars. And I see God working in this period of the twentieth century in a way that men, in some strange way, are responding.
Something is happening in our world. The masses of people are rising up. And wherever they are assembled today, whether they are in Johannesburg, South Africa; Nairobi, Kenya; Accra, Ghana; New York City; Atlanta, Georgia; Jackson, Mississippi; or Memphis, Tennessee -- the cry is always the same: "We want to be free."
And another reason that I'm happy to live in this period is that we have been forced to a point where we are going to have to grapple with the problems that men have been trying to grapple with through history, but the demands didn't force them to do it. Survival demands that we grapple with them. Men, for years now, have been talking about war and peace. But now, no longer can they just talk about it. It is no longer a choice between violence and nonviolence in this world; it's nonviolence or nonexistence. That is where we are today.
And also in the human rights revolution, if something isn't done, and done in a hurry, to bring the colored peoples of the world out of their long years of poverty, their long years of hurt and neglect, the whole world is doomed. Now, I'm just happy that God has allowed me to live in this period to see what is unfolding. And I'm happy that He's allowed me to be in Memphis.
I can remember -- I can remember when Negroes were just going around as Ralph has said, so often, scratching where they didn't itch, and laughing when they were not tickled. But that day is all over. We mean business now, and we are determined to gain our rightful place in God's world.
And that's all this whole thing is about. We aren't engaged in any negative protest and in any negative arguments with anybody. We are saying that we are determined to be men. We are determined to be people. We are saying -- We are saying that we are God's children. And that we are God's children, we don't have to live like we are forced to live.
Now, what does all of this mean in this great period of history? It means that we've got to stay together. We've got to stay together and maintain unity. You know, whenever Pharaoh wanted to prolong the period of slavery in Egypt, he had a favorite, favorite formula for doing it. What was that? He kept the slaves fighting among themselves. But whenever the slaves get together, something happens in Pharaoh's court, and he cannot hold the slaves in slavery. When the slaves get together, that's the beginning of getting out of slavery. Now let us maintain unity.
Secondly, let us keep the issues where they are. The issue is injustice. The issue is the refusal of Memphis to be fair and honest in its dealings with its public servants, who happen to be sanitation workers. Now, we've got to keep attention on that. That's always the problem with a little violence. You know what happened the other day, and the press dealt only with the window-breaking. I read the articles. They very seldom got around to mentioning the fact that one thousand, three hundred sanitation workers are on strike, and that Memphis is not being fair to them, and that Mayor Loeb is in dire need of a doctor. They didn't get around to that.
Now we're going to march again, and we've got to march again, in order to put the issue where it is supposed to be -- and force everybody to see that there are thirteen hundred of God's children here suffering, sometimes going hungry, going through dark and dreary nights wondering how this thing is going to come out. That's the issue. And we've got to say to the nation: We know how it's coming out. For when people get caught up with that which is right and they are willing to sacrifice for it, there is no stopping point short of victory.
We aren't going to let any mace stop us. We are masters in our nonviolent movement in disarming police forces; they don't know what to do. I've seen them so often. I remember in Birmingham, Alabama, when we were in that majestic struggle there, we would move out of the 16th Street Baptist Church day after day; by the hundreds we would move out. And Bull Connor would tell them to send the dogs forth, and they did come; but we just went before the dogs singing, "Ain't gonna let nobody turn me around."
Bull Connor next would say, "Turn the fire hoses on." And as I said to you the other night, Bull Connor didn't know history. He knew a kind of physics that somehow didn't relate to the transphysics that we knew about. And that was the fact that there was a certain kind of fire that no water could put out. And we went before the fire hoses; we had known water. If we were Baptist or some other denominations, we had been immersed. If we were Methodist, and some others, we had been sprinkled, but we knew water. That couldn't stop us.
And we just went on before the dogs and we would look at them; and we'd go on before the water hoses and we would look at it, and we'd just go on singing "Over my head I see freedom in the air." And then we would be thrown in the paddy wagons, and sometimes we were stacked in there like sardines in a can. And they would throw us in, and old Bull would say, "Take 'em off," and they did; and we would just go in the paddy wagon singing, "We Shall Overcome." And every now and then we'd get in jail, and we'd see the jailers looking through the windows being moved by our prayers, and being moved by our words and our songs. And there was a power there which Bull Connor couldn't adjust to; and so we ended up transforming Bull into a steer, and we won our struggle in Birmingham. Now we've got to go on in Memphis just like that. I call upon you to be with us when we go out Monday.
