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八十又七年前吾輩先祖於這大陸上，肇建一個新的國度，乃孕育於自由，且致力於凡人皆生而平等此信念。
〔另譯〕：在八十七年前，我們的國父們在這塊土地上創建一個新的國家，乃基於對自由的堅信，並致力於所有男人皆生而平等的信念。〔註：father在此應避免有血緣的聯想。在當時的人，尤其是在政治上，沒有男女平等的觀念，men指的是男人，而且沒有說出來的還是白種男人而已。為求忠實，不應將其視為人類的通稱。）
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
當下吾等被捲入一場偉大的內戰，以考驗是否此國度，或任何肇基於和奉獻於斯者，可永垂不朽。吾等現相逢於此戰中一處浩大戰場。而吾等將奉獻此戰場之部分，作為這群交付彼者生命讓那國度勉能生存的人們最後安息之處。此乃全然妥切且適當而為吾人應行之舉。
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that this nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
但，於更大意義之上，吾等無法致力、無法奉上、無法成就此土之聖。這群勇者，無論生死，曾於斯奮戰到底，早已使其神聖，而遠超過吾人卑微之力所能增減。這世間不曾絲毫留意，也不長久記得吾等於斯所言，但永不忘懷彼人於此所為。吾等生者，理應當然，獻身於此輩鞠躬盡瘁之未完大業。吾等在此責無旁貸獻身於眼前之偉大使命：自光榮的亡者之處吾人肩起其終極之奉獻—吾等在此答應亡者之死當非徒然—此國度，於神佑之下，當享有自由之新生—民有、民治、民享之政府當免於凋零。
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate—we can not consecrate—we can not hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
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