英国女王2014圣诞演讲

　　英国女王伊丽莎白二世于25日发表一年一度的圣诞节致辞。在今年的致辞中，伊丽莎白二世将呼吁国际和解，并对那些在非洲抗击埃博拉疫情的医疗工作者表示赞扬。伊丽莎白二世每年的圣诞致辞都由她本人亲自执笔。讲话提前录制，并在25日圣诞节当天下午通过电视播放。伊丽莎白二世于1952年首次发表圣诞致辞，该致辞通过广播播出。大家赶紧学习下里面精彩的英语表达吧。

In the ruins of the old Coventry Cathedral is a sculpture of a man and a woman reaching out to embrace each other. The sculptor was inspired by the story of a woman who crossed Europe on foot after the war to find her husband.
在考文垂大教堂的废墟上有一尊雕塑，一男一女张开双臂拥抱彼此。这尊塑像源自于一个女人在战后以步行的方式横跨欧洲千里寻夫的故事。

Casts of the same sculpture can be found in Belfast and Berlin, and it is simply called Reconciliation.
相同的雕像还可以在贝尔法斯特和柏林被找到，人们赋予它一个简单的名字，叫做“和解”。

Reconciliation is the peaceful end to conflict, and we were reminded of this in August when countries on both sides of the first world war came together to remember in peace.
“和解”是一场冲突之后的和平结局。8月份的时候，当一战双方国家聚集在一起和平纪念的时候，我们想起了这个词汇。The ceramic poppies at the Tower of London drew millions, and the only possible reaction to seeing them and walking among them was silence. For every poppy，a life; And a reminder of the grief of loved ones left behind.
伦敦塔顶的陶瓷罂粟花万人瞩目，但真正看到它们并且在它们中间穿过的时候，你唯一的反映就是沉默。每一朵罂粟花代表一个逝去的生命，也是对至亲们的哀思。

No one who fought in that war is still alive, but we remember their sacrifice and indeed the sacrifice of all those in the armed forces who serve and protect us today.
参战的人可能已逝，但我们铭记他们的牺牲，同样也铭记那些当今服务和保卫我们的陆海空三军将士们的贡献。

In 1914, many people thought the war would be over by Christmas, but sadly by then the trenches were dug and the future shape of the war in Europe was set.
1914年的时候，很多人以为战争会在圣诞前结束，不过不幸的是，战壕却在进一步扩大，欧洲的战局也初步形成。

But, as we know, something remarkable did happen that Christmas, exactly a hundred years ago today.
但是，据我们所知，那个圣诞，也就是100年前的今天，的确发生了一些不寻常的事情。

Without any instruction or command, the shooting stopped and German and British soldiers met in no man’s land. Photographs were taken and gifts exchanged. It was a Christmas truce.
在没有任何指令和命令的情况下，德国和英国的士兵走出战壕在无人区自发休战，有照片记载他们交换礼物，这是圣诞休战。

Truces are not a new idea. In the ancient world a truce was declared or the duration of the Olympic Games and wars and battles were put on hold.
“休战”并不是新事物，在古代，奥林匹克运动会时，也会休战，所有战争和争端在那时会暂缓。

Sport has a wonderful way of bringing together people and nations, as we saw this year in Glasgow when over 70 countries took part in the Commonwealth Games.
“运动”也是一个将所有人和国家汇聚在一起的极佳方法，比如今年的格拉斯哥，超过70多个国家参加的英联邦运动会。

It is no accident that they are known as the Friendly Games. As well as promoting dialogue between nations, the Commonwealth Games pioneered the inclusion of para-sports within each day’s events.
英联邦运动会又叫“亲善友谊运动会”绝非偶然，它既促进了国家之间的对话，又首创性的在赛事中融合了很多其它项目。

As with the Invictus Games that followed, the courage, determination and talent of the athletes captured our imagination as well as breaking down divisions.
而随后的“不可征服运动会”（专门负伤军人举办的运动会），运动员们的勇气，决心和才华既给我们留下了深刻的印象，同时也消除瓦解了隔阂和分级。

The benefits of reconciliation were clear to see when I visited Belfast in June. While my tour of the set of Game Of Thrones may have gained most attention, my visit to the Crumlin Road Gaol will remain vividly in my mind.
我今年6月去贝尔法斯特，和解的意义显而易见，尽管大家对我参观“权利的游戏”片场关心的比较多，但克拉姆林道监狱之行却历历在目。

What was once a prison during the Troubles is now a place of hope and fresh purpose; a reminder of what is possible when people reach out to one another, rather like the couple in the sculpture.
曾经纷争中的监狱如今却是一个充满希望和主旨鲜明的地方，提醒大家拥抱彼此已成可能，而不再像雕像中的那对夫妻那样。＼

Of course, reconciliation takes different forms. In Scotland after the referendum many felt great disappointment, while others felt great relief; and bridging these differences will take time.
当然，和解有不同的形式。苏格兰公投之后，不少人会很失望，但有些人则感到欣慰。联结这些异见也需要时间。

Bringing reconciliation to war or emergency zones is an even harder task, and I have been deeply touched this year by the selflessness of aid workers and medical volunteers who have gone abroad to help victims of conflict or of diseases like Ebola, often at great personal risk.
把“和解”带去战争或应急区是个更难的任务，我今年被无私的救援人员和医务志愿者深深感动，他们冒着个人的危险，到国外去帮助解决冲突，去帮助例如埃博拉等疾病的受害者。

For me, the life of Jesus Christ, the prince of peace, whose birth we celebrate today, is an inspiration and an anchor in my life.
对于我来说，耶稣---和平之君，他的生日，也就是我们圣诞庆祝的原因，是我生命中的鼓舞和依靠。

A role model of reconciliation and forgiveness, he stretched out his hands in love, acceptance and healing. Christ’s example has taught me to seek to respect and value all people, of whatever faith or none.
作为和解和宽容的榜样，耶稣他带着爱，接纳和治愈伸出双手，他教会了我们去追寻，尊重和珍惜每一个人，无论信仰如何。

Sometimes it seems that reconciliation stands little chance in the face of war and discord. But, as the Christmas truce a century ago reminds us, peace and goodwill have lasting power in the hearts of men and women.
有时候“和解”看起来在战争和争端中的可能性很小，但是，正如一个世纪前的圣诞节休战提醒我们的：和平和友好意愿在世人心中有着更恒久的力量。

On that chilly Christmas Eve in 1914 many of the German forces sang Silent Night, its haunting melody inching across the line.
在1914年的那个寒冷平安夜，很多德国军人唱响“平安夜”这首歌，那令人忘怀的旋律跨越了战线。

That carol is still much-loved today, a legacy of the Christmas truce, and a reminder to us all that even in the unlikeliest of places hope can still be found.
那首圣诞颂歌今天依然倍受欢迎，是圣诞休战的遗产，也是在提醒我们：即使在最绝望的地方，希望仍在。

A very happy Christmas to you all.
祝大家圣诞快乐。