论四大自由The Four Freedom 罗斯福(吐血整理、推荐)

The Four Freedoms
论四大自由
——Franklin Delano Roosevelt（富兰克林·德拉诺·罗斯福）
Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, members of the 77th Congress: 译：主席先生，发言人先生以及第77届国会的成员们
I address you, the Members of the Seventy-Seventh Congress, at a moment unprecedented in the history of the Union. I use the word "unprecedented," because at no previous time has American security been as seriously threatened from without as it is today.
译：今天在这美利坚历史上史无前例的时刻，我在这里为你们—第77届国会的成员们—进行演讲。

我之所以用“史无前例”这个词是因为这个国家现在面临的外部威胁比之前的任何时候都要严重。

Unprecedented:空前的；史无前例的；新奇的；崭新的
Previous：先、前、以前的；（口语）过早的、过急的
Since the permanent formation of our government under the Constitution in 1789, most of the periods of crisis in our history have related to our domestic affairs. And, fortunately, only one of these -- the four-year war between the States -- ever threatened our national unity. Today, thank God, 130,000,000 Americans in 48 States have forgotten points of the compass in our national unity.
译：自从我们的政府在1789年依据宪法成立以来，历史上发生的大多数危机都是与国内事务有关。

而且幸运的是，这些危机中仅仅只有四年的内战曾威胁到国家的统一。

感谢上帝，48个州的1.3亿美国人已经忘记了在国家统一中所经历的分歧。

Permanent：永久的、不变的；常务的、常设的
Domestic：家里的、家庭的；国内的、本国的；热心家务的、会持家的；家养的
Compass：周围、界限、区域；罗盘、指面针；圆规；迂回的路径
It is true that prior to 1914 the United States often had been disturbed by events in other Continents. We had even engaged in two wars with European nations and in a number of undeclared wars in the West Indies, in the Mediterranean and in the Pacific for the maintenance of American rights and for the principles of peaceful commerce. In no case, however, had a serious threat been raised against our national safety or our independence.
译：在1914年前，美国确实曾经陷入到其他各大洲的事务中。

为维护美国的权益以及和平通商的原则，我们曾与欧洲国家进行过两场战争，并曾在西印度、地中海及太平洋不宣而战。

但是所有的这些战争都未曾对我们国家的安全和独立造成严重的威胁。

Continents：大陆、洲
Continent：节俭的、节制的；自制的
Maintenance：保持、维持、支持、继续；坚决、主张、拥护；抚养、供给、生计
Commerce：商业；社交；交际、应酬；（古）性交
What I seek to convey is the historic truth that the United States as a nation has at all times maintained opposition-- clear, definite opposition -- to any attempt to lock us behind an ancient Chinese wall while the procession of civilization went past. Today, thinking of our children and their children, we oppose enforced isolation for ourselves or for any part of the Americas.
译：我想表达的一个历史事实即是美国作为一个国家清晰、明确地反对任何试图封锁我们到古中国长城后从而使我们远离文明进程的行为。

今天，为我们的子孙后代考虑，我们强烈反对将我们或者美洲的其他国家强制封锁的行为。

Isolation：隔离、孤立；封锁交通；绝缘；【化学】离析（作用）
That determination of ours, extending over all these years, was proved, for example, in the early days during the quarter century of wars following the French Revolution. While the Napoleonic struggles did threaten interests of the United States because of the French foothold in the West Indies and in Louisiana, and while we engaged in the War of 1812 to vindicate our right to peaceful trade, it is nevertheless clear that neither France nor Great Britain nor any other nation was aiming at domination of the whole world.
译：历史已经证明了我们的决心，例如在早些年的法国大革命后持续的25年的战争中，由于法国占据西印度和路易斯安那，拿破仑军队确实威胁到了美国的利益，为了维护和平贸易的权利，我们就投入到了1812年的战争中，显然结果表明包括英法在内的任何一个国家都不可能主宰整个世界。

Foothold:立足点；据点
Vindicate:维护；为…辩护；证明…为正当；（古）报仇
Nevertheless:仍然（还），不过
And in like fashion, from 1815 to 1914 -- ninety-nine years -- no single war in Europe or in Asia constituted a real threat against our future or against the future of any other American nation.
译：同样的从1815年到1914年的99年时间里，在欧洲和亚洲没有发生一场威胁到我国和美洲其他国家未来的战争。

