-
我們十分榮幸邀請到2015年畢業演講嘉賓-美國副總統喬.拜登。
哈囉,耶魯,很高興見到你們,十分感謝。十分感謝Jeremy、Kiki以及2015年全體畢業生,恭喜各位,感謝你們邀請我參與這個特殊的日子。你們才華洋溢、努力不懈,今天是你們努力的收穫。校長、全體教職員,很榮幸與你們共聚一堂。我妻子是全職教師,我希望你們瞭解,在社區學院教書,參加過8,640場畢業典禮或類似的畢業紀念日,我知道他們迫不及待希望演講者早點結束,我會盡量長話短說。各位家長、祖父母、兄弟姊妹、家庭成員以及2015年畢業生,恭喜你們,我知道你們多麼自豪。但2015年畢業生,在演講開始前,請站起來為愛你們的人鼓掌,無論你頭上戴著什麼,以及讓你達成今日成就的人,我向各位保證,對他們而言,今天的意義比對你們而言更加重大。你知道當歐巴馬總統邀請我擔任副總統時,我說我只有兩個:條件一、我不會戴任何滑稽的帽子,即使在畢業典禮上。二、我不會改變我的風格。我知道沒人會質疑,我說的是心裡真正的想法,問題通常在於我把心裡所有的想法全都說出來了。我因心直口快而惡名昭彰,有時是在不適當的時機,現在進入主題。
展開英文
收合英文
-
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Hello, Yale! (Applause.) Great to see you all. (Applause.) Thank you very, very much.Jeremy and Kiki, the entire Class of 2015, congratulations and thank you for inviting me to be part of this special day. You’re talented. You’ve worked hard, and you’ve earned this day.Mr. President, faculty, staff, it’s an honor to be here with all of you.My wife teaches full-time. I want you to know that -- at a community college, and has attended 8,640 commencements and/or the similar versions of Class Day, and I know they can hardly wait for the speaker to finish. (Laughter.) But I’ll do my best as quickly as I can.To the parents, grandparents, siblings, family members, the Class of 2015 —- congratulations. I know how proud you must be. But, the Class of 2015, before I speak to you —- please stand and applaud the ones who loved you no matter what you’re wearing on your head and who really made this day happen. (Laughter and applause.) I promise you all this is a bigger day for them than it is for you. (Laughter.)When President Obama asked me to be his Vice President, I said I only had two conditions: One, I wouldn’t wear any funny hats, even on Class Day. (Laughter.) And two, I wouldn’t change my brand.
Now, look, I realize no one ever doubts I mean what I say, the problem occasionally is I say all that I mean. (Laughter.) I have a bad reputation for being straight. Sometimes an inappropriate times. (Laughter.) So here it goes. (Applause.)
-
我從幾個事實開始說起:雪佛蘭Corvette比保時捷好,它速度較快、轉彎性能較佳。抱歉,各位,無伴奏演唱不比搖滾好,你們的學者比華盛頓的學者優秀,但我注意到兩者都沒什麼節操。條條大路通Toads?(耶魯附近著名夜店)饒了我吧!你們試過星期一晚上去嗎?聽著,你知道,想結束精彩的男子籃球與美式足球賽季相當困難,只差一次觸地得分,你們今年就能獲得自2006年以來第一次打敗哈佛的機會。多麼接近,你們等待了8年的雪恥機會,我只能想像你們的感受,只能以局外人的身分想像。就差那麼一點,就差那麼一點。但我得坦白告訴各位,當我收到你們的邀請時,感到受寵若驚,但這在我的大家庭裡引起了一點小問題,迫使我面對一個棘手的事實:我兒子Beau是德拉瓦州檢察總長,我女兒Ashley Biden在德拉瓦州經營一家非營利性刑事司法機構,兩人都是賓大校友;我兩位姪女都畢業於哈佛,其中一個是典型的美國女孩,所有人都認為我來這裡是相當糟糕的主意。另一方面,我另一個兒子Hunter,他是世界糧食計劃署美國董事會主席,畢業於耶魯法學院,他認為這是好主意。但話說回來,法學院畢業生總是認為自己的想法是好的。順帶一提,我的屬下很多都是耶魯法學院畢業生,我說的與事實相去不遠,但總之重點是我的屬下有很多是耶魯畢業生,今天有幾個隨我前來這裡,他們認為我來這裡演講是好主意。事實上我的前任國家安全顧問傑克.蘇利文曾經在耶魯法學院任教,在耶魯法學院研讀國際關係,擔任《耶魯每日新聞》編輯,他畢業於哈佛-抱歉,說錯了,畢業於耶魯法學院。你們很幸運擁有這樣的學生,他是個優秀、正直、值得尊敬的人,我很懷念他。我們懷念他擔任國家安全顧問的日子,但他不是唯一一個,我的副國家安全顧問Jeff Prescott創辦並經營耶魯法學院中國法律中心,我的中東政策顧問和外交政策撰稿人Dan Benaim跟我一起修《日常主題》課程,拿到B的成績。現在你們知道我為何老是脫稿了吧!
