《蓋茲堡演說》是美前總統亞伯拉罕·林肯在 蓋茲堡國家公墓揭幕式上發表的著名演說。蓋茨堡戰役導致奴隸制度在美國南方最終被廢除，對美國產生巨大影響。演說僅兩分鐘，被認為是美歷史上最難忘的演講，以及英語演講的最高典範之一。
The Gettysburg Address
Abraham Lincoln
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
November 19, 1863
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.
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 that nation might live.
It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
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.
（注：林肯寫於1864年由Bliss保存的這一演講原稿被轉載最廣，謄寫在華盛頓DC林肯紀念堂的牆壁上。該版本有林肯簽名和簽署日期，並在白宮林肯紀念廳展示。）
林肯總統《蓋茲堡演說》及譯文
八十七年前，我們的先輩們在這塊大陸上建立了一個嶄新的國家，這個國家孕育於自由之中，奉行一切人生而平等的原則。
目前，我們正在進行一場偉大的內戰，它檢驗著我們的國家，或任何一個如此孕育並奉行如此理念的國家，能否長存。
在那場戰爭的一個偉大戰場上，我們聚首今朝。我們來到這裡，將那戰場上的一小塊土地奉獻出來，給那些為國家存亡而捐軀的人們，作為他們最後的安息之地。我們這樣做，理所應當。
然而，從更大的意義上來說，我們無從奉獻 – 無法使它聖化 – 更不能神化 – 這片土地。
因為那些活著的和犧牲了的勇士們，曾在這裡戰鬥過，他們已經聖化了這片土地，其神聖遠遠超過了我們的微薄之力之所能增減。
我們今天在這裡說過的話，世人不會太留意，也不會長久記得，但是這些將士們所做的，人們將永遠銘記在心。
更確切地說，是為我們活著的人，應投身於他們曾在這裡如此高貴地奮鬥過的未竟事業。
更確切地說，是為我們在這裡的人，該致力於我們面前未來的偉大事業。
為那些令人尊崇的陣亡者所激勵，我們須更加獻身於他們曾全力奮鬥到最後一刻的那個事業。
我們因此而在這裡立此堅定決心：那些陣亡者的犧牲不會成空，這個國家將在上帝的護佑下在自由中新生，這個民有、民治、民享的政府將在世間不朽長存。◇
責任編輯：文謙
