马丁·路德·金（公元1929—1968年），美国黑人律师，著名黑人民权运动领袖．一生曾三次被捕，三次被行刺，1964年获诺贝尔和平奖．1968年被种族主义分子枪杀．他被誉为近百年来八大最具有说服力的演说家之一．1963年他领导25万人向华盛顿进军“大游行”，为黑人争取自由平等和就业．马丁·路德·金在游行集会上发表了这篇著名演说．

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity.

100年前，一位伟大的美国人——今天我们就站在他象征性的身影下——签署了《解放宣言》．这项重要法令的颁布，对于千百万灼烤于非正义残焰中的黑奴，犹如带来希望之光的硕大灯塔，恰似结束漫漫长夜禁锢的欢畅黎明．

But one hundred years later, we must face the tragic fact that the Negro is still not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languishing in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. So we have come here today to dramatize an appalling condition.

然而，100年后，黑人依然没有获得自由．100年后，黑人依然悲惨地蹒跚于种族隔离和种族歧视的枷锁之下．100年后，黑人依然生活在物质繁荣翰海的贫困孤岛上．100年后，黑人依然在美国社会中间向隅而泣，依然感到自己在国土家园中流离漂泊．所以，我们今天来到这里，要把这骇人听闻的情况公诸于众．

In a sense we have come to our nation's capital to cash a check. When the architects of our republic wrote the magnificent words of the Constitution and the declaration of Independence, they were signing a promissory note to which every American was to fall heir. This note was a promise that all men would be guaranteed the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

从某种意义上说，我们来到国家的首都是为了兑现一张支票．我们共和国的缔造者在拟写宪法和独立宣言的辉煌篇章时，就签署了一张每一个美国人都能继承的期票．这张期票向所有人承诺——不论白人还是黑人——都享有不可让渡的生存权、自由权和追求幸福权．

It is obvious today that America has defaulted on this promissory note insofar as her citizens of color are concerned. Instead of honoring this sacred obligation, America has given the Negro people a bad check which has come back marked "insufficient funds." But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.

然而，今天美国显然对她的有色公民拖欠着这张期票．美国没有承兑这笔神圣的债务，而是开始给黑人一张空头支票——一张盖着“资金不足”的印戳被退回的支票．但是，我们决不相信正义的银行会破产．我们决不相信这个国家巨大的机会宝库会资金不足．

我们来到这块圣地还为了提醒美国：现在正是万分紧急的时刻．现在不是从容不迫悠然行事或服用渐进主义镇静剂的时候．现在是实现民主诺言的时候．现在是走出幽暗荒凉的种族隔离深谷，踏上种族平等的阳关大道的时候．现在是使我们国家走出种族不平等的流沙，踏上充满手足之情的磐石的时候．现在是使上帝所有孩子真正享有公正的时候．

It would be fatal for the nation to overlook the urgency of the moment and to underestimate the determination of the Negro. This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality. Nineteen sixty-three is not an end, but a beginning.

忽视这一时刻的紧迫性，对于国家将会是致命的．自由平等的朗朗秋日不到来，黑人顺情合理哀怨的酷暑就不会过去．1963年不是一个结束，而是一个开端．

Those who hope that the Negro needed to blow off steam and will now be content will have a rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual. There will be neither rest nor tranquility in America until the Negro is granted his citizenship rights. The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.

如果国家依然我行我素，那些希望黑人只需出出气就会心满意足的人将大失所望．在黑人得到公民权之前，美国既不会安宁，也不会平静．反抗的旋风将继续震撼我们国家的基石，直至光辉灿烂的正义之日来临．

But there is something that I must say to my people who stand on the warm threshold which leads into the palace of justice. In the process of gaining our rightful place we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.

但是，对于站在通向正义之宫艰险门槛上的人们，有一些话我必须要说．在我们争取合法地位的过程中，切不要错误行事导致犯罪．我们切不要吞饮仇恨辛酸的苦酒，来解除对于自由的饮渴．

We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.

我们应该永远得体地、纪律严明地进行斗争．我们不能容许我们富有创造性的抗议沦为暴力行动．我们应该不断升华到用灵魂力量对付肉体力量的崇高境界．

The marvelous new militancy which has engulfed the Negro community must not lead us to distrust of all white people, for many of our white brothers, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny and their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom.

席卷黑人社会的新的奇迹般的战斗精神，不应导致我们对所有白人的不信任——因为许多白人兄弟已经认识到：他们的命运同我们的命运紧密相连，他们的自由同我们的自由休戚相关．他们今天来到这里参加集会就是明证．

We cannot walk alone.And as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall march ahead. We cannot turn back. There are those who are asking the devotees of civil rights, "When will you be satisfied?" We can never be satisfied as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We cannot be satisfied as long as the Negro's basic mobility is from a smaller ghetto to a larger one. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.

我们不能单独行动．当我们行动时，我们必须保证勇往直前．我们不能后退．有人问热心民权运动的人：“你们什么时候会感到满意？”只要黑人依然是不堪形容的警察

So we have come to cash this check -- a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.

因此，我们来兑现这张支票．这张支票将给我们以宝贵的自由和正义的保障．

We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood.

暴行恐怖的牺牲品，我们就决不会满意．只要我们在旅途劳顿后，却被公路旁汽车游客旅社和城市旅馆拒之门外，我们就决不会满意．只要黑人的基本活动范围只限于从狭小的黑人居住区到较大的黑人居住区，我们就决不会满意．只要我们的孩子被“仅供白人”的牌子剥夺个性，损毁尊严，我们就决不会满意．只要密西西比州的黑人不能参加选举，纽约州的黑人认为他们与选举毫不相干，我们就决不会满意．不，不，我们不会满意，直至公正似水奔流，正义如泉喷涌．