Except in the Maximilian interlude in Mexico, no foreign power sought to establish itself in this hemisphere. And the strength of the British fleet in the Atlantic has been a friendly strength; it is still a friendly strength.
译：除了麦斯米兰入侵墨西哥的事件，没有任何其他外国势力寻求过在美洲扩张。

而且大西洋上的英国舰队已经是一支友好的武装力量，而且仍然是。

Interlude:幕间；插曲；穿插
Establish:建立、设定、开创；安顿、安排；确定、证实；使…成为国教
Hemisphere:半球、半球地图
Even when the World War broke our in 1914, it seemed to contain only small threat of danger to our own American future. But, as time went on, the American people began to visualize what the downfall of democratic nations might mean to our own democracy.
译：即是是在1914年爆发的第一次世界对于我国的威胁也是很小的。

但是，之后美国人民开始意识到民主国家的陨落对我们国家的民主意味着什么。

Contain:含有、包含；克制、忍耐；等于、相当于；【数学】除尽、整除
Visualize:显现、想像；（使）具体化、（使）形象化
Democratic:民主政体的、民主主义的、民主党的、民主作风的；民众的、平等的
Democracy:民主政体、民主主义、民主党、民主作风
We need not over-emphasize imperfections in the Peace of Versailles. We need not harp on failure of the democracies to deal with problems of world deconstruction. We should remember that the Peace of 1919 was far less unjust than the kind of "pacification" which began even before Munich, and which is being carried on under the new order of tyranny that seeks to spread over every continent today. The American people have unalterably set their faces against that tyranny.
译：我们不必过分强调凡尔赛和约的缺陷。

我们也没有必要喋喋不休地谈论民主国家在处理战后重建问题上的失败。

我们应该铭记1919年的和平条约比慕尼黑事件发生之前的绥靖政策要公正的多。

在暴政建立的新次序下，这种绥靖政策在全世界范围内蔓延。

美国人民会坚定不移的反对暴政。

Harp:竖琴；天琴座；喋喋不休的
Deconstruction:解构、消解
Unjust:不义的、不法的、不正当的；不公平的、不公道的
Pacification:绥靖；媾和（条约）
Tyranny:暴政、专制主义、高压政治；暴虐、残暴
Unalterably:不能变更的、不变的
Every realist knows that the democratic way of life is at this moment being directly assailed in every part of the world - assailed either by arms, or by secret spreading of poisonous propaganda by those who seek to destroy unity and promote discord in nations still at peace. During sixteen months this assault has blotted out the whole pattern of democratic life in an appalling number of independent nations, great and
small. The assailants are still on the march, threatening other nations, great and small.
译：我想现实主义者知道此时民主的生活方式在世界的每个地方都在被攻击——不论是以武力的方式，还是以秘密散布恶毒宣传的方式。

他们试图通过这些方式挑起国家之间的不合从而摧毁和平。

在长达16个月的时间里，这样的攻击已经使得民主在大大小小的数量惊人的国家里销声匿迹了。

而这样的攻击仍将持续威胁到其他大大小小的国家。

Assail:攻击、袭击；指责；毅然应付（困难、工作等）
Propaganda:宣传、宣传计划；宣传部、宣传机关
Discord:不合、倾轧；不一致、不和谐；嘈杂、喧闹
Assault:攻击；突击；威胁、殴打；强奸
Blot:墨渍；污点；瑕疵
Pattern:模范、榜样；模型、雏形；花样、式样
Appalling:骇人的、可惊的；过分的
Assailant:攻击者；加害者
March:游行、行军、步伐
Therefore, as your president, performing my constitutional duty to "give to the Congress information of the state of the Union," I find it necessary to report that the future and safety of our country and of our democracy are overwhelmingly involved in events far beyond our borders.
译：因此作为你们的总统，我在此履行宪法赋予我的职责将合众国的情况通告国会。

尽管不太令人愉快，但我仍然有必要告知各位，我们国家和民主制度的安全和未来已经与我们领土之外发生的事情息息相关了。

Border:边缘；边界
Armed defense of democratic existence is now being gallantly waged on four continents. If that defense fails, all the population and all the resources of Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australasia will be dominated by the conquerors. The total of those populations and their resources greatly exceeds the sum total of the population and resources of the whole of the Western Hemisphere - many times over.
译：现在四大洲的人民正在勇敢的捍卫着民主政权。