展開英文
收合英文
-
Let’s get a couple things straight right off the bat: Corvettes are better than Porsches; they're quicker and they corner as well. (Laughter and applause.) And sorry, guys, a cappella is not better than rock and roll. (Laughter and applause.) And your pundits are better than Washington pundits, although I’ve noticed neither has any shame at all. (Laughter and applause.) And all roads lead to Toads? Give me a break. (Laughter and applause.) You ever tried it on Monday night? (Laughter.) Look, it’s tough to end a great men’s basketball and football season. One touchdown away from beating Harvard this year for the first time since 2006 -— so close to something you’ve wanted for eight years. I can only imagine how you feel. (Laughter.) I can only imagine. (Applause.) So close. So close. But I got to be honest with you, when the invitation came, I was flattered, but it caused a little bit of a problem in my extended family. It forced me to face some hard truths. My son, Beau, the attorney general of Delaware, my daughter, Ashley Biden, runs a nonprofit for criminal justice in the state, they both went to Penn. My two nieces graduated from Harvard, one an all-American. All of them think my being here was a very bad idea. (Laughter.)On the other hand, my other son, Hunter, who heads the World Food Program USA, graduated from Yale Law School. (Applause.) Now, he thought it’s a great idea. But then again, law graduates always think all of their ideas are great ideas. (Laughter.)By the way, I’ve had a lot of law graduates from Yale work for me. That's not too far from the truth. But anyway, look, the truth of the matter is that I have a lot of staff that are Yale graduates, several are with me today. They thought it was a great idea that I speak here.As a matter of fact, my former national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, who is teaching here at Yale Law School, trained in international relations at Yale College, edited the Yale Daily News, and graduated from Harvard -- excuse me, Freudian slip -- Yale Law School. (Laughter.) You’re lucky to have him. He’s a brilliant and decent and honorable man. And I miss him. And we miss him as my national security advisor.But he’s not the only one. My deputy national security advisor, Jeff Prescott, started and ran the China Law Center at Yale Law School. My Middle East policy advisor and foreign policy speechwriter, Dan Benaim, who is with me, took Daily Themes -— got a B. (Laughter.) Now you know why I go off script so much. (Laughter and applause.)
-
聽著,不久前的燒烤晚宴上,總統說:「我」-總統說:「我正在學習不靠提詞機演講,喬正在學習照著提詞機演講。」如果你看見我的撰稿人,就知道為什麼了。我一位摯友的孫女-我的摯友是納粹大屠殺倖存者、前外交政策顧問以及前眾議院外交事務委員會主席-眾議員湯姆.蘭托斯,他的孫女今天畢業。Mercina,恭喜你。孩子,你在哪裡?你是第六個-她是兄弟姊妹中第六個耶魯畢業生,十一個當中有六個,命中率還不錯,我相信這已創下單一家庭中孩子就讀耶魯的當代紀錄。Mercina,我認識你母親,小Annette也在這裡。我不知道你在哪裡,Annette,但Annette是耶魯招收的第一批女學生。Mercina的祖母Annette也是納粹大屠殺倖存者,一位了不起的女性,我敢肯定無論她們在哪裡,今天都會喜悅萬分。我還知道一件事,Mercina,你父親和祖父都在天上看著你,為你喝采。我很高興能在這個屬於你們的日子以及所有屬於你們的日子來到這裡,很高興知道有一個耶魯人希望我來到這裡-至少有一個。在《Overheard at Yale》(耶魯論壇)的Facebook頁面上,一位學生貼出另一名學生說的話:「我有個夢想,我是副總統,我跟總統一起跳放克迪斯可,說服國會重新啟動政府運作。」另一位學生評論說:「你們都知道,拜登跳起舞來超搞笑的。」好,我的孫女Finnegan Biden,她父親是耶魯人,她今天跟我一起來,當她看見那則評論時,我正在空軍二號上,她說:「爺爺,這不是靠你和總統跳放克迪斯可就能做到的事,茶黨根本連放克迪斯可是什麼都不知道。」聽著,我也不瞭解放克迪斯可,但我很高興有人-有某個人夢想當副總統,只要有人就好,我不曾有過這個夢想。跟現場媒體聲明一下,這只是開玩笑,事實上身為歐巴馬的副總統令我深感榮幸,我們都喜歡走出白宮、融入美國民眾真實的生活,你知道這意味著為生活奮鬥、努力工作、逛Kiko Milano(美妝店),很棒的選擇,我只希望Kiko的負責人不負責替兩所新住宿學院命名。
展開英文
收合英文
-
Look, at a Gridiron Dinner not long ago, the President said, I -- the President -- “I am learning to speak without a teleprompter, Joe is learning to speak with one.” (Laughter.) But if you looked at my speechwriters, you know why.And the granddaughter of one of my dearest friends in life -— a former Holocaust survivor, a former foreign policy advisor, a former Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Congressman Tom Lantos -— is graduating today. Mercina, congratulations, kiddo. (Applause.) Where are you? You are the sixth -- she’s the sixth sibling in her immediate family to graduate from Yale. Six out of 11, that's not a bad batting average. (Laughter.) I believe it’s a modern day record for the number of kids who went to Yale from a single family. And, Mercina, I know that your mom, Little Annette is here. I don't know where you are, Annette. But Annette was part of the first class of freshman women admitted to Yale University. (Applause.)And her grandmother, Annette, is also a Holocaust survivor, an amazing woman; and both I’m sure wherever they are, beaming today. And I know one more thing, Mercina, your father and grandfather are looking down, cheering you on.I’m so happy to be here on your day and all of your day. It’s good to know there’s one Yalie who is happy I’m being here -- be here, at least one. (Laughter.) On “Overheard at Yale,” on the Facebook page, one student reported another student saying: I had a dream that I was Vice President and was with the President, and we did the disco funk dance to convince the Congress to restart the government. (Laughter.)Another student commented, Y’all know Biden would be hilarious, get funky. (Laughter.) Well, my granddaughter, Finnegan Biden, whose dad went here, is with me today. When she saw that on the speech, I was on the plane, Air Force Two coming up, she said, Pop, it would take a lot more than you and the President doing the disco funk dance. The Tea Party doesn't even know what it is. (Laughter.)Look, I don't know about that. But I’m just glad there’s someone -- just someone -- who dreams of being Vice President. (Laughter and applause.) Just somebody. I never had that dream. (Laughter.) For the press out there, that's a joke. Actually, being Vice President to Barack Obama has been truly a great honor. We both enjoy getting out of the White House to talk to folks in the real America -— the kind who know what it means to struggle, to work hard, to shop at Kiko Milano. (Laughter and applause.) Great choice. (Laughter.) I just hope to hell the same people responsible for Kiko’s aren’t in charge of naming the two new residential colleges. (Laughter and applause.)