Now about injunctions: We have an injunction and we're going into court tomorrow morning to fight this illegal, unconstitutional injunction. All we say to America is, "Be true to what you said on paper." If I lived in China or even Russia, or any totalitarian country, maybe I could understand some of these illegal injunctions. Maybe I could understand the denial of certain basic First Amendment privileges, because they hadn't committed themselves to that over there. But somewhere I read of the freedom of assembly. Somewhere I read of the freedom of speech. Somewhere I read of the freedom of press. Somewhere I read that the greatness of America is the right to protest for right. And so just as I say, we aren't going to let dogs or water hoses turn us around, we aren't going to let any injunction turn us around. We are going on.
We need all of you. And you know what's beautiful to me is to see all of these ministers of the Gospel. It's a marvelous picture. Who is it that is supposed to articulate the longings and aspirations of the people more than the preacher? Somehow the preacher must have a kind of fire shut up in his bones. And whenever injustice is around he tell it. Somehow the preacher must be an Amos, and saith, "When God speaks who can but prophesy?" Again with Amos, "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." Somehow the preacher must say with Jesus, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me," and he's anointed me to deal with the problems of the poor."
And I want to commend the preachers, under the leadership of these noble men: James Lawson, one who has been in this struggle for many years; he's been to jail for struggling; he's been kicked out of Vanderbilt University for this struggle, but he's still going on, fighting for the rights of his people. Reverend Ralph Jackson, Billy Kiles; I could just go right on down the list, but time will not permit. But I want to thank all of them. And I want you to thank them, because so often, preachers aren't concerned about anything but themselves. And I'm always happy to see a relevant ministry.
It's all right to talk about "long white robes over yonder," in all of its symbolism. But ultimately people want some suits and dresses and shoes to wear down here! It's all right to talk about "streets flowing with milk and honey," but God has commanded us to be concerned about the slums down here, and his children who can't eat three square meals a day. It's all right to talk about the new Jerusalem, but one day, God's preacher must talk about the new New York, the new Atlanta, the new Philadelphia, the new Los Angeles, the new Memphis, Tennessee. This is what we have to do.
Now the other thing we'll have to do is this: Always anchor our external direct action with the power of economic withdrawal. Now, we are poor people. Individually, we are poor when you compare us with white society in America. We are poor. Never stop and forget that collectively -- that means all of us together -- collectively we are richer than all the nations in the world, with the exception of nine. Did you ever think about that? After you leave the United States, Soviet Russia, Great Britain, West Germany, France, and I could name the others, the American Negro collectively is richer than most nations of the world. We have an annual income of more than thirty billion dollars a year, which is more than all of the exports of the United States, and more than the national budget of Canada. Did you know that? That's power right there, if we know how to pool it.
We don't have to argue with anybody. We don't have to curse and go around acting bad with our words. We don't need any bricks and bottles. We don't need any Molotov cocktails. We just need to go around to these stores, and to these massive industries in our country, and say, "God sent us by here, to say to you that you're not treating his children right. And we've come by here to ask you to make the first item on your agenda fair treatment, where God's children are concerned. Now, if you are not prepared to do that, we do have an agenda that we must follow. And our agenda calls for withdrawing economic support from you."
And so, as a result of this, we are asking you tonight, to go out and tell your neighbors not to buy Coca-Cola in Memphis. Go by and tell them not to buy Sealtest milk. Tell them not to buy -- what is the other bread? -- Wonder Bread. And what is the other bread company, Jesse? Tell them not to buy Hart's bread. As Jesse Jackson has said, up to now, only the garbage men have been feeling pain; now we must kind of redistribute the pain. We are choosing these companies because they haven't been fair in their hiring policies; and we are choosing them because they can begin the process of saying they are going to support the needs and the rights of these men who are on strike. And then they can move on town -- downtown and tell Mayor Loeb to do what is right.
But not only that, we've got to strengthen black institutions. I call upon you to take your money out of the banks downtown and deposit your money in Tri-State Bank. We want a "bank-in" movement in Memphis. Go by the savings and loan association. I'm not asking you something that we don't do ourselves at SCLC. Judge Hooks and others will tell you that we have an account here in the savings and loan association from the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. We are telling you to follow what we are doing. Put your money there. You have six or seven black insurance companies here in the city of Memphis. Take out your insurance there. We want to have an "insurance-in."
Now these are some practical things that we can do. We begin the process of building a greater economic base. And at the same time, we are putting pressure where it really hurts. I ask you to follow through here.
Now, let me say as I move to my conclusion that we've got to give ourselves to this struggle until the end. Nothing would be more tragic than to stop at this point in Memphis. We've got to see it through. And when we have our march, you need to be there. If it means leaving work, if it means leaving school -- be there. Be concerned about your brother. You may not be on strike. But either we go up together, or we go down together.
