【背景】18世紀(jì)中葉起，英國及其北美殖民地之間的關(guān)系日漸緊張。到了70年代，雙方的矛盾已經(jīng)激化到了必須以戰(zhàn)爭的形式爆發(fā)的程度，1775年的列克星敦槍聲打響了北美殖民地獨(dú)立的浪潮。在戰(zhàn)爭中，激進(jìn)派主張徹底擺脫英國統(tǒng)治、建立獨(dú)立國家。1776年7月4日，第二屆大陸會(huì)議于費(fèi)城批準(zhǔn)了《獨(dú)立宣言》。

In Congress, July 4, 1776

大陸會(huì)議，1776年7月4日

THE UNANIMOUS DECLARATION OF THE THIRTEEN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

美洲十三聯(lián)合州的共同聲明

When in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the Powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

在人類活動(dòng)的過程中，一群人斷開和另一群人的政治聯(lián)系是必要的；在世界上的政權(quán)之間宣告接受自然法則和自然界的造物主的旨意賦予他們的獨(dú)立和平等的地位時(shí)，出于對(duì)人類輿論的尊重，他們必須把獨(dú)立的理由告知于眾。

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.?That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.

我們認(rèn)為下列真理是不言而喻的：人人生來平等，造物主賦予他們?nèi)舾刹豢蓜儕Z的權(quán)利，即生命權(quán)、自由權(quán)和獲得幸福的權(quán)利。為了確保這些權(quán)利，人們之間設(shè)立了政府，它在被統(tǒng)治者的允許下獲得它的正當(dāng)權(quán)力。

That whenever any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience has shown, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new guards for their future security.

每當(dāng)任何形式的政府成為實(shí)現(xiàn)這些目標(biāo)的阻礙時(shí)，人們便有權(quán)利將其改換或廢除，并建立一個(gè)新的政府，它建立在類似的基礎(chǔ)上，以類似的形式組織其權(quán)力，因?yàn)樗坪踝钣锌赡苡绊懭藗兊陌踩托腋?。的確，謹(jǐn)慎決定了長久建立的政府不能因暫時(shí)而輕微的理由被改變；因此，所有經(jīng)驗(yàn)都表明：在邪惡可以被忍受時(shí)，人類更愿意遭受痛苦，而不是通過廢棄一向的被習(xí)慣的形式來自我糾正。但當(dāng)一長串的虐待和剝奪表明他們總是想要實(shí)行絕對(duì)的專制時(shí)，人們有權(quán)力、也有責(zé)任拋棄這樣的政府，并為他們未來的安全提供新的保障。

Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world.

這就是這些殖民地持續(xù)忍受著的；這就是它們被迫改變他們以前的政府制度的必要理由?，F(xiàn)在的大不列顛國王的過去是一部反復(fù)傷害和搶奪的歷史，其直接目的是建立對(duì)這些州的絕對(duì)暴政。為了證明這一點(diǎn)，應(yīng)該坦率地指出事實(shí)。

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.?He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.?He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.?He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.?He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.?He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.?He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws of Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new appropriations of Lands.?He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.?He has made Judges dependent on his will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries. He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our People, and eat out their substance.?He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.?He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.?He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

他拒絕通過法律，那些對(duì)公眾利益最有益、最必要的法律。他禁止他的總督通過當(dāng)前急迫需要的法律，除非這些法律暫緩到他同意的時(shí)候才執(zhí)行；而這樣暫緩執(zhí)行的時(shí)候，他完全忘記了這些法律。他拒絕通過其他法律來滿足廣大地區(qū)人民的居住，除非這些人放棄在州議會(huì)的代表權(quán)——這一權(quán)利對(duì)人民來說不可估量，而只對(duì)暴君是可怕的。他在奇怪、不舒服且遠(yuǎn)離國家檔案的地方召集立法機(jī)構(gòu)，只為強(qiáng)迫他們服從他的指揮。他曾多次解散眾議院，因?yàn)樗凰鼒?jiān)決反對(duì)侵犯人民的權(quán)利。在解散之后，他在很長時(shí)間內(nèi)不成立其他類似機(jī)構(gòu)，無法消滅的立法權(quán)已經(jīng)回到廣大人民中來行使；同時(shí)國家仍然暴露在外部入侵和內(nèi)部動(dòng)蕩等一切可能的危險(xiǎn)中。他竭力阻止這些州的人口增長，為此否決外國人歸化法；也拒絕通過其他法律來鼓勵(lì)外國人口移民來此處，并提高新土地?fù)芸畹拈T檻。他通過拒絕通過建立司法權(quán)的法律來阻礙執(zhí)法。他使法官的任期、薪水的多少與是否支付僅取決于他的意志。他建立了許多新的部門，派了成群的官員來騷擾我們的人民，并耗干我們的物資。在和平時(shí)期，他在沒有獲得我們立法機(jī)構(gòu)的同意的情況下在我們這里維持著常備軍。他的干涉使得軍隊(duì)獨(dú)立于民事權(quán)利，并且凌駕于其上。他與其他人勾結(jié)，將我們置于一個(gè)無關(guān)于我們的憲法和我們的法律不承認(rèn)的管轄之下；同意他們假裝立法的法案：