-
聽著,我花了很多時間思考今天該對你們說什麼,但我越是思考,越覺得任何畢業演講似乎都是多餘的。你們已在春季狂歡會中聽過Jessie J的演唱,我還有什麼好說的?聽著,我很榮幸Jeremy和Kiki選了我,我不知道你們怎麼會信任他們做這件事,我希望你們贊同他們的選擇,事實上我希望演講結束後他們仍贊同自己的選擇。在溢滿讚美詞的邀請函上,他們要求我以幽默的方式講述我對公共服務與家庭的承諾,談論在瞬息萬變的世界中,韌性、同理心與領導力的作用。相當高的要求,我大概第一部分就不及格,但其餘部份,我先聲明一下,這是我的肺腑之言:我沒什麼特別之處。至於韌性與同理心,世上有無數的人,也許聽眾當中就有,經歷過與我類似或比我更糟的個人損失,沒有支持他們度過難關的援助,也找不到驅使自己度過難關的理由。朋友們,擁有同理心並非難事,當你身處人生低潮、受益於同理心的幫助時,這份幫助不僅來自家人,也來自朋友、甚至完全陌生的人,因為當你瞭解這對你來說意義多麼重大時,就會知道那是多麼重要。
展開英文
收合英文
-
Now, look, folks, I spent a lot of time thinking about what I should day to you today, but the more I thought about it, I thought that any Class Day speech is likely to be redundant. You already heard from Jessie J at Spring Fling. (Laughter.) So what in the hell could I possibly say. (Laughter.)Look, I’m deeply honored that Jeremy and Kiki selected me. I don't know how the hell you trusted them to do that. (Laughter.) I hope you agree with their choice. Actually I hope by the end of this speech, they agree with their choice. (Laughter.)In their flattering invitation letter, they asked me to bring along a sense of humor, speak about my commitment to public service and family, talk about resiliency, compassion, and leadership in a changing world. Petty tall order. (Laughter.) I probably already flunked the first part of the test. But with the rest let me say upfront, and I mean this sincerely, there’s nothing particularly unique about me. With regard to resilience and compassion, there are countless thousands of people, maybe some in the audience, who’ve suffered through personal losses similar to mine or much worse with much less support to help them get through it and much less reason to want to get through it. It’s not that all that difficult, folks, to be compassionate when you’ve been the beneficiary of compassion in your lowest moments not only from your family, but from your friends and total strangers. Because when you know how much it meant to you, you know how much it mattered.
-
擁有同理心並非難事,我被一位嚴格富有同情心的愛爾蘭女士養大,她叫Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden,她教導所有孩子一切都是神的恩賜,一切都是神的恩賜;我父親的座右銘是家庭是一切的開始、過程和結束。和在座許多人以及你們的父母一樣,我很幸運,我很早就知道自己想做什麼、什麼能讓我滿足、什麼能讓我快樂,我的家庭、我的信仰、參與我那一代所面臨的公共事務,以及受到一位名叫甘迺迪的年輕總統的啟發:公民權利、環境保護,試圖結束一場毫無用處、只會造成分裂的戰爭-越戰。事實是,無論是我還是任何人都無法告訴你什麼會讓你快樂、什麼會幫助你獲得成功,你們每個人都有不同的滿意度,每個人都有不同的目標與渴望,但我觀察到、瞭解到的一件事,就是我父親經常說的一句話是真實的,他常說:「早上能起床的人就是幸運的人。」我是說真的,這是他常說的一句話。一個幸運的人早上能起床、把雙腳放在地上、知道接下來該做什麼,並認為所做之事是值得的。我很幸運,我對你們所有人的期望是,不僅是明天,而是從現在起20、40或50年後,你會找到最適合你的位置,它能讓你早上起床、雙腳踏上地板、出門追求你所愛的事物,並認為所做之事是值得的。
展開英文
收合英文
-
It’s not hard to be compassionate.I was raised by a tough, compassionate Irish lady named Catherine Eugenia Finnegan Biden. And she taught all of her children that, but for the grace of God, there go you -- but for the grace of God, there go you.And a father who lived his motto that, family was the beginning, the middle, and the end. And like many of you and your parents, I was fortunate. I learned early on what I wanted to do, what fulfilled me the most, what made me happy -— my family, my faith, and being engaged in the public affairs that gripped my generation and being inspired by a young President named Kennedy -- civil rights, the environment, trying to end an incredibly useless and divisive war, Vietnam. The truth is, though, that neither I, nor anyone else, can tell you what will make you happy, help you find success.You each have different comfort levels. Everyone has different goals and aspirations. But one thing I’ve observed, one thing I know, an expression my dad would use often, is real. He used to say, it’s a lucky man or woman gets up in the morning -- and I mean this sincerely. It was one of his expressions. It’s a lucky man or woman gets up in the morning, puts both feet on the floor, knows what they’re about to do, and thinks it still matters.I’ve been lucky. And my wish for all of you is that not only tomorrow, but 20 and 40 and 50 years from now, you’ve found that sweet spot, that thing that allows you to get up in the morning, put both feet on the floor, go out and pursue what you love, and think it still matters.
