美國<<獨(dú)立宣言 >>
in congress, july 4, 1776
the unanimous declaration of the thirteen united states of america,
大陸會議 （一七七六年七月四日）
美利堅合眾國十三個州一致通過的獨(dú)立宣言
when in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's god entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
在有關(guān)人類事務(wù)的發(fā)展過程中，當(dāng)一個民族必須解除其和另一個民族之間的政治聯(lián)系并在世界各國之間依照自然法則和上帝的意旨，接受獨(dú)立和平等的地位時，出於對人類輿論的尊重，必須把他們不得不獨(dú)立的原因予以宣布。
we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. --that to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --that whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. but when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security. —such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems of government. the history of the present king of great britain [george iii] is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these states. to prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.
我們認(rèn)為下面這些真理是不證自明的：人人生而平等，造物者賦予他們?nèi)舾刹豢蓜儕Z的權(quán)利，其中包括生命權(quán)、自由權(quán)和追求幸福的權(quán)利。為了保障這些權(quán)利，人類才在他們之間建立政府，而政府之正當(dāng)權(quán)力，是經(jīng)被治理者的同意而產(chǎn)生的。當(dāng)任何形式的政府對這些目標(biāo)具破壞作用時，人民便有權(quán)力改變或廢除它，以建立一個新的政府；其賴以奠基的原則，其組織權(quán)力的方式，務(wù)使人民認(rèn)為唯有這樣才最可能獲得他們的安全和幸福。為了慎重起見，成立多年的政府，是不應(yīng)當(dāng)由於輕微和短暫的原因而予以變更的。過去的一切經(jīng)驗也都說明，任何苦難，只要是尚能忍受，人類都寧愿容忍，而無意為了本身的權(quán)益便廢除他們久已習(xí)慣了的政府。但是，當(dāng)追逐同一目標(biāo)的一連串濫用職權(quán)和強(qiáng)取豪奪長期發(fā)生，證明政府企圖把人民置於專制統(tǒng)治之下時，那么人民就有權(quán)利，也有義務(wù)推翻這個政府，并為他們未來的安全建立新的保障——這就是這些殖民地過去逆來順受的情況，也是它們現(xiàn)在不得不改變以前政府制度的原因。當(dāng)今大不列顛國王的歷史，是接連不斷的傷天害理和強(qiáng)取豪奪的歷史，這些暴行的唯一目標(biāo)，就是想在這些州建立專制的暴政。為了證明所言屬實，現(xiàn)把下列事實向公正的世界宣布：
he has refused his assent to laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
他拒絕批準(zhǔn)對公眾利益最有益、最必要的法律。
he has forbidden his governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
他禁止他的總督們批準(zhǔn)迫切而極為必要的法律，要不就把這些法律擱置起來暫不生效，等待他的同意 ;而一旦這些法律被擱置起來，他對它們就完全置之不理。
he has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of representation in the legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
他拒絕批準(zhǔn)便利廣大地區(qū)人民的其他法律，除非那些人民情愿放棄自己在立法機(jī)關(guān)中的代表權(quán); 但這種權(quán)利對他們有無法估量的價值，而且只有暴君才畏懼這種權(quán)利。
he has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
他把各州立法團(tuán)體召集到異乎尋常的、極為不便的、遠(yuǎn)離它們檔案庫的地方去開會，唯一的目的是使他們疲於奔命，不得不順從他的意旨。
he has dissolved representative houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
他一再解散各州的議會，因為它們以無畏的堅毅態(tài)度反對他侵犯人民的權(quán)利。
he has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise; the state remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
他在解散各州議會之後，又長期拒絕另選新議會; 但立法權(quán)是無法取消的，因此這項權(quán)力仍由一般人民來行使。其時各州仍然處於危險的境地，既有外來侵略之患，又有發(fā)生內(nèi)亂之憂。
he has endeavoured to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.
他竭力抑制我們各州增加人囗; 為此目的，他阻撓外國人入籍法的通過，拒絕批準(zhǔn)其地鼓勵外國人移居各州的法律，并提高分配新土地的條件。
he has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent to laws for establishing judiciary powers.
他拒絕批準(zhǔn)建立司法權(quán)力的法律，藉以阻撓司法工作的推行。
he has made judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
他把法官的任期、薪金數(shù)額和支付，完全置於他個人意志的支配之下。
he has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.
他建立新官署，派遣大批官員，騷擾我們?nèi)嗣?，并耗盡人民必要的生活物質(zhì)。
he has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies without the consent of our legislatures.
他在和平時期，未經(jīng)我們的立法機(jī)關(guān)同意，就在我們中間維持常備軍。
he has affected to render the military independent of and superior to the civil power.