Let us develop a kind of dangerous unselfishness. One day a man came to Jesus, and he wanted to raise some questions about some vital matters of life. At points he wanted to trick Jesus, and show him that he knew a little more than Jesus knew and throw him off base....
Now that question could have easily ended up in a philosophical and theological debate. But Jesus immediately pulled that question from mid-air, and placed it on a dangerous curve between Jerusalem and Jericho. And he talked about a certain man, who fell among thieves. You remember that a Levite and a priest passed by on the other side. They didn't stop to help him. And finally a man of another race came by. He got down from his beast, decided not to be compassionate by proxy. But he got down with him, administered first aid, and helped the man in need. Jesus ended up saying, this was the good man, this was the great man, because he had the capacity to project the "I" into the "thou," and to be concerned about his brother.
Now you know, we use our imagination a great deal to try to determine why the priest and the Levite didn't stop. At times we say they were busy going to a church meeting, an ecclesiastical gathering, and they had to get on down to Jerusalem so they wouldn't be late for their meeting. At other times we would speculate that there was a religious law that "One who was engaged in religious ceremonials was not to touch a human body twenty-four hours before the ceremony." And every now and then we begin to wonder whether maybe they were not going down to Jerusalem -- or down to Jericho, rather to organize a "Jericho Road Improvement Association." That's a possibility. Maybe they felt that it was better to deal with the problem from the causal root, rather than to get bogged down with an individual effect.
But I'm going to tell you what my imagination tells me. It's possible that those men were afraid. You see, the Jericho road is a dangerous road. I remember when Mrs. King and I were first in Jerusalem. We rented a car and drove from Jerusalem down to Jericho. And as soon as we got on that road, I said to my wife, "I can see why Jesus used this as the setting for his parable." It's a winding, meandering road. It's really conducive for ambushing. You start out in Jerusalem, which is about 1200 miles -- or rather 1200 feet above sea level. And by the time you get down to Jericho, fifteen or twenty minutes later, you're about 2200 feet below sea level. That's a dangerous road. In the days of Jesus it came to be known as the "Bloody Pass." And you know, it's possible that the priest and the Levite looked over that man on the ground and wondered if the robbers were still around. Or it's possible that they felt that the man on the ground was merely faking. And he was acting like he had been robbed and hurt, in order to seize them over there, lure them there for quick and easy seizure. And so the first question that the priest asked -- the first question that the Levite asked was, "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?"
That's the question before you tonight. Not, "If I stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to my job. Not, "If I stop to help the sanitation workers what will happen to all of the hours that I usually spend in my office every day and every week as a pastor?" The question is not, "If I stop to help this man in need, what will happen to me?" The question is, "If I do not stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to them?" That's the question.
Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge to make America what it ought to be. We have an opportunity to make America a better nation. And I want to thank God, once more, for allowing me to be here with you.
You know, several years ago, I was in New York City autographing the first book that I had written. And while sitting there autographing books, a demented black woman came up. The only question I heard from her was, "Are you Martin Luther King?" And I was looking down writing, and I said, "Yes." And the next minute I felt something beating on my chest. Before I knew it I had been stabbed by this demented woman. I was rushed to Harlem Hospital. It was a dark Saturday afternoon. And that blade had gone through, and the X-rays revealed that the tip of the blade was on the edge of my aorta, the main artery. And once that's punctured, your drowned in your own blood -- that's the end of you.
It came out in the New York Times the next morning, that if I had merely sneezed, I would have died. Well, about four days later, they allowed me, after the operation, after my chest had been opened, and the blade had been taken out, to move around in the wheel chair in the hospital. They allowed me to read some of the mail that came in, and from all over the states and the world, kind letters came in. I read a few, but one of them I will never forget. I had received one from the President and the Vice-President. I've forgotten what those telegrams said. I'd received a visit and a letter from the Governor of New York, but I've forgotten what that letter said. But there was another letter that came from a little girl, a young girl who was a student at the White Plains High School. And I looked at that letter, and I'll never forget it. It said simply,
Dear Dr. King,
I am a ninth-grade student at the White Plains High School."
And she said,
While it should not matter, I would like to mention that I'm a white girl. I read in the paper of your misfortune, and of your suffering. And I read that if you had sneezed, you would have died. And I'm simply writing you to say that I'm so happy that you didn't sneeze.
And I want to say tonight -- I want to say tonight that I too am happy that I didn't sneeze. Because if I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been around here in 1960, when students all over the South started sitting-in at lunch counters. And I knew that as they were sitting in, they were really standing up for the best in the American dream, and taking the whole nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by the Founding Fathers in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been around here in 1961, when we decided to take a ride for freedom and ended segregation in inter-state travel.
