就职演讲

The people demand reform in the administration of the Government and the application of business principles to public affairs.
人民渴望改革政府行政，把企业原则应用于公共事务。
As a means to this end, civil-service reform should be in good faith enforced.
为实现该目标，文官制度改革应切实实行。
Our citizens have the right to protection from the incompetency of public employees who hold their places solely as the reward of partisan service,
人民有权防范那些服务于政党而获得官职作为报偿的不合格官员，
and from the corrupting influence of those who promise and the vicious methods of those who expect such rewards;
避免随意许诺者的腐败影响和为得到此种报酬而使用的卑鄙手段；
and those who worthily seek public employment have the right to insist that merit and competency shall be recognized instead of party subserviency or the surrender of honest political belief.
那些有资格担任公职的人则有权坚持以才干和任职能力为标准，而不能以党内的阿谀奉承或放弃政治信仰作为任职的代价。
In the administration of a government pledged to do equal and exact justice to all men there should be no pretext for anxiety touching the protection of the freedmen in their rights
一个承诺要平等而绝对公正地对待全体人民的政府，
or their security in the enjoyment of their privileges under the Constitution and its amendments.
不应有任何借口触犯在宪法和宪法修正案保护下自由人享有的权利或安全保证。
All discussion as to their fitness for the place accorded to them as American citizens is idle and unprofitable except as it suggests the necessity for their improvement.
关于美国公民的权利是否符合其地位的一切讨论，都是空洞无益的，建议对此加以改进则属例外。
The fact that they are citizens entitles them to all the rights due to that relation and charges them with all its duties, obligations, and responsibilities.
作为公民，他们享有相关的一切权利，但同时也要承担公民所具有的一切义务和责任。
These topics and the constant and ever-varying wants of an active and enterprising population
上述所有问题以及一个活跃而勤奋的民族不断变化的需求，
may well receive the attention and the patriotic endeavor of all who make and execute the Federal law.
联邦法律的制定者和实施者自会加以关注，并以爱国精神来为之奋斗。
Our duties are practical and call for industrious application, an intelligent perception of the claims of public office,
我们的责任实际可行，它要求我们辛勤地付诸行动，要求我们对公职的权益加以明智洞察，
and, above all, a firm determination, by united action, to secure to all the people of the land the full benefits of the best form of government ever vouchsafed to man.
而最重要的是，要求我们拥有坚定的信心，通过共同行动，确保我国人民享有人类历史上最好的政府能给予人民的全部裨益。
And let us not trust to human effort alone, but humbly acknowledging the power and goodness of Almighty God,
让我们不要单独依靠人类的努力，而要谦恭地看到全能的上帝的力量和仁慈。
who presides over the destiny of nations, and who has at all times been revealed in our country's history, let us invoke His aid and His blessings upon our labors.
上帝不仅主宰着国家的命运，而且一直与我国历史息息相关。让我们祈求上帝帮助，使我们的努力获得成功。

总统介绍
格罗弗·克利夫兰(Stephen Grover Cleveland，1837年-1908年)，美国政治家，第22和24任美国总统，是唯一分开任两届的总统，也是内战后第一个当选总统的民主党人。