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《美国独立宣言》为北美洲十三个英属殖民地宣告自大不列颠王国独立，并宣明此举正当性之文告。1776 年 7 月 4 日，本宣言由第二次大陆会议（Second Continental Congress）于费城批准，这一天后成为美国独立纪念日。《独立宣言》由四部分组成：第一部分为前言，阐述了宣言的目的。第二部分高度概括了当时资产阶级最激进的政治思想，即自然权利学说和主权在民思想。第三部分历数英国压迫北美殖民地人民的条条罪状，说明殖民地人民是在忍无可忍的情况下被迫拿起武器的，力陈独立的合法性和正义性。在宣言的最后一部分，美利坚庄严宣告独立。
When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands 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.
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 them, deriving their just power from the consent of the governed.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 hath 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. 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.
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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 usurpations,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.
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 allpolitical connection between them and the State ofGreat Britain, is and ought bo be totally dissolved;and that as Free and Indepentent States, they havefull power to levy war, conclude peace, contractalliances, establish commerce, and to do all otheracts and things which Independent States may ofright do. And for the support of this declaration,with a firm reliance on the protection of DivineProvidence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.
在人类事务发展的过程中，当一个民族必须解除同另一个民族的联系，并按照自然法则和上帝的旨意，以独立平等的身份立于世界列国之林时，出于对人类舆论的尊重，必须把驱使他们独立的原因予以宣布。
我们认为下述真理是不言而喻的：人人生而平等，造物主赋予他们若干不可让与的权利，其中包括生存权、自由权和追求幸福的权利。为了保障这些权利，人们才在他们中间建立政府，而政府的正当权力，则是经被统治者同意授予的。任何形式的政府一旦对这些目标的实现起破坏作用时，人民便有权予以更换或废除，以建立一个新的政府。新政府所依据的原则和组织其权力的方式，务使人民认为唯有这样才最有可能使他们获得安全和幸福。
若真要审慎地来说，成立多年的政府是不应当由于无关紧要的和一时的原因而予以更换的。过去的一切经验都说明，任何苦难，只要尚能忍受，人类还是情愿忍受，也不想为申冤而废除他们久已习惯了的政府形式。然而，当始终追求同一目标的一系列滥用职权和强取豪夺的行为表明政府企图把人民至于专制暴政之下时，人民就有权也有义务去推翻这样的政府，并为其未来的安全提供新的保障。这就是这些殖民地过去忍受苦难的经过，也是他们现在不得不改变政府制度的原因。当今大不列颠王国的历史，就是屡屡伤害和掠夺这些殖民地的历史，其直接目标就是要在各州之上建立一个独裁暴政。为了证明上述句句属实，现将事实公诸于世，让公正的世人作出评判。
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我们并不是没有想到我们英国的弟兄。他们的立法机关想把无理的管辖权扩展到我们这里来，我们时常把这个企图通知他们。我们也曾把我们移民来这里和在这里定居的情况告诉他们。我们曾恳求他们天生的正义感和雅量，念在同种同宗的分上，弃绝这些掠夺行为，因为这些掠夺行为难免会使我们之间的关系和来往中断。可他们对这种正义和同宗的呼声也同样充耳不闻。因此，我们不得不宣布脱离他们，以对待世界上其他民族的态度对待他们：同我交战者，就是敌人；同我和好者，即为朋友。
因此我们这些在大陆会议上集会的美利坚合众国的代表们，以各殖民地善良人民的名义，并经他们授权，向世界最高裁判者申诉，说明我们的严重意向，同时郑重宣布：我们这些联合起来的殖民地现在是，而且按公理也应该是，独立自由的国家；我们对英国王室效忠的全部义务，我们与大不列颠王国之间一切政治联系全部断绝，而且必须断绝。作为一个独立自由的国家，我们完全有权宣战、缔和、结盟、通商和采取独立国家有权采取的一切行动。我们坚定地信赖神明上帝的保佑，同时以我们的生命、财产和神圣的名誉彼此宣誓来支持这一宣言。
to between start conclude establish keep declare levy name contract from rectitude
We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress assembled, appealing 1 the supreme Judge of the world for the 2 of our intentions, do, in the 3 , and by authority of the good people of these Colonies, solemnly publish and 4 , that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be free and Independent States; that they are absolved 5 all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection 6 them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought bo be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Indepentent States, they have full power to 7 war, 8 peace, 9 alliances, 10 commerce,and to do all other acts and things which Independent States may of right do.
1.to 2.rectitude 3.name 4.declare 5.from 6.between 7.levy 8.conclude 9.contract 10.establish
In every stage of these oppressions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms: our repeated petition 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.
在遭受这些压迫的每一阶段，我们都曾以最谦卑的言辞吁请予以纠正。而我们一次又一次的请愿，却只是被报以一次又一次的伤害。一个君主，其品格被他的每一个只有暴君才干得出的行为所暴露时，就不配君临自由的人民。