最高院首席大法官约翰.罗伯茨演讲：孩子，我衷心地祝你不幸，祝你痛苦，祝你被背叛，祝你被忽视
文/约翰·罗伯茨
Text/John Roberts
今年6月初，美国最高法院首席大法官约翰·罗伯茨（John Roberts）来到新罕布什尔州的卡迪根山中学（Cardigan Mountain School），参加儿子的初中毕业典礼，并发表演讲。
In early June of this year, Chief Justice John Roberts of the United States Supreme Court came to Cardigan Mountain School in New Hampshire to attend his son's junior high school graduation ceremony and gave a speech.
以下是演讲全文：
The following is the full text of the speech:
人们说，雨就像天堂洒下的五彩纸屑。所以今早，连天堂也在和我们一起庆祝这个美妙的毕业典礼。
People say that rain is like confetti spilled from heaven. So this morning, even Heaven is celebrating this wonderful graduation ceremony with us.
在我继续下去之前，毕业生们，你们有一个重要任务要做。在你们身后是你们的父母和家长。
Before I go on, graduates, you have an important task to do. Behind you are your parents and parents.
两年、三年或四年前，他们驱车送你们来到卡迪根山中学，帮你们安顿妥当，然后又开车离去。他们做出了很大的牺牲。他们一路含泪回到那更加空荡荡、更加寂寞的家。
Two, three, or four years ago, they drove you to Cardigan Hill Middle School to help you settle down and then drove away. They made a great sacrifice. They went back to the more empty and lonely home with tears all the way.
他们这样做，因为这个关于教育的决定，实际上，更是关于你们本身。是他们做出的牺牲，以及各种奉献，成就了你们的今天。但今天早上你们不是唯一的主角，今天也是他们的大日子，所以，我希望大家能起立、转身，为自己的家人送上热烈鼓掌。
They do this because this decision about education is actually more about you. It is their sacrifice and all kinds of dedication that have made you today. But this morning you are not the only protagonist, and today is also their big day, so I hope everyone can stand up, turn around, and give their families a warm applause.
好了，现在如果有人问我卡迪根的演讲进行得怎么样，我就可以说，掌声如雷，把演讲都打断了。
Okay, now if someone asks me how Cardigan’s speech is going, I can say that the applause broke out and the speech was interrupted.
祝贺你们，2017届毕业生。你们来到了一个重要的里程碑，人生中的一个重要阶段已经过去。但很抱歉，我要告诉你们，这是你们人生中最简单的一个阶段，但它已告一段落。你们就读于卡迪根山中学时，同时也成为了国际社会中的一员，我觉得大家尤其应当认识到这一点。
Congratulations, graduates of 2017. You have reached an important milestone, and an important stage in your life has passed. But sorry, I want to tell you that this is the simplest stage of your life, but it has come to an end. When you were enrolled in Cardigan Hill Middle School, you also became a member of the international community. I think everyone should realize this in particular.
今天，在全国各地的大学、高中、初中，有很多的毕业演讲者正站在一群躁动不安的毕业生面前，他们讲的话大同小异。他们会说，今天是一个崭新开端的提前演练，“这是一个开始，而不是结束。你们应当向前看。”
Today, in universities, high schools, and junior high schools across the country, many graduate speakers are standing in front of a group of restless graduates, and they speak the same. They will say that today is a new beginning exercise in advance, 'This is a beginning, not an end. You should look forward.'
他们说的很对，然而，我觉得如果你要向前看，找到自己的方向，那么清楚自己走过的路，回头看看，也同样有益。
They are right. However, I think that if you want to look forward and find your own direction, it is also beneficial to know the path you have traveled and look back.
我想，如果你们回顾自己来到卡迪根第一天的那个午后，你们也许会记起自己当时有多孤独，也许还有些害怕、忐忑不安。然而看看现在的你们，身边满是朋友，彼此成为兄弟，信心满满地迎接下一教育阶段。
I think that if you look back on the afternoon when you came to Cardigan on the first day, you may remember how lonely you were at that time, and maybe still a little scared and uneasy. But looking at you now, you are surrounded by friends and become brothers to each other, and you are confident to welcome the next stage of education.
想一想，为什么会有这样的变化，这是很有意义的。我想你们也许会感谢同学们在课堂上、运动场上、宿舍里给予的帮助。而信心是哪里来的呢，也许你们要感激的不仅是自己的成功，还要感激因为朋友的相助，你们不再害怕失败。
Think about why there is such a change, which makes sense. I think you may thank the students for their help in the classroom, on the sports ground, and in the dorms. And where does faith come from? Maybe you are grateful not only for your success, but also because your friends help you and you are no longer afraid of failure.
如果失败了，你们爬起来重新来过。如果再次失败，你们爬起来再来一次。如果这次还是失败了，也许是时候想想做点别的事了。但并不仅仅是成功，还有不惧失败的勇气让你们走到了今天。
If it fails, you get up and try again. If you fail again, you get up and try again. If it still fails this time, it may be time to think about something else. But it is not just success, but the courage not to be afraid of failure makes you come to today.