-
你們當中有些人會去矽谷,為個人和社會做出巨大貢獻,也許設計一款能改變生活的應用程式,例如如何退出歐巴馬的「為了美國」電子郵件列表,史上最龐大的垃圾郵件列表。你們當中有些人會去華爾街或華爾街大型律師事務所,參與公職、社會活動、和平隊、教書。你們將成為醫生、研究員、記者、藝術家、演員、音樂家,你們當中的兩個人,一個曾經是我在白宮的實習生,Sam Cohen以及Andrew Heymann,他們將入伍美國海軍。恭喜你們,兩位紳士,我們為你們感到驕傲。但你們所有人都有一個共同點,你們將設法找到最適合你的位置,滿足你的雄心,為你們帶來成功和快樂。我在職業生涯中遇過很多人,我注意到一件事:最成功、最快樂的人,無論他們在華爾街或商業街工作,無論是醫生或護士、律師或社會工作者,我對他們做了一些基本觀察。根據我的觀察,無論身在何處,他們都能在成功與快樂之間找到最適合自己的位置。那些人能平衡生活與事業,找到目標與滿足感以及雄心的歸屬。成功沒有靈丹妙藥、沒有單一公式、沒有捷徑,但他們似乎都瞭解,快樂與成功來自無數小事的累積。根據我的觀察,這些事物都一個共同特徵:首先我所知,最成功、最幸福的人瞭解美好生活的核心在於親身參與、在於盡心投入,在朋友或同事受傷或發生意外時陪在他們身邊,記得他們的生日、為他們的婚禮慶賀、祝福他們孩子的誕生,當他們面臨人生低潮時給予支持,在於愛他人勝過自己。
展開英文
收合英文
-
Some of you will go to Silicon Valley and make great contributions to empower individuals and societies and maybe even design a life-changing app, like how to unsubscribe to Obama for America email list -- (laughter) -- the biggest “pan-list” of all times.Some of you will go to Wall Street and big Wall Street law firms, government and activism, Peace Corps, Teach for America. You’ll become doctors, researchers, journalists, artists, actors, musicians. Two of you -— one of whom was one of my former interns in the White House, Sam Cohen, and Andrew Heymann —- will be commissioned in the United States Navy. Congratulations, gentlemen. We're proud of you. (Applause.)But all of you have one thing in common you will all seek to find that sweet spot that satisfies your ambition and success and happiness. I’ve met an awful lot of people in my career. And I’ve noticed one thing, those who are the most successful and the happiest -- whether they’re working on Wall Street or Main Street, as a doctor or nurse, or as a lawyer, or a social worker, I’ve made certain basic observation about the ones who from my observation wherever they were in the world were able to find that sweet spot between success and happiness. Those who balance life and career, who find purpose and fulfillment, and where ambition leads them. There’s no silver bullet, no single formula, no reductive list. But they all seem to understand that happiness and success result from an accumulation of thousands of little things built on character, all of which have certain common features in my observation.First, the most successful and happiest people I’ve known understand that a good life at its core is about being personal. It’s about being engaged. It’s about being there for a friend or a colleague when they're injured or in an accident, remembering the birthdays, congratulating them on their marriage, celebrating the birth of their child. It’s about being available to them when they're going through personal loss. It’s about loving someone more than yourself.
-
如其中一位演講嘉賓提過的,這似乎都與「親身參與」有關。這是促進人際關係的要素,這是你在生活中的作為上培養信任的唯一途徑,讓我舉個例子。進入美國參議院僅僅四個月後,身為一位30歲的菜鳥,我走過參議院,前去與多數黨領袖邁克.曼斯菲爾德見面。我目睹另一位新當選的參議員,極端保守派的傑西.赫姆斯正譴責泰德.甘迺迪和鮑勃.杜爾推動《美國身心障礙者法案》前置法,但我得與多數黨領袖見面,因此我繼續前進。當我走進曼斯菲爾德的辦公室,我看起來一定很生氣。他當時快80歲,他活了將近100歲,他看著我說:「你在氣什麼,喬?」我說:「那個傢伙,赫姆斯,他沒有社會補償價值觀。」他不在乎這些-我是說真的。我很生氣他不在乎那些需要幫助的人,他對殘障人士漠不關心,然後多數黨領袖曼斯菲爾德告訴我,三年前傑西和妻子多特.赫姆斯在12月初聖誕節來臨前坐在家中客廳閱讀《羅利新聞觀察報》的一則廣告,那是一位14歲年輕人的相片,雙腿到臀部裝著支架,寫著:「我只希望有人愛我、接納我。」他看著我說:「他們收養了他,喬。」我覺得自己像個傻瓜。他接著說:「喬,質疑他人的判斷無可厚非,但質疑他人的動機並不適當,因為你不可能瞭解他人的動機。」很幸運這件事發生在我職業生涯早期,從那時起,我試著忽略描繪我同事的諷刺漫畫,試著真正瞭解他們。我再也不曾質疑他人的動機,某些事開始改變。
展開英文
收合英文
-
As one of your speakers have already mentioned. It all seems to get down to being personal. That's the stuff that fosters relationships. It’s the only way to breed trust in everything you do in your life.Let me give you an example. After only four months in the United States Senate, as a 30-year-old kid, I was walking through the Senate floor to go to a meeting with Majority Leader Mike Mansfield. And I witnessed another newly elected senator, the extremely conservative Jesse Helms, excoriating Ted Kennedy and Bob Dole for promoting the precursor of the Americans with Disabilities Act. But I had to see the Leader, so I kept walking.When I walked into Mansfield’s office, I must have looked as angry as I was. He was in his late ‘70s, lived to be 100. And he looked at me, he said, what’s bothering you, Joe?I said, that guy, Helms, he has no social redeeming value. He doesn't care -- I really mean it -- I was angry. He doesn't care about people in need. He has a disregard for the disabled.Majority Leader Mansfield then proceeded to tell me that three years earlier, Jesse and Dot Helms, sitting in their living room in early December before Christmas, reading an ad in the Raleigh Observer, the picture of a young man, 14-years-old with braces on his legs up to both hips, saying, all I want is someone to love me and adopt me. He looked at me and he said, and they adopted him, Joe. I felt like a fool. He then went on to say, Joe, it’s always appropriate to question another man’s judgment, but never appropriate to question his motives because you simply don't know his motives. It happened early in my career fortunately. From that moment on, I tried to look past the caricatures of my colleagues and try to see the whole person. Never once have I questioned another man’s or woman’s motive. And something started to change.