If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been around here in 1962, when Negroes in Albany, Georgia, decided to straighten their backs up. And whenever men and women straighten their backs up, they are going somewhere, because a man can't ride your back unless it is bent.
If I had sneezed -- If I had sneezed I wouldn't have been here in 1963, when the black people of Birmingham, Alabama, aroused the conscience of this nation, and brought into being the Civil Rights Bill.
If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have had a chance later that year, in August, to try to tell America about a dream that I had had.
If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been down in Selma, Alabama, to see the great Movement there.
If I had sneezed, I wouldn't have been in Memphis to see a community rally around those brothers and sisters who are suffering.
I'm so happy that I didn't sneeze.
And they were telling me --. Now, it doesn't matter, now. It really doesn't matter what happens now. I left Atlanta this morning, and as we got started on the plane, there were six of us. The pilot said over the public address system, "We are sorry for the delay, but we have Dr. Martin Luther King on the plane. And to be sure that all of the bags were checked, and to be sure that nothing would be wrong with on the plane, we had to check out everything carefully. And we've had the plane protected and guarded all night."
And then I got into Memphis. And some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers?
Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now, because I've been to the mountaintop.
And I don't mind.
Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will. And He's allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I've looked over. And I've seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!
mlkmountaintop3.JPG
And so I'm happy, tonight.
I'm not worried about anything.
I'm not fearing any man!
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord!!
馬丁·路德·金演講稿:我已達至峰頂中文版部分翻譯
但是我要告訴你們我的想象力給我的啟示。很可能其實是這些人都覺得害怕,你看,耶利哥之路是一條危險的路途。我還記得我和我的妻子第一次到耶路撒冷的情形。我們租了一輛車然後從耶路撒冷開往耶利哥,但我們上路之後,我就跟我妻子說道:“我現在明白為什麼耶穌要拿這條路來作比喻了。”這是一條蜿蜒曲折的道路,非常有利於埋伏,你從耶路撒冷出發,這大約是1200英里,也即海平面以上1200英尺。而當15或者20分鐘之後,你到達耶利哥時,你卻在海平面以下2200英尺。那真是一條危險的路途啊!在耶穌的時代,它就以“血腥之途Bloody Pass”而為人所知。而且你知道,可能那個利未人和那個教士檢查了地上的那個人,而懷疑那些盜賊是否仍在附近,抑或是他們認為這個人僅僅是在偽裝,他只是裝作被搶劫了被打傷了,目的是為了抓住他們,引誘他們從而快速而簡單的捉住他們。所以那個利未人的第一個問題是:如果我停下來幫助這個人的話,有什麼事會發生在我身上?但是接著那個好心的撒瑪利亞人Samaritan過來了,他顛倒著這個問題:如果我不停下來幫助這個人的話他會怎麼樣?這就是今晚擺在我們面前的問題,不是“如果我停下來幫助這些環衛工人的話,我的工作會有什麼影響?”不是“如果我停下來幫助這些環衛工人的話,那些我作為一個牧師花在辦公室裡的一天接一天,一個禮拜接一個禮拜的時間會怎麼樣?”問題不是:“如果我幫助了這個需要幫助的人,我會怎麼樣?”問題是:“如果我不幫助這些環衛工人的話,他會怎麼樣?”這才是我們的問題。
今晚讓我們以更高的積極性起來反抗吧!讓我們以更大的決心站起來!讓我們在這偉大的時代繼續前行,在這有機會使美國成為真正的美國的時代!我們有這樣一個機會使美國成為一個更好的國家!同時,我要再一次感謝仁慈的主,讓我能和你們在一起前行!