现在，毕业典礼的演讲嘉宾照例要祝你们好运并送上祝福了。我不会这样做，让我来告诉你为什么。
Now, the speakers at the graduation ceremony will as usual wish you good luck and blessings. I won’t do it, let me tell you why.
我希望在未来岁月中，你能时不时地遭遇不公，唯有如此，你才能懂得公正的价值。
I hope that in the years to come, you will encounter injustice from time to time. Only in this way can you understand the value of justice.
我希望你尝到背叛的滋味，这样你才能领悟到忠诚之重要。
I hope you taste the betrayal, so that you can realize the importance of loyalty.
抱歉，我还希望你们时常感到孤独，唯有如此，你才不会视朋友为理所当然。
Sorry, I also hope you feel lonely from time to time, and only then will you not take your friends for granted.
我祝你们偶尔运气不佳，这样你才会意识到机遇在人生中扮演的角色，从而明白你的成功并非天经地义，而他人的失败也不是命中注定。
I wish you occasional bad luck, so that you will realize the role of opportunity in life, and understand that your success is not justified, and the failure of others is not destined.
当你偶尔失败时，我愿你的对手时不时地会幸灾乐祸。这样你才能懂得互相尊重的竞技精神的重要。
When you fail occasionally, I hope that your opponent will gloat over from time to time. Only in this way can you understand the importance of the sports spirit of mutual respect.
我希望你常被人无视，唯有如此，你才能懂得倾听他人有多重要。也祝你感受切肤之痛，从而学会同情。
I hope you are often ignored, and only then can you understand how important it is to listen to others. I also wish you to feel the pain of skin-cutting and learn to sympathize.
无论我祝愿与否，这些事都会发生。而你能否从中获益，则取决于你能否参透这些苦难中传递的信息。 Whether I wish or not, these things will happen. And whether you can benefit from it depends on whether you can penetrate the information conveyed in these sufferings.
毕业典礼演讲嘉宾还要给出一些忠告。他们会说一些宏大的建议或实用的技巧。而他们最常说的宏大建议就是，做自己。给一群穿着整齐划一的人提出这样的建议有点奇怪，不过你们确实应该做自己。但你们要明白这句话的真正含义。
Guests at the graduation ceremony will also give some advice. They will say some grand suggestions or practical tips. And the grand suggestion they often say is to be yourself. It’s a bit weird to suggest this to a group of well-dressed people, but you really should be yourself. But you have to understand the true meaning of this sentence.
除非你完美无瑕，那么这句话绝不意味着不去改变自己。从某种意义上来说，你不应当做自己。你应当努力成为更好的人。人们说“做自己”，因为他们希望你不要屈服于他人的意愿随波逐流。但如果你自己都不了解自己，那么你就无法“做自己”，而你只有思考了，才能清楚自己想成为怎样的人。Unless you are flawless, this sentence does not mean not to change yourself. In a sense, you should not be yourself. You should strive to be a better person. People say 'be yourself' because they want you not to succumb to other people's wishes. But if you don't know yourself, then you can't 'be yourself', and you have to think about what kind of person you want to be.
古希腊哲学家苏格拉底曾说过，“未经自省的人生没有意义”。对某些事来说，“放胆去做”也许是句金玉良言，但当你在思考未来人生将如何度过时，这却不是一句好的格言。不要为了所谓的“好生活”而生活。如果你从来不思索生活的意义，那你很容易就会迷失自我。
The ancient Greek philosopher Socrates once said, 'Life without introspection is meaningless.' For some things, 'dare to do it' may be a golden and good word, but when you are thinking about how you will spend your life in the future, this is not a good motto. Don't live for the so-called 'good life'. If you never think about the meaning of life, then you will easily lose yourself.
以上是一些深刻的忠告。接下来的建议是给即将步入新学校的你们。过去几年里，我已经熟识你们当中很多年轻人，也知道你们都是好青年。但你们也是享有特权的一群年轻人。即使初来此地之时你们并不优人一等，但成为这里的一员，已经使你们比他人享有更多优势。我的建议是，不要表现得高人一等。
The above are some profound advice. The next suggestion is for you who are about to enter the new school. In the past few years, I have known many young people among you, and I know that you are all good young people. But you are also a privileged group of young people. Even if you are not first class when you first come here, being a member here has given you more advantages than others. My advice is not to be superior.
当你来到新学校时，见到那些扫落叶、铲雪、倒垃圾的人，便走上前自我介绍，同时记住他们名字。在学校的日子里，记得称呼他们的名字。另外一条建议是：当你在路上遇见陌生人时，看着他们眼睛并微笑致意。这样做最糟糕的结果不过是，人们会记住你这个爱笑爱打招呼的年轻人，这是个不错的开头。你们之前在的学校里只有男孩，现在大多数人都将进入有女生的学校。关于这件事，我没有建议。
When you come to the new school, when you see the people who sweep the leaves, shovel snow, and dump the garbage, they step forward and introduce themselves, while remembering their names. In school days, remember to call their names. Another suggestion is: When you meet strangers on the road, look into their eyes and smile. The worst result of this is that people will remember you as a young man who smiles and says hello, which is a good start. You used to have only boys in the school, and now most people will go to the school with girls. I have no suggestions about this matter.