如果他们的捍卫行动失败了，那欧洲，亚洲，非洲及澳洲的所有人民和资源都会被征服者所占有。

我们应该记住这四大洲的总人口数目和资源总量大大的超过了整个西半球人口与资源的总和。

——是的，超过了许多倍。

Gallantly:勇敢的；壮丽的；雄壮的；好色的
Wage:工资；报应；发动
Conqueror:征服者；胜利者
Exceed:超过；超出；胜出；优于
In times like these it is immature - and incidentally unture - for anybody to brag that an unprepared America, single-handed, and with one hand tied behind its back, can hold off the whole world.
译：在这样的时刻，如果人们自夸称美国不做很好的准备就可以单枪匹马的拯救整个世界，那是既不成熟又不切实际的。

Immature:不成熟；未完成；粗糙
Incidentally:附带的；顺便说一句
Brag:自夸、自大
No realistic American can expect from a dictator's peace international generosity, or return of true independence, or world disarmament, or freedom of expression, or freedom of religion - or even good business. Such a peace would bring no security for us or for our neighbors. "Those, who would give up essential liberty to purchase the little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
译：任何现实的美国人都不会期望独裁者会给与我们和平，言论自由，宗教自由或者平等经商的环境。

这样的和平不会给我们和我们的邻国们带来任何的安全感。

那些愿意出卖自由换取短暂的安全的人不值得拥有自由和安全。

Dictator:发号施令者、独裁者；口授者；执政官
Generosity:宽大、慷慨
Disarmament:缴械、裁军
Temporary:一时的、暂时的；无常的
As a nation we may take pride in the fact that we are soft-hearted; but we cannot afford to be soft-hearted. We must always be wary of those who with sounding brass and the tinkling cymbal preach the "ism" of appeasement. We must especially beware of that small group of selfish men who would clip the wings of the American eagle in order to feather their own nests.
译：作为一个国家，我们应该为自己的善良感到骄傲，但是我们不是“软骨头”。

我们必须永远警惕那些鼓吹“绥靖政策”的人。

尤其需要防备一小群自私的人们为了修建他们的“巢穴”拔掉美国之鹰的毛。

Wary:小心的、谨慎的
Brass:黄铜；黄铜制品；金钱
Tinkling:玎玲；电话
Cymbal:击鼓者
Preach:布道；宣扬
Appeasement:姑息；迁就；绥靖
Beware:注意、当心
Clip:剪去、剪短、修剪、剪辑
I have recently pointed out how quickly the tempo of modern warfare could bring into our very midst the physical attack which we must eventually expect if the dictator nations win this war.
译：我最近曾指出，现代战争可以多么迅速地将武器攻击带到我们的身旁，如果独裁国家打赢这场战争，我们就必须预计到这种攻击的到来。

Tempo:速度、拍子
Eventually：最后的；万一、可能发生的
Midst:中、中间、中央
There is much loose talk of our immunity from immediate and direct invasion from across the seas. Obviously, as long as the British Navy retains its power, no such danger exists. Even if there were no British Navy, it is not probable that any enemy would be stupid enough to attack by landing troops in the United States from across thousands of miles of ocean, until it had acquired strategic bases from which to operate.
译：有很多人信口开河，认为我们不会遭受海上的直接侵略。

很明显只要英国海军实力尚存，这样的危险是不存在的。

即使没有英国海军，也没有任何敌人会蠢到穿越几千里的海洋登陆到我国作战，直到他们获得了可使用的战略基地。

Loose:松的、宽的、松散的
Immunity:免除、豁免；免疫力
Invasion:侵入、侵害；（病）发作
Troop:军队；一队、一组；骑兵连
Acquire:取得、学得、获得；养成（习惯）
Operate:操作、工作；起作用
But we learn much from the lessons of the past years in Europe - particularly the lesson of Norway, whose essential seaports were captured by treachery and surprise built up over a series of years. The first phase of the invasion of this Hemisphere would not be the landing of regular troops. The necessary strategic points would be occupied by secret agents and their dupes - great numbers of them are already here, and in Latin America. As long as the aggressor nations maintain the offensive, they - not we - will choose the time and the place and the method of their attack.
译：但是我们从欧洲的历史中吸取了教训——尤其是在挪威，其重要港口被占领，随后几年意外不断。