你們應該知道,幾年前,那時我在紐約,為我的第一本書籤名,當我坐在那裡簽名的時候,一個精神有問題的黑人婦女過來了,我聽到他問的唯一一個問題就是:“你是馬丁路德金嗎?”但是我正埋頭簽名,我回答道:“是啊。”接著下一秒我就感覺到我的胸部被什麼東西刺中了,在我意識到的時候我已經被這個精神有問題的婦女刺中了。我即刻被送到了Harlem醫院,這是一個黑沉沉的禮拜六的下午。那柄刀穿透了我的胸部,通過X光片可以看到刀刃正好從主動脈的邊緣穿過,一旦主動脈被刺穿,你就會被你的血所淹沒,也就是你的生命將終結。第二天早上紐約時報上登出來了,如果我打了噴嚏的話,我就會死掉。四天之後,在手術之後,在我的胸口被開啟刀刃被取出來之後,他們允許我坐在輪椅上在醫院裡四處走走,他們允許我看一些從美國乃至世界各地郵寄來的信件,善意的來信。我一些,但是隻有一封我永遠都不會忘記。我收到了一封總統先生和副總統先生的來信,但我已經忘了信上說了什麼了。我還接受了紐約市長的訪問以及他的一封信,我也幾經忘了這封信上說的什麼了。但是有一封信,來自一個小姑娘,她在白原高校White Plains High School唸書,我那封信,我終生難忘。信很簡單:“親愛的金博士:我是一個在白原高校廿九年級的學生,”她說,“這雖然沒有什麼關係,但我還是要說出來,我是個白人女孩,我在報紙上看到你的不幸,你的遭遇。並且我讀到如果你打了噴嚏的話,就會死掉,而我寫這封信給你其實只是想告訴你,我真的很高興你沒有打噴嚏。”
今晚我想說,今晚,我想說,我也很高興我沒有打噴嚏,因為如果那個時候我打了噴嚏的話,1960年我就不會出現在這裡,當時整個南部的黑人學生開始了在午餐檯邊坐著吃飯,而我知道當他們可以坐著吃飯的時候,他們正真正抬起頭來實現著美國夢中最美妙的精神。他們帶著整個國家迴歸到偉大的民主的源泉,這源泉由建國者們在《獨立宣言》和《憲法》中深深挖掘。那個時候我打了噴嚏的話,1961年,我不會出現在這裡,那時我們決定搭上自由之車,終止在州與州之間旅行時存在的隔離。如果那個時候我打了噴嚏的話,1962年我不會出現在這裡,當時,在佐治亞的奧爾巴尼,人們決定挺直他們的腰桿,而一旦人們挺直了腰板,他們才會有所建樹,因為人不能扛著背前行,除非他的背斷掉了。如果那個時候我打了噴嚏的話,1963年我不會出現在這裡,那時,阿拉巴馬伯明翰的黑人們喚起了這個國家的良知,使民權法案獲得了通過。如果那個時候我打了噴嚏的話,1964年我不會有機會告訴美國我一直以來的一個夢想。如果那個時候我打了噴嚏的話,我不會在阿拉巴馬塞爾瑪目睹一場偉大的運動。如果那個時候我打了噴嚏的話,我不會在孟菲斯看到一個團結了那麼多飽受苦難的兄弟姐妹的社團。我真的很高興我沒有打噴嚏。
而他們告訴我---現在,沒有。
篇2:
——高盛CEO演講稿:要與野心人為伍中英文
President Mellow, distinguished faculty, friends, family, and the Graduating Class of 2013.
麥羅校長,各位尊敬的老師,朋友,家人以及2013年的畢業生們:
It is a great honor for me to share in your accomplishment and pride today. But I must admit that I approached this address with some trepidation. I suppose that more commencement speeches have been delivered more seriously, listened to more attentively, and forgotten more promptly than any other form of human communication.
我很榮幸能在今天分享你們的成就和榮耀。但是我必須承認,我是帶著一些不安來參加這次活動的。我想,曾經有更多更認真的畢業典禮發言,收到更加用心地傾聽,但是相比其他任何溝通形式,也更加迅速地被遺忘。
So I will try to be brief and practical. My advice is grounded in my own experience. And my own experience, in many respects, is not that different from many of yours.
所以,我會盡量簡短而實用。我的全部建議都是來自我自己的經歷。而我的經歷,從很多方面來看,和你們當中的很多並沒有什麼不同。
I grew up with the idea that college was more an aspiration than an expectation. I saw my parents struggle most of their lives and the daily battle to keep afloat sometimes even drained what hopes and dreams they had for me. They didn't go to college and neither did my only, older sibling.
在我成長的環境中,大學更多是一個美好願望而不是理所當然的事情。我見證我父母大半生的奮鬥,每天僅為了維持生計而努力工作,有時甚至會打消任何他們對我的期望和夢想。他們都沒有上過大學,我唯一的兄長也沒有讀過大學。
My father sorted mail for the post office. He worked nights because it paid 10% more than a day shift. My mother was a receptionist at a burglar alarm company — one of the few growth industries in our neighborhood. I grew up in the Linden Houses, which, as some of you know, is a housing project in East New York.
我的父親在郵局整理郵件。他選擇夜班工作只是因為報酬比白班多了10%,我的母親是一個防盜警報公司的接待員——這也是我所在社群為數不多的增長行業之一。我在林登小區長大,你們當中的很多都知道,這是紐約東區的一個住宅專案。
It was and is a tough neighborhood, though it produced some accomplished people who, despite or because of their background, did well. I attended Thomas Jefferson high school, which has since shut down as a high school and operates different training programs for various skills. Up until high school, I shared a small apartment with my extended family, which included my grandmother, my sister and my nephew.
