（这是林肯1861年2月11日在葛底斯堡阵亡将士公墓落成仪式上发表的演说，是公认的英语演讲的最高典范。）

　　八十七年前，我们的先辈在这个大路上建立起一个崭新的国家。这个国家以自由为理想，奉行一切人生来平等的原则。

　　目前我们正在进行一场伟大的国内战争。我们的国家或任何一个有着同样理想与目标的国家能否长久存在，这次战争就是一场考验。现在我们在这场战争的一个伟大战场上聚会在一起。我们来到这里，将这战场上的一小块土地奉献给那些为国家生存而英勇捐躯的人们，作为他们最后安息之地。我们这样做是完全适当的，应该的。

　　然而，从深一层的意义上说来，我们没有能力奉献这块土地，没有能力使这块土地变得更为神圣。因为在这里进行过斗争的，活着的和已经死去的勇士们，已经使这块土地变得这样圣洁，我们的微力已不足以对他有所扬抑了。我们今天在这里说的话，世人不会注意，也不会记住，但是这些英雄的业绩，人们将永志不忘。

　　我们后来这应该做的，是献身于英雄们曾在此为之奋斗、努力推进、但尚未完成的工作。我们应该做的是献身于他们遗留给我们的伟大任务。我们的先烈已将自己的全部精诚赋予我们的事业，我们应从他们的榜样中汲取更多的精神力量，决心使他们的鲜血不止白流。在上帝的护佑下，我们的国家将获得自由的新生；我们这个民有、民治、民享的政府将永存于世上。

　　(By Abraham Lincoln)

　　-Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

　　-Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives. That nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

　　-But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

　　-It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great tast remaining before us - that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to - that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion - that we here highly resolve - that these dead shall not have died in vain - that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom - and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
　
　　[2008-10-07]
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