入侵这一半球的第一阶段不会是常规部队的登陆作战。

那些必要的战略点都会被那些情报人员通过受蒙骗的人占领—-他们中的许多人都已经身在我们国家或拉丁美洲了。

只要侵略者国家发动攻击，那么选择攻击时间、地点和方式的将会是他们而不是我们。

Treachery:叛逆、谋反、不忠
Surprise:使吃惊；突袭占领
Dupe:被愚弄的人、容易上当的人；盲从者
Aggressor:入侵者、攻击者
And that is why the future of all American Republics is today in serious danger. That is why this Annual Message to the Congress is unique in our history. That is why every member of the Executive Branch of the government and every member of Congress face great responsibility - and great accountability. The need of the moment is that our actions and our policy should be devoted primarily - almost exclusively - to meeting the foreign peril. For all our domestic problems are now a part of the great emergency.
译：这就是为何说美国共和的未来在现在已经受到了严重的威胁。

这也是为何说我所做的这份年度报告如此的特别。

这也是政府及国会的每位成员都感觉到了巨大的责任和义务的原因。

当务之急是，我们的行动和我们的政策都应首先针对(几乎是专门针对)如何对付这种来自国外的危险，因为我们所有的国内问题现在都已成为这一逼近眉睫的问题的一个部分。

Executive:执行的、实施的；行政官的、总经理的
Accountability:有责任、有义务
Devote:专心致志于；把…专用于；听任
Primarily:首先、最初、原来；主要的、根本上
Exclusively:除外的、排名的；孤高的；独占的、专有的
Peril:危险、危害、冒险
Just as our national policy in internal affairs has been based upon a decent respect for the rights and dignity of all our fellowmen within our gates, so our national policy in foreign affairs has been based on a decent respect for the rights and dignity of all nations, large and small. And the justice of morality must and will win in the end.
译：正如在国内事务上，我们的国策是以尊重国门以内所有同胞的权利和尊严的基础，在外交事务上，我们的国策也以尊重所有大小国家的权利与尊严为依据。

而且正义的道德力量必将会获得最终的胜利。

Morality:道德、伦理；是非善恶
Our national policy is this.
译：我们的国策是：
First, by an impressive expression of the public will and without regard to partisanship, we are committed to all-inclusive national defense.
译：第一，在明确表达公众意愿以及排除党派偏见的情况下，我们致力于全面的国防。

Impressive:使人印象深刻的、令人难忘的
Expression:表达、语句、措词、表情、态度、腔调
Partisanship:党派
Second, by an impressive expression of the public will and without regard to partisanship, we are committed to full support of all those resolute peoples, everywhere, who are resisting aggression and are thereby keeping war away from our Hemisphere. By this support, we express our determination that the democratic cause shall prevail; and we strengthen the defense and security of our own nation.
译：第二，在明确表达公众意愿以及排除党派偏见的情况下，我们决定对于任何地方反抗侵略致使战火没有燃到我们西半球来的所有英勇民族，予以全力支持。

我们用这种支持，来表示我们对民主事业必胜的决心；我们要加强我国本身的防御和安全。

Resolute:坚决的、坚定的；坚定的人、果敢的人
Thereby:因此、所以
Prevail:占上风的；普遍传开；说服、劝服
Third, by an impressive expression of the public will and without regard to partisanship, we are committed to the proposition that principles of morality and considerations for our own security will never permit us to acquiesce in a peace dictated by aggressors and sponsored by appeasers. We know that enduring peace cannot be bought at the cost of other people's freedom.
译：第三，在明确表达公众意愿以及排除党派偏见的情况下，我们决定声明，道德的基本原则和我们对本身安全的考虑，将永不容许我们默认由侵略者所支配和「和解」主义者所赞许的和平。

我们知道，持久和平是不能以他人的自由为代价买来的。

Sponsor:教父、教母；发起者、主办者；命名人
In the recent national election there was no substantial difference between the two great parties in respect to that national policy. No issue was fought out on this line before the American electorate. And today it is abundantly evident that American citizens everywhere are demanding and supporting speedy and complete action in recognition of obvious danger.
译：在最近的大选中，两个党派在国家政策上并无实质性的分歧。

两党在美国的选民面前并无针对这样事情的争论。

现在有足够的证据表明在认识到国家面临得明显的危险之后，任何地方的美国公民都会要求和支持政府采取快速和全面的行动。

Substantial:实质的、真正的；富裕的；有财产的
Electorate:选民；选区
Therefore, the immediate need is a swift and driving increase in our armament production. Leaders of industry and labor have responded to our summons. Goals of speed have been set. In some cases these goals are being reached ahead of time. In some cases we are on schedule; in other cases there are slight but not serious delays. And in some cases --
and, I am sorry to say, very important cases -- we are all concerned by the slowness of the accomplishment of our plans.
译：因此，我们亟需迅速强劲地增加军备的生产。