-
不知你們是否注意到,過去八年,每當國會發生危機,我就被派到國會山處理,因為那裡的每個人-無論他們是否喜歡我-都知道,我不會自以為瞭解他們的想法而評判他們,因為當你質疑一個人的動機,當你說他們的行為是出於貪婪、他們與利益集團掛勾等等,你很難與他們達成共識,很難將手越過談判桌握手言歡,無論你多麼心不甘情不願,這都是可能的,如果你質疑的是判斷而非動機。我和赫姆斯參議員的政治理念依然嚴重分歧,但我們很快成為參議院最有影響力的成員,以主席與核心成員的身分主持外交關係委員會,但有些事改變了。互相的防禦心態開始消散,結果是我們開始為了國家利益合作。身為主席與核心成員,我們在過去40年中通過了一些最重要的法案,所有他反對的議題,從支付他鄙視的聯合國數千萬美元欠款-他也是所謂的「黑色直升機派」-到通過《禁止化學武器公約》。他不斷提到:「『我們』不曾輸過任何戰爭,卻不曾贏過任何條約。」這是他強烈反對的。但我們能做到這些事,不是因為他改變主意,而是因為維持這種新關係需要行事公平正直,不再惡意中傷,不再以卑鄙手法避免投票,儘管他知道我能獲得議員支持。在那之後,我們繼續共事,他開始以不同角度看待事物。我們一起完成一些他支持的重大法案,例如《總統防治愛滋病緊急救援計劃》。順帶一提,這件事小布希居功至偉,為非洲與全球提供愛滋病治療及預防措施,拯救了數百萬人的生命。
展開英文
收合英文
-
If you notice, every time there’s a crisis in the Congress the last eight years, I get sent to the Hill to deal with it. It’s because every one of those men and women up there -- whether they like me or not -- know that I don't judge them for what I think they're thinking. Because when you question a man’s motive, when you say they're acting out of greed, they're in the pocket of an interest group, et cetera, it’s awful hard to reach consensus. It’s awful hard having to reach across the table and shake hands. No matter how bitterly you disagree, though, it is always possible if you question judgment and not motive.Senator Helms and I continued to have profound political differences, but early on we both became the most powerful members of the Senate running the Foreign Relations Committee, as Chairmen and Ranking Members. But something happened, the mutual defensiveness began to dissipate. And as a result, we began to be able to work together in the interests of the country. And as Chairman and Ranking Member, we passed some of the most significant legislation passed in the last 40 years. All of which he opposed -- from paying tens of millions of dollars in arrearages to an institution, he despised, the United Nations -- he was part of the so-called “black helicopter” crowd; to passing the chemical weapons treaty, constantly referring to, “we’ve never lost a war, and we’ve never won a treaty,” which he vehemently opposed. But we were able to do these things not because he changed his mind, but because in this new relationship to maintain it is required to play fair, to be straight. The cheap shots ended. And the chicanery to keep from having to being able to vote ended -- even though he knew I had the votes. After that, we went on as he began to look at the other side of things and do some great things together that he supported like PEPFAR -— which by the way, George W. Bush deserves an overwhelming amount of credit for, by the way, which provided treatment and prevention HIV/AIDS in Africa and around the world, literally saving millions of lives.
-
因此這裡有個建議:試著拋開對共事者的偏見,抵抗質疑他人動機的誘惑,因為你並不真的瞭解他人的動機,這將阻礙你在一些對你和其他人來說重要的事件上達成共識。抵抗你們這一代讓「網路」成為動詞的誘惑,這將削弱你親身體驗的慾望,讓你無視於眼前的人,無視於他們的希望、恐懼和負擔。建立真正的關係,即使是與和你極不對盤的人。你不僅會更快樂,也會獲得更大的成功。我注意到的第二件事是,儘管你知道沒人比你優秀,每個人都跟你一樣平等,應該獲得尊嚴與尊重。我曾與八位總統、數百名參議員共事;過去40年當中,我曾與世上每一位重要領導者見面,許多才華洋溢的人為我工作,我從中觀察到:無論他們擁有何種學術成就或社會背景,那些最成功、最受人尊敬、能完成最多工作的人,都是不曾將學歷和社會背景與權威性和判斷力混為一談的人。別忘了什麼是這份聲譽卓著的文憑無法給予的,瞭解什麼是長遠的、什麼只是曇花一現的心智,瞭解學識與判斷之差異的頭腦。但即使你擁有這一切,我觀察到大多數成功快樂的人還記得第三件事:現實並非總是盡如人意。
展開英文
收合英文
-
So one piece of advice is try to look beyond the caricature of the person with whom you have to work. Resist the temptation to ascribe motive, because you really don’t know -— and it gets in the way of being able to reach a consensus on things that matter to you and to many other people.Resist the temptation of your generation to let “network” become a verb that saps the personal away, that blinds you to the person right in front of you, blinds you to their hopes, their fears, and their burdens.Build real relationships -— even with people with whom you vehemently disagree. You’ll not only be happier. You will be more successful.The second thing I’ve noticed is that although you know no one is better than you, every other persons is equal to you and deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. I’ve worked with eight Presidents, hundreds of Senators. I’ve met every major world leader literally in the last 40 years. And I’ve had scores of talented people work for me. And here’s what I’ve observed: Regardless of their academic or social backgrounds, those who had the most success and who were most respected and therefore able to get the most done were the ones who never confused academic credentials and societal sophistication with gravitas and judgment. Don’t forget about what doesn’t come from this prestigious diploma -- the heart to know what’s meaningful and what’s ephemeral; and the head to know the difference between knowledge and judgment.But even if you get these things right, I’ve observed that most people who are successful and happy remembered a third thing: Reality has a way of intruding.