它一直都是一個貧窮的社群,但是也產生了一些有成就的人,有些是因為這一背景而成功,有些是因為克服了這一背景而做出了成績。我在托馬斯-傑斐遜高中畢業,學校在之後關閉了高中部,僅僅提供多種技能培訓專案。直到高中畢業,我一直和我龐大的家庭分享一間小小的公寓,包括了我的奶奶,我的妹妹和我的侄兒。
But looking back, I grew up in a world of unlimited opportunity. Each night I would read, and reading opened up the world to me. I love reading history and especially biography. In biographies, you are almost always reading about people who started out unimportant but ended up having a significant life.
但是回過頭看看,我是在一個有著無限機遇的世界長大的。我每天晚上都會讀書,閱讀向我展開了整個世界。我喜歡讀歷史,尤其是傳記。在傳記裡面,你總是能看到一個似乎是無足輕重的人,最終如何擁有與眾不同的人生。
What I liked most about biographies then and now is that the person you are reading about is in his or her early life on page 50, doesn't know about the success he or she will achieve on page 300. They couldn't see the greatness that lay ahead.
不管是過去還是現在,傳記最吸引我的一點是,書中的人物在自己生命的初期,也就是前五十頁當中,是不會知道他或者是她會在第三百頁的時候取得的成功。他們並不知道將會出現在自己面前的偉大。
If you think about it, that's a great justification for the optimism that you should have for the life ahead of you. All of you are only on about page 50 of your biography, with hundreds of pages to go.
仔細想想這點吧,這是對你們自己未來的生活保持樂觀的一個極好理由。你們所有人都僅僅在自己那本傳記的前五十頁,還有幾百頁的路要走。
Growing up, my biggest goal was just to get out of East New York. I took the college entrance exam and committed myself to getting into college. I did. The day I left for college was one of the first trips I made out of New York City.
在漫長的成長中,我最大的目標就是走出紐約東區。我參加了大學入學試,發誓一定要進大學。我成功了。我去讀大學的時候也是我第一次離開紐約市。
College was an intimidating place for me. The other students seemed naturally confident; many had traveled and seemed to understand the world. To this day, I can't forget how insecure I felt, but it made me work harder.
大學是一個令我心生敬畏的地方。其他學生似乎很自然的充滿信心,很多人都曾到處旅行,看起來對這個世界十分了解。直到今天,我還是沒有辦法忘記我當時的不安全感,但是這種感覺讓我更加努力地工作。
Once I realized I belonged, I became more ambitious. Ambition is your inner voice that tells you you can and should strive to go beyond your circumstances or station in life. You have overcome obstacles, pressures and self-doubt and you have done it because you have ambition.
當我認識到自己的定位時,我變得更有野心了。野心是你內心的聲音,告訴你可以而且應該努力去超越人生的處境或者是限制。你必須克服障礙,扛住壓力,打消自我懷疑,你能做到這些都是因為你有足夠的野心。
You want to succeed for your families and yourselves. And there is no more powerful force through which to do that than through education and know how.
你想要為了你的家人以及你自己而成功,除了通過教育和學習,沒有什麼更強大的力量能做到這一點。
I'm proud that LaGuardia and Goldman Sachs have teamed up to support small businesses. Through this partnership, I've seen how many LaGuardia students are juggling school, job and family. And, I've seen how these students and all of you push yourselves and persevere.
我很自豪的是,拉瓜迪亞社群大學和高盛集團聯手提出了對小企業的支援。通過這個合作,我也看到了多少拉瓜迪亞社群大學的學生在學校,工作和家庭中游刃有餘。我也看到了這些同學,還有在座的所有人如何不斷勉勵自己,而且持之以恆下去。
By virtue of being here today, you have proven to yourself that you belong. And now that you belong, feed off your ambition. That means being focused, disciplined, demanding, self critical and open minded. Your challenges won't fall away. In fact, they may get steeper.
僅僅是今天能夠出現在這裡,你們已經證明了自己的定位。現在你們已經有了定位,接下來就去壯大自己的野心。這意味著專注,自律,嚴格,自我批判和開放的心態。事實上,你們要面對的挑戰不會消失,而會更加嚴峻。
That, my friends, is life. But just as the struggles are great, so are the rewards. There's another way to look at it: ask yourself if you really have a choice. You already knew the answer to that question the first day you walked into LaGuardia. We owe it to our families and to ourselves to keep striving.