工业和劳动部门的官员们已经响应了我们的号召。

他们设定了目标产量完成的时间。

有一些部门提前完成了任务。

还有一些在规定的时间内完成了任务。

另外其他的一些完成任务的时间虽然有些滞后，但不是很严重。

但是，我必须遗憾的说我们仍然十分担心一些重要的生产任务无法在计划的时间内完成。

Swift:迅速的、快、骤然
Summons:召唤、召集；传票
Schedule:目录；表格、清单；时间表、程序表；预定日期、预定计划
The Army and Navy, however, have made substantial progress during the past year. Actual experience is improving and speeding up our methods of production with every passing day. And today's best is not good enough for tomorrow.
译：尽管陆军和海军在过去一年取得了巨大地进步。

每天都在提升经验和改进生产方式。

但是今天的最好对于明天仍然是不够的。

I am not satisfied with the progress thus far made. The men in charge of the program represent the best in training, in ability, and in patriotism. They are not satisfied with the progress thus far made. None of us will be satisfied until the job is done.
译：我对目前取得的进步仍然是不满意的。

项目的负责人被认为是在训练和能力方面最优秀且最具有爱国主义精神的人。

他们对目前所取得的进展不满意。

在所有的项目完成之前，我们任何人都不会满意。

No matter whether the original goal was set too high or too low, our objective is quicker and better results.
译：无论原先的目标是设定得太高还是太低，我们的目的都是为了更好更快地完成任务。

To give you two illustrations:
译：下面我将给你们列出两个例子：
Illustration:说明、例证、实例、图解、插画
We are behind schedule in turning out finished airplanes. We are working day and night to solve the innumerable problems and to catch up.
译：我们在飞机制造任务的完成进度上滞后了。

为了解决难题也为了赶上进度，我们正在夜以继日地工作。

Innumerable:无数的、数不清的
We are ahead of schedule in building warships, but we are working to get even further ahead of that schedule.
译：我们在战舰的建造的任务上已经超前了，但是我们会继续努力使任务完成的时间更加超前。

To change a whole nation from a basis of peacetime production of implements of peace to a basis of wartime production of implements of war is no small task. And the greatest difficulty comes at the beginning of the program, when new tools, new plant facilities, new assembly lines, new shipways must first be constructed before the actual material begins to flow steadily and speedily from them.
译：将整个国家的生产从和平时期的产量要求提升到战争时的要求不是一项简单的任务。

最大的困难就在于项目的初期，因为那时必须首先建造新的工具，新的工厂设备，新的生产线，新的造船台，之后才会有源源不断的产品从中输出来。

The Congress of course, must rightly keep itself informed at all times of the progress of the program. However, there is certain information, as the Congress itself will readily recognize, which, in the interests of our own security and those of the nations that we are supporting, must of needs be kept in confidence.
译：当然，国会必须时刻知晓项目的进度。

但是国会也能够认识到对于一些关乎我国和其他盟国安全的信息则必须要保密。

New circumstances are constantly begetting new needs for our safety. I shall ask this Congress for greatly increased new appropriations and authorizations to carry on what we have begun.
译：新的国际环境对我们国家的安全提出了新的要求。

我要求国会大量增加拨款并且授权政府继续实施已经开展了的项目。

Beget:产生、引起
Appropriation:专用、私用、挪用、盗用；经费
Authorization:授权、委任；认可、核准
I also ask this Congress for authority and for funds sufficient to manufacture additional munitions and war supplies of many kinds, to be turned over to those nations which are now in actual war with aggressor nations. Our most useful and immediate role is to act as an arsenal for them as well as for ourselves. They do not need manpower, but they do need billions of dollars’ w orth of the weapons of defense.
译：我还想要求国会的授权和拨付充足的资金用于制造各种各样支持战争的军需品，交予正在与侵略者交战的国家。

我们最有效和最直接地援助他们的方法即是充当他们和我们自己的兵工厂。

他们不需要人力，但是他们需要数十亿美元的用于防卫的武器。

Sufficient:充足、足够的；有能力的
Manufacture:生产、制造；捏造、虚构
Additional:附加的、追加的
Munitions:军需品
Arsenal:武器库、军工厂
The time is near when they will not be able to pay for them all in ready cash. We cannot, and we will not, tell them that they must surrender merely because of present inability to pay for the weapons which we know they must have.
译：可能到时候他们无力用现金偿还。