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

為了在我們中間集結(jié)大批龐大的武裝部隊(duì)：

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from Punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

為了通過不被承認(rèn)的審判保護(hù)軍隊(duì)免受對(duì)這些州的居民犯下的任何謀殺罪的懲罰：

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

為了阻斷我們與世界各地的貿(mào)易：

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

為了不經(jīng)我們?cè)试S對(duì)我們征稅：

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

為了在許多案件中剝奪我們陪審團(tuán)審判的利益：

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

為了把我們運(yùn)到海外來為莫須有的罪行審判：

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

為了廢除一個(gè)鄰近省份的英國法律自由體系，同時(shí)在該省建立一個(gè)專制的政府，并擴(kuò)大其邊界，以便使其立即成為向這些殖民地引入同樣的絕對(duì)統(tǒng)治的榜樣和適當(dāng)工具：

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the forms of our Governments:

為了剝奪我們的憲章，廢除我們最有價(jià)值的法律，并從根本上改變我們政府的形式：

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

為了暫時(shí)廢止我們的立法機(jī)構(gòu)，并宣布他們被賦予在任何情況下為我們立法的權(quán)力。

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.?He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the Lives of our people.

他已經(jīng)放棄了這里的政府，宣布我們脫離了他的保護(hù)，并對(duì)我們發(fā)動(dòng)了戰(zhàn)爭。他掠奪我們的海洋，摧殘我們的海岸，燒毀我們的城鎮(zhèn)，毀了我們?nèi)嗣竦纳?/p>

He is at this time transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.?He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

此時(shí)，他正在運(yùn)送大批外籍雇傭軍，以完成屠殺、破壞和實(shí)施暴政的工作，這種殘酷和背信棄義在最野蠻的時(shí)代都是難以比擬的，他完全不配成為一個(gè)文明國家的統(tǒng)治者。他強(qiáng)迫我們那些在公海被俘虜?shù)耐麄兣e起武器對(duì)抗他們自己的國家，殺死他們的朋友和弟兄，或者被他們自己的親友殺死。

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

他在我們中間煽動(dòng)了暴動(dòng)，并試圖把無情的印度野蠻人帶到我們邊境的居民身邊，他們以對(duì)所有年齡、性別和物質(zhì)環(huán)境的無差別破壞聞名。

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms:

在上述壓迫的每個(gè)階段，我們都以最謙卑的條件請(qǐng)求：

Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.?Nor have We been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpation, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

我們一再提出的請(qǐng)?jiān)竻s只得到了重復(fù)的侮辱。一個(gè)君主，如果他的品性被每一個(gè)可能被定義為暴君的行為標(biāo)記，那么他就不適合成為一個(gè)自由人的統(tǒng)治者。我們也不是沒有注意到我們的英國同胞。我們已經(jīng)不時(shí)警告他們，他們的立法機(jī)關(guān)試圖將不合理的管轄權(quán)擴(kuò)大到我們身上。我們已經(jīng)提醒他們我們這里的移民和定居情況。我們呼吁他們天生的正義感和寬宏大量，我們通過我們共同的血緣關(guān)系召喚他們否認(rèn)這些篡奪行為，因?yàn)檫@些將不可避免地中斷我們的聯(lián)系和通信。而他們也對(duì)正義和血肉同胞的呼聲置若罔聞。因此，我們必須默許這種痛斥我們分離的必要性，并像對(duì)待人類其他人一樣對(duì)待他們，視他們?yōu)閼?zhàn)爭中的敵人，或者和平中的朋友。

We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the Protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