-
我在勝選機會渺茫的一年當選。理查.尼克森在我的家鄉獲得壓倒性勝利,喬治.麥戈文的票數遙遙領先。我成為美國歷史上第二年輕的勝選者,這讓我充滿鬥志與野心,如果你不小心謹慎,就會產生不可避免的漏洞。但請小心,世事瞬息萬變,我知道這一點,你們的父母也多半瞭解。當選後六星期,我的整個世界永遠改變了。我在華盛頓招聘員工時接到一通電話,我妻子和三個孩子採購聖誕禮物時,一輛牽引拖車撞上他們,導致我妻子和女兒死亡,醫生還不確定我的兒子是否能存活。很多人都經歷過這樣的事,但因為我有幸擁有一個以愛和忠誠建構的大家庭,每個成員都被灌輸責任和義務的概念,我不僅得到幫助,也藉由專心照顧兒子獲得救贖。我還記得我的母親,一位貼心的女士,在我們離開醫院後看著我,她說:「喬伊,經歷過所有壞事後,只要努力尋找,好事總會來臨。」她說得沒錯。如果我不曾經歷這一切,我不確定是否能擁有與孩子間不可思議的牽絆這份美好的禮物,誰知道我是否能體會生命中那一刻,那個令人茫然的時刻,領悟我的首要責任是什麼。
展開英文
收合英文
-
I got elected in a very improbable year. Richard Nixon won my state overwhelmingly. George McGovern was at the top of the ticket. I got elected as the second-youngest man in the history of the United States to be elected, the stuff that provides and fuels raw ambition. And if you’re not careful, it fuels a sense of inevitability that seeps in. But be careful. Things can change in a heartbeat. I know. And so do many of your parents.Six weeks after my election, my whole world was altered forever. While I was in Washington hiring staff, I got a phone call. My wife and three children were Christmas shopping, a tractor trailer broadsided them and killed my wife and killed my daughter. And they weren’t sure that my sons would live.Many people have gone through things like that. But because I had the incredible good fortune of an extended family, grounded in love and loyalty, imbued with a sense of obligation imparted to each of us, I not only got help. But by focusing on my sons, I found my redemption.I can remember my mother -- a sweet lady -- looking at me, after we left the hospital, and saying, Joey, out of everything terrible that happens to you, something good will come if you look hard enough for it. She was right. The incredible bond I have with my children is the gift I’m not sure I would have had, had I not been through what I went through. Who knows whether I would have been able to appreciate at that moment in my life, the heady moment in my life, what my first obligation was.
-
於是我開始通勤,不曾打算留在華盛頓,這是千真萬確的事實。1973年時,我本應與大家一起宣誓就職,但我沒有出席,因此曼斯菲爾德以為我改變主意,不願就職,於是他派參議院秘書前來,讓我在醫院病房裡,一面陪孩子一面宣誓。我開始通勤,以為只會持續一小段時間,每天4小時,天天如此,從華盛頓到威爾明頓。我持續了超過37年,我這麼做是因為我希望能給他們晚安吻和隔天的早安吻,沒有「奧茲與哈里特」式早餐或偉大家庭傳統之類的,只是和他們一起爬上床,因為我開始意識到孩子也會有重要的想法,一些想與父母分享的事,也許12或24小時後那些想法就消失無蹤,消失後再也不會出現,逐漸累積成無法跨越的鴻溝。但回顧過往,老實說我每晚回家的真正原因是,我對孩子的需要遠勝於孩子對我的需要。當時有些報導聲稱拜登無法成為有抱負的政治人物,若是如此,他會在華盛頓多待一點時間,出席更多重要活動,顯然他缺乏抱負,最後一輪投票後他立刻打道回府。但我意識到我不曾錯過任何事。野心相當重要,你需要野心,我當然不曾缺乏野心,但缺乏洞察力的野心是致命的,我知道你們大多數人早已瞭解這一點。有些人費盡心力才得以進耶魯,有些人費盡心力才能留在這裡,有些人的家人做出重大犧牲才使你得以享有這份特權。
展開英文
收合英文
-
So I began to commute -- never intending to stay in Washington. And that's the God’s truth. I was supposed to be sworn in with everyone else that year in ’73, but I wouldn’t go down. So Mansfield thought I’d change my mind and not come, and he sent up the secretary of the Senate to swear me in, in the hospital room with my children.And I began to commute thinking I was only going to stay a little while -- four hours a day, every day -- from Washington to Wilmington, which I’ve done for over 37 years. I did it because I wanted to be able to kiss them goodnight and kiss them in the morning the next day. No, “Ozzie and Harriet” breakfast or great familial thing, just climb in bed with them. Because I came to realize that a child can hold an important thought, something they want to say to their mom and dad, maybe for 12 or 24 hours, and then it’s gone. And when it’s gone, it’s gone. And it all adds up. But looking back on it, the truth be told, the real reason I went home every night was that I needed my children more than they needed me. Some at the time wrote and suggested that Biden can't be a serious national figure. If he was, he’d stay in Washington more, attend to more important events. It’s obvious he’s not serious. He goes home after the last vote.But I realized I didn’t miss a thing. Ambition is really important. You need it. And I certainly have never lacked in having ambition. But ambition without perspective can be a killer. I know a lot of you already understand this. Some of you really had to struggle to get here. And some of you have had to struggle to stay here. And some of your families made enormous sacrifices for this great privilege.