我们不能也不会告诉他们，仅仅是因为现在无法支付这些对于他们很必要的武器，他们就必须要向侵略者投降。

Surrender:交出、放弃；缴械；向…投降
I do not recommend that we make them a loan of dollars with which to pay for these weapons -- a loan to be repaid in dollars. I recommend that we make it possible for those nations to continue to obtain war materials in the United States, fitting their orders into our own program. And nearly all of their material would, if the time ever came, be useful in our own defense.
译：我不建议为他们提供购买这些武器贷款——将来他们要偿还的贷款。

我建议让这些国家持续的从美国获得军需物资，并且将他们的订单拟入我国的生产项目中。

因为一旦时机来临，他们所有的军需物资都会用于防卫我们自己的国家。

Taking counsel of expert military and naval authorities, considering what is best for our own security, we are free to decide how much should be kept here and how much should be sent abroad to our friends who, by their determined and heroic resistance, are giving us time in which to make ready our own defense.
译：通过咨询军事专家和海军权威们，综合考虑最有效的防御方案，我们可以决定需要留下多少武器装备，有多少可以被送到国外支援我们的友国，正是由于他们坚决英勇的抵抗，我们才能有足够的时间准备国防。

Counsel:商议、劝导；意图、目的、计划；法律顾问、辩护人
Heroic:英勇的、勇敢的
Resistance:抵抗、反抗；阻力；电阻
For what we send abroad we shall be repaid, repaid within a reasonable time following the close of hostilities, repaid in similar materials, or at our option in other goods of many kinds which they can produce and which we need.
译：我们捐献给友国的军需物资最终会得到回报，这种回报即是在敌人来临之前我们将有足够的时间，也可能是以同样的物资或他们能够生产而且我们又需要的其他各种物资。

Hostility:敌意、敌对行为
Let us say to the democracies: "we Americans are vitally concerned in your defense of freedom. We are putting forth our energies, our resources and our organizing powers to give you the strength to regain and maintain a free world. We shall send you, in ever increasing numbers, ships, planes, tanks, guns. This is our purpose and our pledge."
译：让我们告诉民主国家们：“我们美国人十分关注你们捍卫自由的斗争，我们将尽全力，为你们提供物质和军队帮助你们维护自由世界。

我们将送给你们无数的舰船，飞机，坦克和枪炮。

这是我们的目的也是我们的承诺。

”
Vitally:生命的、维持生命必须的；有生命的；生机勃勃的；生死悠关的、致命的
Pledge:誓约、公约；抵押
In fulfillment of this purpose we will not be intimidated by the threats of dictators that they will regard as a breach of international law and as an act of war our aid to the democracies which dare resist their aggression. Such aid is not an act of war, even if a dictator should unilaterally proclaim it so to be.
译：为了实现这一目的，我们不会惧怕独裁者的威胁。

他们认为我们这种援助其他抵抗侵略的民主国家的行为是违反国际法的，或者说是战争行为。

这样的援助并不是战争行为，即是独裁者单方面的这样认为。

Unilaterally:片面的、单方面的；单系的；单侧的；单音的
Proclaim:宣布、公布；声明、显示；赞扬、歌颂
When the dictators are ready to make war upon us, they will not wait for an act of war on our part.
译：而且如果独裁者准备对我们发动战争了，他们不会等到我们先发动战争。

They did not wait for Norway or Belgium or the Netherlands to commit an act of war. Their only interest is in a new one-way international law, which lacks mutuality in its observance, and, therefore, becomes an instrument of oppression. The happiness of future generations of Americans may well depend upon how effective and how immediate we can make our aid felt. No one can tell the exact character of the emergency situations that we may be called upon to meet. The Nation's hands must not be tied when the Nation's life is in danger.
译：他们没有等比利时和荷兰先发动战争。

他们唯一的兴趣即是建立单向的国际法，这样的国际法由于缺乏相互性而成为了他们压迫其他国家的工具。

未来美国人民的幸福取决于我们的援助是否有效和及时。

没人知道我们可能面临怎样的紧急情况。

国家在生命受到威胁时，一定不能被束手束脚。

Mutuality:相互关系；相关的；依存的
Observance:遵守；仪式、典礼；习惯、惯例
Instrument:仪表、仪器；乐器；证券、证件；工具、手段
Oppression:压迫、镇压；虐待；苦闷、忧郁。