查尔斯国王对日战争胜利日演讲

For the millions of families gathered around their wireless sets, and for their loved ones still serving far from home, it was the message a battle-weary world had long prayed for.

对于数百万聚集在无线电旁的家庭，以及那些仍远离家乡服役的亲人来说，这是战火纷飞的世界长久以来祈求的消息。

'The war is over', declared my Grandfather, King George VI, in his address to the nation and Commonwealth on V.J. Day eighty years ago today – four short words after six long years of bloodshed, fear and suffering.

“战争结束了， ”我的祖父，乔治六世国王， 在80年前的今天——胜利日向全国及英联邦发表讲话时宣布。 这短短的四个字，是在经历了长达六年的流血、恐惧和苦难之后发出的。

Seldom can a simple message have resonated with such a potent mix of relief, celebration, and sorrow for those who never lived to see the glow of freedom's new dawn.

一条简短的信息，却能如此强烈地激起那些未能亲眼见证自由新曙光的人们心中的宽慰、欢庆与哀伤，这样的情形实属罕见。

On this day of profound remembrance, I speak to you in that same spirit of commemoration and celebration as we honour anew all those whose service and sacrifice saw the forces of liberty prevail.

在这个意义深远的纪念日，我以同样的纪念与庆祝精神向你们致辞， 以此再次致敬所有那些服务与牺牲使得自由力量最终胜利的人们。

While that final victory in The Pacific was achieved under the strategic command of our steadfast American allies, the war in South-East Asia had reached its climax under the leadership of my great uncle, Lord Mountbatten, from whom I learned so much about the particular horrors and heroism witnessed in those furthest fields of combat.

在那场太平洋战区的最终胜利中，尽管是由我们坚定的美国盟友在战略指挥下取得的，但在东南亚战场上，战争已在我伟大的叔父蒙巴顿勋爵的领导下达到顶峰。从他那里，我深刻了解了那些遥远战场上所见证的特殊恐怖与英勇事迹。

The forces aligned under him comprised over one million men and women, drawn from many different countries, religions and communities, but united by common purpose and indomitable spirit.

他麾下的部队汇聚了来自众多国家、宗教和社群的逾百万男女，虽背景各异，却因共同目标和顽强精神而紧密团结。

Twenty-Nine Victoria Crosses bear eloquent testimony to their valour, but I know full well of the toll it took on so many – measured not only in gravestones, but in the mental and physical scars of those who survived.

29枚维多利亚十字勋章无声地见证了他们的英勇，但我深知战争给无数人带来的沉重代价——这不仅体现在墓碑的数量上，更刻画在幸存者身心留下的伤痕之中。

Despite the unyielding support of their devoted battlefield commander, General William Slim, the forces on the ground sometimes considered themselves 'the Forgotten Army'.

尽管有忠诚的战场指挥官威廉·斯利姆将军的坚定支持，地面部队有时仍自视为“被遗忘的军队”。

But, as Patron of the now Burma Star Memorial Fund, and having attended one of the great Burma Star Reunions at the Albert Hall with Lord Mountbatten when the Hall was filled with thousands of bemedalled veterans, it has been my privilege to reassure the remaining veterans that they and their fallen comrades shall never be forgotten.

然而， 作为现今缅甸之星纪念基金的赞助人，并曾有幸与蒙巴顿勋爵一同出席在阿尔伯特厅举行的盛大缅甸之星重聚活动——当时大厅内聚集了数千名佩戴勋章的老兵——我得以向尚存的老兵们保证，他们及其牺牲的战友们将永不被遗忘。

Nor are they alone in our thoughts today for, high above those monsoon-lashed jungles Allied pilots displayed their own fearless bravery, flying fighters, bombers and transport aircraft into enemy fire and Nature's fury.

今天， 我们同样不会忘记那些在季风雨肆虐的丛林上空，展现出无畏勇气的盟军飞行员们。他们驾驶着战斗机、轰炸机和运输机， 直面敌人的炮火和自然的狂怒。

We recall, too, the prisoners of war who endured years of brutal captivity: the starvation, disease and cruelty that tested the very limits of human endurance.

我们同样铭记那些在战争中被俘的战士，他们忍受了多年残酷的囚禁生活：饥饿、疾病和残忍的折磨，这些都考验着人类忍耐的极限。

Innocent civilian populations of occupied territories faced grievous hardships, too.

被占领土的无辜平民也遭受了深重的苦难。

Their experience reminds us that war's true cost extends beyond battlefields, touching every aspect of life – a tragedy all-too vividly demonstrated by conflicts around the world today.

他们的经历提醒我们， 战争的真正代价远超战场，波及生活的方方面面——当今世界各处的冲突无不生动地印证了这一惨痛事实。

On this landmark anniversary, we should also pause to acknowledge that in the war's final act, an immense price was paid by the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – a price we pray no nation need ever pay again.

在这个具有里程碑意义的周年纪念日， 我们也应驻足铭记， 在战争的最后阶段，广岛和长崎的市民付出了巨大的代价——我们祈祷没有任何国家需要再次承受这样的代价。

But in recalling so much suffering, we must not lose sight of how great was the cause and how sweet the victory.

在回顾如此多的苦难时，我们绝不能忘记这一事业是多么伟大，胜利是多么甜美。

For those heroes of V.J. Day gave us more than freedom; they left us the example of how it can and must be protected.

这些胜利日的英雄们给予我们的不仅仅是自由，他们还为我们树立了榜样， 教导我们如何保护这份自由， 并且必须如此。

Countries and communities that had never before fought together learned to co-ordinate their efforts across vast distances, faiths and cultural divides.

从未并肩作战的国家和社区学会了跨越广阔距离、信仰和文化差异，协调彼此的努力。

Together, they proved that, in times of war and in times of peace, the greatest weapons of all are not the arms you bear, but the arms you link.

他们共同证明了， 无论是战时还是和平时期，最强大的武器并非你手中的兵器，而是你与他人紧密相连的手臂。

That remains a vital lesson for our times.

这对我们这个时代仍然是一个至关重要的教训。

So, to the families of all those who served, and to that sadly dwindling band of veterans among us still, please know that the courage and camaraderie displayed in humanity's darkest hour is a flame that shall blaze for eternity – a beacon that honours our past and guides our future.

因此，向所有服役人员的家属，以及我们中间那些令人惋惜、日渐减少的退伍军人，请知晓：在人类最黑暗时刻展现的勇气与同志情谊， 是一束永恒燃烧的火焰——它既是对我们过去的致敬， 也是指引我们未来的灯塔。

Let us therefore pledge to be vigilant guardians of the values they bequeathed to us.

因此，让我们立誓成为他们遗留给我们的价值观的警觉守护者。

And let us, above all, remember the epitaph in the Commonwealth War Graves cemetery on the battlefield of Kohima: 'When You Go Home, Tell Them Of Us And Say, For Your Tomorrow, We Gave Our Today'.

让我们尤其铭记科希马战场英联邦战争公墓中的墓志铭：“当你归家，请告诉他们我们的故事，以证明，为了你们的明日， 我们奉献了今日。 ”