最后一条建议十分简单，但是却会对你的人生产生很大的影响：每周给一些人写一封信。不是电子邮件，而是写在一张纸上，只要花你10分钟。问一位长辈，让他告诉你邮票是什么，然后你就可以给信封贴邮票了。再说一遍，一周只花10分钟哦。
The last suggestion is very simple, but it will have a big impact on your life: write a letter to some people every week. It’s not email, but it’s written on a piece of paper, and it only takes you 10 minutes. Ask an elder to tell you what the stamp is, and then you can put a stamp on the envelope. Again, it only takes 10 minutes a week.
我现在就可以教你怎样做。我告诉你第一张便条写什么。称呼是“亲爱的卡迪根山中学某老师”，然后写“我们已经开始了新学期，最近正在学某本书，足球对我来说很困难，但我很喜欢。谢谢您的教诲。”
I can teach you how to do it now. I tell you what to write in the first note. The title is 'Dear teacher at Cardigan Hill Middle School', and then write 'We have started a new semester and are studying a book recently. Football is very difficult for me, but I like it very much. Thank you for your teaching.'
然后把你的便条装进信封，贴好邮票后寄出。这对那些把生命奉献给教育初中小男孩的中学老师们来讲意义非凡。如我所说，每周只需要花十分钟。当学年结束时，你差不多给40位老师寄出过便条。这40位老师会因为你做的这件事而感到自己很特殊，同时也会对你另眼相看。在学校的时光里，这是你一人独享的一份红利。
Then put your note in the envelope, post it with a stamp. This is of great significance to middle school teachers who dedicate their lives to educating junior high school boys. As I said, it only takes ten minutes a week. By the end of the school year, you had sent notes to almost 40 teachers. These 40 teachers will feel special because of what you do, and they will look at you differently. In school time, this is a bonus for you alone.
忠告说得够多了。下面我将引用一段著名的歌词结束我的致辞。刚才，我引用了希腊哲人苏格拉底的名言，而这些歌词，则来自伟大的美国哲人鲍勃·迪伦。这些歌词已有50年历史，是迪伦巡回演出期间，思子心切，写给儿子杰西的。歌词表达了家长对子女的美好期盼。同时也可作为子女们的奋斗目标。这些期盼是美好的、永恒的，也是普世的。
The advice is enough. Below I will quote a famous lyrics to end my speech. Just now, I quoted the famous sayings of the Greek philosopher Socrates, and these lyrics come from the great American philosopher Bob Dylan. These lyrics have a history of 50 years, and were written to his son Jesse during the Dylan tour. The lyrics express the parents' hopes for their children. At the same time, it can also be used as a goal for the children. These expectations are beautiful, eternal, and universal.
May God bless and keep you always,
愿上帝的庇护与你同在
May your wishes all come true,
愿你能够梦想成真
May you always do for others
愿你永远帮助别人
And let others do for you.
也接受别人的恩惠
May you build a ladder to the stars
愿你可以造一把采摘繁星的云梯
And climb on every rung,
稳妥沿它而上
May you stay forever young,
愿你永远年轻
Forever young, forever young,
永远年轻，永远年轻
May you stay forever young.
愿你永远年轻
May you grow up to be righteous,
愿你长大后正直无私
May you grow up to be true,
愿你懂事时真实善良
May you always know the truth
愿你永远了解真理的方向
And see the lights surrounding you.
所到之处都有高灯明照
May you always be courageous,
愿你永远勇敢无畏
Stand upright and be strong,
坚韧不拔，意志坚强
ay you stay forever young,
愿你永远年轻
Forever young, forever young,
永远年轻，永远年轻
May you stay forever young.
愿你永远年轻
May your hands always be busy,
愿你总是忙碌充实
May your feet always be swift,
愿你的脚步永远轻盈敏捷
May you have a strong foundation
愿你有一个坚强的信念，屹立不倒
When the winds of changes shift.
当暴风骤雨来临时
May your heart always be joyful,
愿你的心总是充满快乐
May your song always be sung,
愿你的歌曲能够永远被人传唱
May you stay forever young,
愿你永远年轻
Forever young, forever young,
永远年轻，永远年轻
May you stay forever young.
愿你永远年轻
整体来说都很好，除了有一条，即歌名和副歌里表达的愿望。那只能算是家长们的扼腕叹息，算不得美好的愿望。
Overall it is very good, except for one, the wishes expressed in the song title and chorus. That can only be regarded as a sigh of grief for parents, not a good wish.
文章来源：顶级名校毕业演讲（ID:TOP-UniversityGlobal）