-
許多人面臨自己的危機,一些難以想像的危機,事實上每個人都免不了經歷這一切。你們每天都將在這些選擇中掙扎,但我告訴你們,你們能在野心與快樂之間找到令你滿足的平衡。在這個過程中,如果你能抗拒將事物自欺欺人的誘惑,將獲益良多。伴隨我超過25年的幕僚長是我所知最優秀的人才之一,儘管他畢業於賓州大學,後來成為德拉瓦州參議員的泰德.考夫曼。每當我們招聘新雇員時,我記得他最後都會對他們說:「永遠別低估人類將事物自欺欺人的能力。」永遠別低估人類將事物自欺欺人的能力。生日對她來說不是那麼重要;這次出差是千載難逢的機會;這不會是他最後一場比賽,此外我還得連夜趕回去;改天我們總會有時間進行家庭旅遊,不怕找不到時間。對你們這一代來說成功總是伴隨著極大壓力,尤其是當你們已獲得許多成就時。你們整個世代都面臨這種壓力,我從我的孫輩身上看見這一點,他們目前是其他常春藤盟校的優等生。高中時你們爭先恐後地追尋別人認為正確的事,你們通過了大學入學的殘酷考驗,你們為了追尋下一個遠大夢想拼命來到耶魯,在這個過程中,你們當中有些人熱衷於在Facebook、Instagram、Linked-In、Twitter上與同儕做比較。今天,或許有些人發現自己陷入「自我參照」的泡沫中,它會驗證你的某些選擇,一旦你離開校園,這個泡沫就會膨脹,壓力與焦慮也隨之上升。接受這份工作、賺這麼多錢、住這樣的地方、與和你一樣的人混日子、不承擔真正的風險、沒有真正的影響力、同時懷著「冒險做大事」的錯覺領薪水。但抗拒「將事物自欺欺人」的誘惑、相信自己的直覺,而非將他人的看法視為你正確的選擇,那才你的北極星,相信它、追隨它。
展開英文
收合英文
-
And many of you faced your own crises, some unimaginable.But the truth is all of you will go through something like this. You’ll wrestle with these kinds of choices every day. But I’m here to tell you, you can find the balance between ambition and happiness, what will make you really feel fulfilled. And along the way, it helps a great deal if you can resist the temptation to rationalize.My chief of staff for over 25 years, one of the finest men I’ve ever known, even though he graduated from Penn, and subsequently became a senator from the state of Delaware, Senator Ted Kaufman, every new hire, that we’d hire, the last thing he’d tell them was, and remember never underestimate the ability of the human mind to rationalize. Never underestimate the ability of the human mind to rationalize -- her birthday really doesn’t matter that much to her, and this business trip is just a great opportunity; this won’t be his last game, and besides, I’d have to take the redeye to get back. We can always take this family vacation another time. There’s plenty of time.For your generation, there’s an incredible amount of pressure on all of you to succeed, particularly now that you have accomplished so much. You’re whole generation faces this pressure. I see it in my grandchildren who are honors students at other Ivy universities right now. You race to do what others think is right in high school. You raced through the bloodsport of college admissions. You raced through Yale for the next big thing. And all along, some of you compare yourself to the success of your peers on Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, Twitter.Today, some of you may have found that you slipped into the self-referential bubble that validates certain choices. And the bubble expands once you leave this campus, the pressures and anxiousness, as well -- take this job, make that much money, live in this place, hang out with people like you, take no real risks and have no real impact, while getting paid for the false sense of both. But resist that temptation to rationalize what others view is the right choice for you -— instead of what you feel in your gut is the right choice —- that’s your North Star. Trust it. Follow it.
-
你們是一群優秀的年輕人,一點也不誇張。你們是卓越的群體,我來做個總結。我不打算說教,談論你們擁有多少優勢、受到多少期待,因為你們大多數人已使自己擁有遠勝於既有優勢的成就。但現在你們佔有優勢,你們是這個傑出世代的一份子,那些向你敞開的門不見得會向別人敞開。我的兒子以優異成績畢業於耶魯法學院,另一個兒子基於對已故母親的忠誠,決定從賓州前往雪城法學院就讀。他們的年齡相差一年零一天,畢業於耶魯的兒子擁有許多機會,90年代早期,他的最低年薪有5萬美元,比聯邦法官還多。另一個兒子相當努力,也同樣成功,當選德拉瓦州史上最年輕的檢察長之一,也是德拉瓦州最受歡迎的公職人員,2012年大選後的新聞頭條是「德拉瓦州最受歡迎的拜登家族成員-Beau」。你們的父母也會有同樣感覺,我父親對成功的定義是:當你看著兒女時,發現他們比你更成功。他們確實如此。但你們擁有機會,善加把握,追隨你的內心。你們擁有智慧的力量,使周遭的世界變得更美好。你們也是史上最具包容力的一代,我因為無法再對同性婚姻的議題保持沉默而遭受嚴厲批評,我可以確定的一件事是,你們這一代絕不會有這種遭遇。
展開英文
收合英文
-
You're an incredible group of young women and men. And that's not hyperbole.You're an incredible group.Let me conclude with this. I’m not going to moralize about to whom much is given, much is expected, because most of you have made of yourself much more than what you’ve been given. But now you are in a privileged position. You’re part of an exceptional generation and doors will open to you that will not open to others. My Yale Law School grad son graduated very well from Yale Law School. My other son out of loyalty to his deceased mother decided to go to Syracuse Law School from Penn. They're a year and a day apart in their age. The one who graduated from Yale had doors open to him, the lowest salary offered back in the early ‘90s was $50,000 more than a federal judge made. My other son, it was a struggle -- equally as bright, went on to be elected one of the youngest attorney generals in the history of the state of Delaware, the most popular public official in my state. Big headline after the 2012 election, “Biden Most Popular Man in Delaware -- Beau.” (Laughter.) And as your parents will understand, my dad’s definition of success is when you look at your son and daughter and realize they turned out better than you, and they did. But you’ll have opportunities. Make the most of them and follow your heart. You have the intellectual horsepower to make things better in the world around you. You’re also part of the most tolerant generation in history. I got roundly criticized because I could not remain quiet anymore about gay marriage. The one thing I was certain of is all of your generation was way beyond that point. (Applause.)