他力圖使軍隊獨(dú)立於民政之外，并凌駕於民政之上。
he has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legislation:
他同某些人勾結(jié)起來把我們置於一種不適合我們的體制且不為我們的法律所承認(rèn)的管轄之下 ; 他還批準(zhǔn)那些人炮制的各種偽法案來達(dá)到以下目的 :
for quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
在我們中間駐扎大批武裝部隊
for protecting them, by a mock trial, from punishment for any murders which they should commit on the inhabitants of these states:
用假審訊來包庇他們，使他們殺害我們各州居民而仍然逍遙法外
for cutting off our trade with all parts of the world:
切斷我們同世界各地的貿(mào)易
for imposing taxes on us without our consent:
未經(jīng)我們同意便向我們強(qiáng)行徵稅
for depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury:
在許多案件中剝奪我們享有陪審制的權(quán)益
for transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offences:
編造罪名押送我們到海外去受審
for abolishing the free system of english laws in a neighbouring province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging its boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these colonies:
在一個鄰省廢除英國的自由法制，在那里建立專制政府，并擴(kuò)大該省的疆界，企圖把該省變成既是一個樣板又是一值得心應(yīng)手的工具，以便進(jìn)而向這里的各殖民地推行同樣的極權(quán)統(tǒng)治
for taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our governments:
取消我們的憲章，廢除我們最寶貴的法律，并且根本上改變我們各州政府的形式
for suspending our own legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
中止我們自己的立法機(jī)關(guān)行使權(quán)力，宣稱他們自己有權(quán)就一切事宜為我們制定法律。
he has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his protection and waging war against us.
他宣布我們已不屬他保護(hù)之列，并對我們作戰(zhàn)，從而放棄了在這里的政務(wù)。
he has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
他在我們的海域大肆掠奪，蹂躪我們沿海地區(qū)，焚燒我們的城鎮(zhèn)，殘害我們?nèi)嗣竦纳?br />
he is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized nation.
他此時正在運(yùn)送大批外國傭兵來完成屠殺、破壞和肆虐的勾當(dāng)，這種勾當(dāng)早就開始，其殘酷卑劣甚至在最野蠻的時代都難以找到先例。他完全不配件為一個文明國家的元首。
he has constrained our fellow citizens taken captive on the high seas to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.
他在公海上俘虜我們的同胞，強(qiáng)迫他們拿起武器來反對自己的國家，成為殘殺自己親人和朋友的創(chuàng)子手，或是死於自己的親人和朋友的手下。
he has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless indian savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.
他在我們中間煽動內(nèi)亂，并且竭力挑唆那些殘酷無情、沒有開化的印第安人來殺掠我們追撞的居民 ; 而眾所周知，印第安人的作戰(zhàn)規(guī)律是不分男女老幼，一律格殺勿論的。
in every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. a prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
在這些壓迫的每一階段中，我們都是用最謙卑的言辭請求改善；但屢次請求所得到的答覆是屢次遭受損害。一個君主，當(dāng)他的品格已打上了暴君行為的烙印時，是不配作自由人民的統(tǒng)治者的。
nor have we been wanting in attentions to our british brethren. we have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. we have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. we have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. they too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. we must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.
我們不是沒有顧念我們英國的弟兄。我們時常提醒他們，他們的立法機(jī)關(guān)企圖把無理的管轄權(quán)橫加到我們的頭上。我們也曾把我們移民來這里和在這里定居的情形告訴他們。我們曾經(jīng)向他們天生的正義感和雅量呼吁，我們懇求他們念在同種同宗的份上，棄絕這些掠奪行為，以免影響彼此的關(guān)系和往來。但是他們對於這種正義和血緣的呼聲，也同樣充耳不聞。因此，我們實在不得不宣布和他們脫離，并且以對待世界上其他民族一樣的態(tài)度對待他們：和我們作戰(zhàn)，就是敵人；和我們和好，就是朋友。
we, therefore, the representatives of the united states of america, in general congress, assembled, appealing to the supreme judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and declare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be free and independent states; that they are absolved from all allegiance to the british crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of great britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as free and independent states, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent states may of right do. and for the support of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor.
因此，我們，在大陸會議下集會的美利堅合眾國代表，以各殖民地善良人民的名義，非經(jīng)他們授權(quán)，向全世界最崇高的正義呼吁，說明我們的嚴(yán)正意向，同時鄭重宣布；這些聯(lián)合一致的殖民地從此是自由和獨(dú)立的國家，并且按其權(quán)利也必須是自由和獨(dú)立的國家，它們?nèi)∠磺袑τ跏倚е业牧x務(wù)，它們和大不列顛國家之間的一切政治關(guān)系從此全部斷絕，而且必須斷絕；作為自由獨(dú)立的國家，它們完全有權(quán)宣戰(zhàn)、締和、結(jié)盟、通商和采取獨(dú)立國家有權(quán)采取的一切行動。為了支持這篇宣言，我們堅決信賴上帝的庇佑，以我們的生命、我們的財產(chǎn)和我們神圣的名譽(yù)，彼此宣誓。
the signers of the declaration represented the new states as follows:
new hampshire
josiah bartlett, william whipple, matthew thornton
massachusetts
john hancock, samual adams, john adams, robert treat paine, elbridge gerry
rhode island
stephen hopkins, william ellery
connecticut
roger sherman, samuel huntington, william williams, oliver wolcott
new york
william floyd, philip livingston, francis lewis, lewis morris
new jersey
richard stockton, john witherspoon, francis hopkinson, john hart, abraham clark
pennsylvania
robert morris, benjamin rush, benjamin franklin, john morton, george clymer, james smith, george taylor, james wilson, george ross
delaware
caesar rodney, george read, thomas mckean
maryland
samuel chase, william paca, thomas stone, charles carroll of carrollton
virginia
george wythe, richard henry lee, thomas jefferson, benjamin harrison, thomas nelson, jr., francis lightfoot lee, carter braxton
north carolina
william hooper, joseph hewes, john penn
south carolina
edward rutledge, thomas heyward, jr., thomas lynch, jr., arthur middleton
georgia
button gwinnett, lyman hall, george walton