我的朋友們,這就是生活。但是奮鬥越是艱辛,回報也會更加豐厚。用另一個方式看問題:問問你自己,你是不是真的有選擇。當你們走進拉瓜迪亞社群大學的第一天,你們已經知道了這個問題的答案。我們必須為了自己的家庭和自己而不斷努力。
This is certainly not the easiest of economic times, but there's always an economic cycle. In the course of the next 50 years of your life, you'll see alot of cycles, and like this one, you'll get through it. Don't get caught up in unrealistic optimism or detached pessimism.
現在顯然不是最好的經濟時期,但是經濟總是有一個週期的。在你們人生的下一個五十年,你們會經歷很多週期,和這次一樣,你們能夠順利渡過。不要有任何不切實際的樂觀或者是過分的悲觀。
Still, a lot can change rapidly and with a lot of force. Your security rests in knowing how to do a variety of things -- and being able to do them better than others.
儘管如此,世上還會發生許多不測,帶來巨大影響。你們的安全感來自於知道如何做各種各樣的事情——而且比其他人做得都要好。
And that knowledge and ability can be obtained only through a willingness to strike out for something better. That could mean changing careers or pushing for a new idea or strategy in your current one. In either case, push yourself to try something new and to grow with each move.
而只有不斷追求卓越,才能獲得這些知識和能力。這意味著改變職業道路或者追求目前職業新的想法、新策略。不管是哪種情況,你都應該逼迫自己嘗試新的事物,在每一步中成長。
After college, I went to law school for three years, and then into my dream job at a big NY law firm. But even though it had been my dream, I didn't like it once I got there.
讀完大學,我在法學院度過了三年,之後在一間大的紐約律師事務所得到了自己夢想中的工作。雖然這曾一直是我的夢想,但是當我得到時,我發現我並不喜歡它。
For the first time, I was feeling financially secure, but I knew I wasn't passionate enough about what I was doing. And because I didn't love it, I would never be fulfilled from it, or be really good at it. Someone who loved it more would have greater enthusiasm and focus. For some it was fun; for me it was always going to be a chore.
雖然在我人生中,我第一次在財務上獲得了保障,但是我知道我對我自己做的那些事情並沒有足夠激情。而且,因為我並不愛的工作,我將永不可能從中得到滿足,或者是真的擅長這份工作。更愛這種工作的人會更積極地專注於它。對有些人來說,這是樂趣,對我來說,這永遠是一份苦差。
After five years at a law firm, I decided I wanted to try something different. I came home and told my wife I was quitting, and she cried. And not out of happiness. Anyway, it worked out. I got a new job at a small Wall Street firm, we got bought out by a larger firm, and I ended up remaining at a large firm... Goldman Sachs.
在五年的律師事務所工作之後,我決定要嘗試一些不同的東西。我回家告訴我的妻子我要辭職,她哭了,而且不是因為高興。不管怎麼說,事情還算順利,我在一間華爾街的小企業中找到了新的工作,之後被更大的企業收購,我也得以進入這個更大的機構,高盛集團。
In my career, I've been fortunate to know and work with many of this country's top CEOs and business leaders. I'm always struck by a certain passion that defines them. While they may be wealthy and powerful, their passion goes beyond money and power.
在我的職業生涯中,我很幸運能夠認識,並且與很多全國頂級的執行長以及商界領袖們共同工作。我總是能夠被造就他們成功的那種激情所打動。他們也許非常有錢,權勢驚人,但是他們的激情遠遠超越了金錢和權力。
I won't stand here and tell you those are bad things. They can be pretty good, but only if you have a larger purpose in mind. If you don't have passion for your work or the drive to make a better life for your kids than your own, then you won't have what it takes to keep you going.
今天我在這裡不是要告訴你們金錢和權力的壞處。只要你的頭腦中有一個更大目標,錢與權相當有益。如果你對自己的工作沒有激情,或者是沒有動力為你的孩子打造比你自己更好人生,那麼你就不會有那些讓你持續前進的東西。
So, I'd like to leave you with some specific advice that will hopefully keep you going:
所以,我想給你們一些更加具體的建議,希望能夠保持你們繼續前進。
First, confidence really matters.
首先,信心真的很重要。
Recognize you have earned the right to be confident. Most of you have made great sacrifices and overcome great obstacles to get where you are today. You built up muscles that others who've had an easier time don't have. Those muscles will serve you for the rest of your life.