-
我還觀察到另一些事:單憑才智與包容無法使一個世代登峰造極,除非你能打破自己製造的科技、地理、種族、社會經濟泡沫,真正與周遭的世界融合在一起。因為這十分重要,無論你的物質成就或個人處境如何,這都十分重要,無論你做什麼都無法呼吸新鮮空氣或保護孩子不受氣候變化的影響。如果你的姊妹是家庭暴力受害者,你也會受到影響;如果你的兄弟無法與所愛的同性結婚,你也會受到輕視;如果你最好的朋友必須擔心種族歧視,你也生活在一個不值得生活的環境中。這十分重要,因此邁向成功之途,我衷心希望你們有人能成為百萬富翁或億萬富翁,我是說真的。但參與你周遭的世界,因為你會更成功、更開心,你不需要犧牲理想或對他人及家庭的承諾就能獲得成功,我相信你們能做到這一點,我相信你們這一代將做得比任何世代都出色。
展開英文
收合英文
-
Here’s something else I observed -- intellectual horsepower and tolerance alone does not make a generation great: unless you can break out of the bubble of your own making -— technologically, geographically, racially, and socioeconomically -— to truly connect with the world around you. Because it matters.No matter what your material success or personal circumstance, it matters. You can't breathe fresh air or protect your children from a changing climate no matter what you make. If your sister is the victim of domestic violence, you are violated. If your brother can’t marry the man he loves, you are lessened. And if your best friend has to worry about being racially profiled, you live in a circumstance not worthy of us. (Applause.) It matters.So be successful. I sincerely hope some of you become millionaires and billionaires. I mean that. But engage the world around you because you will be more successful and happier. And you can absolutely succeed in life without sacrificing your ideals or your commitments to others and family. I’m confident that you can do that, and I’m confident that this generation will do it more than any other.
-
因此如人們所說的,看看你的左右,記得你身邊的人看起來多蠢、戴著多麼滑稽的帽子,這就是我希望你們記住的,我是說真的,因為這意味著你們從偉大的傳統中學到某些東西,這意味著你們有意讓自己看起來傻呼呼的。你們願意冒著看起來傻呼呼的風險,為對你們來說重要的事奉獻,如果你能記住這一點,因為一些受你內心驅使的事會使你在同儕中看起來愚蠢、不聰明或膚淺,但我們都會因你的所作所為而變得更好,這就是我最希望你們記住的事。不是記住誰在你們齊聚一堂的這天為你們演講,你們是傑出的一屆,顯然我不記得誰是我的畢業演講嘉賓。我知道這並非正式的畢業典禮,但離開這裡後詢問父母他們的畢業演講嘉賓是誰。畢業演講嘉賓注定被遺忘,差別只是早晚的問題。但你們是這一代最優秀的人才,毫不誇張。你們是傑出世代的一份子,你們處於人類歷史上一些最驚人突破的巔峰,無論在科學、技術或社會方面,那將改變你們的生活及整個世界的運作方式。但在這個瞬息萬變的世界,我們仰賴你們將這些前所未有的能力轉變成對快樂和意義更佳的衡量標準,不僅為了你們本身,也為了你們周遭的世界。我因此對我的子孫更有信心,因為我知道,今天畢業的年輕男女,無論是在這裡或全國各地,都是他們的一份子。這是百分之百的事實,這是絕對的真理,這是我身為拜登家族一員的承諾。恭喜2015年畢業生,願上帝保佑你們,願上帝保佑我們的軍隊,謝謝。
展開英文
收合英文
-
Look to your left, as they say, and look to your right. And remember how foolish the people next to you look -- (laughter) -- in those ridiculous hats. (Laughter.) That’s what I want you to remember. I mean this. Because it means you’ve learned something from a great tradition.It means you’re willing to look foolish, you’re willing to run the risk of looking foolish in the service of what matters to you. And if you remember that, because some of the things your heart will tell you to do, will make you among your peers look foolish, or not smart, or not sophisticated. But we’ll all be better for people of your consequence to do it.That’s what I want you to most remember. Not who spoke at the day you all assembled on this mall. You’re a remarkable class. I sure don't remember who the hell was my commencement speaker. (Laughter.) I know this is not officially commencement. But ask your parents when you leave here, who spoke at your commencement? It’s a commencement speaker aversion of a commencement speaker’s fate to be forgotten. The question is only how quickly. But you’re the best in your generation. And that is not hyperbole. And you're part of a remarkable generation.And, you -- you’re on the cusp of some of the most astonishing breakthroughs in the history of mankind -— scientific, technological, socially —- that’s going to change the way you live and the whole world works. But it will be up to you in this changing world to translate those unprecedented capabilities into a greater measure of happiness and meaning -— not just for yourself, but for the world around you.And I feel more confident for my children and grandchildren knowing that the men and women who graduate here today, here and across the country, will be in their midst. That’s the honest truth. That's the God’s truth. That's my word as a Biden.Congratulations, Class of 2015. And may God bless you and may God protect our troops. Thank you.