美文欣赏

你们会问，我们的目标是什么？我可以用一个词作答，那就是：胜利。不惜一切代价，甘冒一切危险去夺取胜利。不论前面的道路多么漫长，多么崎岖，一定要夺取胜利！因为不获胜利就得灭亡。

In this crisis I think I may be pardoned if I do not address the House at any length today, and I hope that any of my friends and colleagues or former colleagues who are affected by the political reconstruction will make all allowances for any lack of ceremony with which it has been necessary to act.

I say to the House as I said to Ministers who have joined this government, I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, sweat and tears. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many months of struggle and suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I say it is to wage war by land, sea and air. War with all our might and with all the strength God has given us, and to wage war against a monstrous tyranny never surpassed in the dark and unpleasant catalogue of human crime.

That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs—victory in spite of all terrors—victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival. Let that be realized. No survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge, the impulse of the ages, that mankind shall move forward toward his goal.

I take up my task in light heart and hope. I feel sure that our cause will not be suffered to fail among men. I feel entitled at this juncture, at this time, to claim the aid of all and to say, “Come then, let us go forward together with our united strength.”

温斯顿·丘吉尔，政治家、画家、演说家、作家以及记者，1953年诺贝尔文学奖得主（获奖作品《第二次世界大战回忆录》），曾于1940－1945年及1951－1955年期间两度任英国首相，被认为是20世纪最重要的政治领袖之一，带领英国获得第二次世界大战的胜利。据传为历史上掌握英语单词词汇量最多的人之一(十二万多)。被美国杂志《展示》列为近百年来世界最有说服力的八大演说家之一。2002年，BBC举行了一个名为“最伟大的100名英国人”的调查，结果丘吉尔获选为有史以来最伟大的英国人。

参考译文

值此紧急关头, 我今天不打算在下院作长篇演讲；我希望我的朋友们、同事们、还有受到这次整治改组影响的前任同事们，都能体谅省去常规情况下所必需的礼仪。

我已告知参加新政府的各位大臣，在此我再敬告诸位议员：除了热血、辛劳、汗水和眼泪，我没有其他可以奉献。我们面临着极其严峻的考验；我们面临着漫长而艰苦卓绝的斗争。你们会问，我们的政策是什么？我的回答是：在陆地上、在海上、在空中作战。我们要不遗余力，凭籍上帝赐予我们的全部力量，同人类历史上空前黑暗、空前暴虐的专制制度作殊死搏斗。这就是我们的政策。

你们会问，我们的目标是什么？我可以用一个词作答，那就是：胜利。不惜一切代价，甘冒一切危险去夺取胜利。不论前面的道路多么漫长，多么崎岖，一定要夺取胜利！因为不获胜利就得灭亡。我们每一个人都必须认识到：没有胜利，大英帝国将不复存在，大英帝国倡导的一切将不复存在，推动人类历史朝既定目标前进的动力将不复存在。

我满怀希望欣然承担我的使命。我确信人民不会容忍我们的事业遭遇失败。此时此刻，我认为我有权要求得到所有人的支持，我要说：“来吧！让我们同心协力，奋勇向前吧。”