要認識到你已經贏得了自信的權力。你們中的絕大多數都是付出了巨大的犧牲,克服了巨大的障礙才有了現在的成就。你們有了其他起步更早的人所沒有的能力,這些能力將會在你們的餘生為你們效力。
My struggle to get to and through college turned out to be an advantage for me. The disadvantages you have had become part of your personal history and track record, all advantages in your later life. So confidence is justified.
我進入大學並讀完它的努力最終成為我的一個優勢。你曾有的不足已成為你個人經歷和職業紀錄的歷史,它們都會在之後的人生中變成你的優勢。所以,你們有理由充滿信心。
Second, find a job that you like.
第二點,找到一個你喜歡的工作。
You'll be better at it and you'll last longer in it. Having said that, in a tough economy, or because of family pressures, you may not aways be able take a risk with a job choice. And, no doubt, we've all settled at various times.
你會做得更好,而且做得更長。雖然是這樣說,在一個艱難的經濟形勢中,需要因為家庭壓力做出一些讓步,你並不是總能夠在職業選擇上承擔風險。而且,毫無疑問的是,我們將會很多次的妥協。
But, don't let necessity in a given moment become the excuse for a lifetime of inertia. Keep trying to get yourself to the right place. If I'd stayed a lawyer, I could have made it work for a while, but I would have fizzled out and eventually because I didn't love it.
但是,不要讓一時的必要選擇成為一生慣性的藉口。要不斷試圖讓自己走到正確的地方。如果我繼續做一名律師,我可能會幹得還不錯,但是我不會輝煌,因為我並不愛這個工作。
Third, be a well rounded, complete person.
第三,做一個全面、完整的人。
many of you will go for further education or career training. Of course, it's important to learn the things that you need to make a living. But, don't forget to read, and to learn history, literature and about current events.
你們中的很多人會繼續接受教育或者是職業培訓。學習維持生計必須的東西當然是很重要的。但是不要忘了閱讀,學習歷史,文化以及時事。
You'll be more interesting to others, more interesting to yourself and you'll be more successful in your job. Most of the books I've read didn't apply directly to my job or industry, but I've applied their lessons in unexpected ways.
你會變得更吸引人,對你自己也更加有趣,會在你的工作上更加成功。我讀過的絕大部分書對我的工作甚至這個行業都沒有直接的用處,但是書中的經驗教訓總會以意想不到的方式發揮作用。
Fourth, be involved in the community.
第四點,參與社群活動。
Find ways to contribute to make yourself proud and set an example to your kids. making a living is not life. It is a means to an end, not the end. You have to feel proud of yourself. There are always going to be people who struggle and for whom community work is not a realistic option, but try.
找到可以讓你感到自豪的貢獻方式,為你的孩子們樹立榜樣。謀生並不是生活,只是達到目的的一個手段,而不是目的本身。你需要為自己感到自豪。總會有人需要為生計努力,對他們來說社群工作並不是一個現實的選擇,但是請努力嘗試。
I've done plenty to advance myself over the years. But, the older I get, the more satisfaction I get from serving and advancing others. In fact that's how I first got involved with President Mellow and LaGuardia -- through the 10,000 Small Businesses program we initiated at your school.
在過去的歲月裡我做了很多事情來讓自己進步。但是年紀越大,我越來越能夠從服務和幫助他人進步中得到滿足。事實上,我最初結識麥羅校長和拉瓜迪亞社群大學就是因為我們共同發起的這個10000家小企業專案。
Finally, appreciate that life is unpredictable, so don't close your mind to possibilities.
最後,要明白人生是不可預測的,所以不要自我設限。
Try to surround yourself with people who are equally ambitious. Put yourself in situation where you can grow — where you'll not only push yourself but others will push you.
試試和那些一樣具有野心的人為伍,讓你置身於可以成長的環境中——在那種你不僅僅可以讓自己進步,其他人也會推動你前進的環境。
What were the chances that a kid from the poverty would run one of the great financial institutions in the world? You just never know. That unpredictability is the great thing about life. You change. The world changes.
一個從貧困小區長大的孩子掌管世界上最大金融機構的機會有多大?你永遠也不會知道。不可預測性是生活最偉大的一點。你改變,這個世界也在改變。
You live in a country where we are still blessed with enormous opportunity. Leave yourself open to the world of possibility. You have the ambition, you have the smarts and you have the toughness. So, turn the page on your biography -- you have just started a new chapter in your lives.
你們生活在一個仍然擁有得天獨厚機會的國家。讓你自己對無限可能的世界敞開胸懷。你們有野心,你們有智慧和堅韌,所以,請翻開自己的傳記——你們已經打開了人生的新一個篇章。
Good luck and congratulations to you and your families.
祝你們和你們的家人好運,也祝賀你們和你們的家人。
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