因此，我們美利堅(jiān)合眾國的代表，在全體大會(huì)集合，以這些殖民地善良人民的名義和權(quán)威，為了我們目的的正義性，向世界最高法官呼吁：這些聯(lián)合的殖民地是、而且有權(quán)利是自由獨(dú)立的國家；它們解除了對(duì)英王室的一切效忠；它們和大不列顛國之間的一切政治聯(lián)系都是而且應(yīng)該是被消除的；而且作為自由獨(dú)立的國家，它們有充分的權(quán)力宣戰(zhàn)、締和、結(jié)盟、建立商貿(mào)，以及采取獨(dú)立國家有權(quán)利采取的一切其他行動(dòng)。為了支持這一宣言，我們堅(jiān)定地依靠天賜的保佑，相互保證我們的生命、財(cái)富和神圣的榮譽(yù)。

JOHN HANCOCK, President

Attested, CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary

New Hampshire: JOSIAH BARTLETT, WILLIAM WHIPPLE, MATTHEW THORNTON

Massachusetts-Bay: SAMUEL ADAMS, JOHN ADAMS, ROBERT TREAT PAINE, ELBRIDGE GERRY

Rhode Island: STEPHEN HOPKINS, WILLIAM ELLERY

Connecticut: ROGER SHERMAN, SAMUEL HUNTINGTON, WILLIAM WILLIAMS, OLIVER WOLCOTT

Georgia: BUTTON GWINNETT, LYMAN HALL, GEO. WALTON

Maryland: SAMUEL CHASE, WILLIAM PACA, THOMAS STONE, CHARLES CARROLL OF CARROLLTON

Virginia: GEORGE WYTHE, RICHARD HENRY LEE, THOMAS JEFFERSON, BENJAMIN HARRISON, THOMAS NELSON, JR., FRANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE, CARTER BRAXTON.

New York: WILLIAM FLOYD, PHILIP LIVINGSTON, FRANCIS LEWIS, LEWIS MORRIS

Pennsylvania: ROBERT MORRIS, BENJAMIN RUSH, BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, JOHN MORTON, GEORGE CLYMER, JAMES SMITH, GEORGE TAYLOR, JAMES WILSON, GEORGE ROSS

Delaware:GEORGE READ, THOMAS MCKEAN, CAESAR RODNEY

North Carolina: WILLIAM HOOPER, JOSEPH HEWES, JOHN PENN

South Carolina: EDWARD RUTLEDGE, THOMAS HEYWARD, JR., THOMAS LYNCH, JR., ARTHUR MIDDLETON

New Jersey: RICHARD STOCKTON, JOHN WITHERSPOON, FRANCIS HOPKINSON, JOHN HART, ABRAHAM CLARK

約翰·漢考克，主席

有效，查爾斯·湯姆森，書記

新罕布什爾：喬賽亞·巴雷特，威廉·惠普爾，馬修·桑頓

馬薩諸塞灣：塞繆爾·亞當(dāng)斯，約翰·亞當(dāng)斯，羅伯特·崔特·潘恩，埃爾布里奇·格里

羅德島：史蒂芬·霍普金斯，威廉·埃勒里

康涅狄格：羅杰·謝爾曼，塞繆爾·亨廷頓，威廉·威廉姆斯，奧列弗·沃爾科特

佐治亞：巴頓·格威內(nèi)特，萊曼·霍爾，喬治·霍爾頓

馬里蘭：塞繆爾·蔡斯，威廉·帕卡，托馬斯·斯通，卡羅爾頓的查爾斯·卡羅

弗吉尼亞：喬治·懷特，理查德·亨利·李，托馬斯·杰斐遜，本杰明·哈里森，小托馬斯·尼爾森，弗朗西斯·萊特福特·李，卡特·布拉克斯頓

紐約：威廉·弗洛伊德，菲利普·利文斯頓，弗朗西斯·路易斯，路易斯·莫里斯

賓夕法尼亞：羅伯特·莫里斯，本杰明·拉什，本杰明·富蘭克林，約翰·莫頓，喬治·克萊默，詹姆斯·史密斯，喬治·泰勒，詹姆斯·威爾森，喬治·羅斯

特拉華：喬治·里德，托馬斯·麥基恩，凱撒·羅德尼

北卡羅來納：威廉·胡珀，約瑟夫·休斯，約翰·潘恩

南卡羅來納：愛德華·拉特利奇，小托馬斯·海沃德，小托馬斯·林奇，亞瑟·米德爾頓

新澤西：理查德·斯托克頓，約翰·威瑟斯彭，弗朗西斯·霍普金森，約翰·哈特，亞伯拉罕·克拉克