（這是林肯1861年2月11日在葛底斯堡陣亡將士公墓落成儀式上發(fā)表的演說，是公認(rèn)的英語演講的最高典范。）

八十七年前，我們的先輩在這個(gè)大路上建立起一個(gè)嶄新的國家。這個(gè)國家以自由為理想，奉行一切人生來平等的原則。

目前我們正在進(jìn)行一場偉大的國內(nèi)戰(zhàn)爭。我們的國家或任何一個(gè)有著同樣理想與目標(biāo)的國家能否長久存在，這次戰(zhàn)爭就是一場考驗(yàn)�，F(xiàn)在我們在這場戰(zhàn)爭的一個(gè)偉大戰(zhàn)場上聚會(huì)在一起。我們來到這里，將這戰(zhàn)場上的一小塊土地奉獻(xiàn)給那些為國家生存而英勇捐軀的人們，作為他們最后安息之地。我們這樣做是完全適當(dāng)?shù)模瑧?yīng)該的。

然而，從深一層的意義上說來，我們沒有能力奉獻(xiàn)這塊土地，沒有能力使這塊土地變得更為神圣。因?yàn)樵谶@里進(jìn)行過斗爭的，活著的和已經(jīng)死去的勇士們，已經(jīng)使這塊土地變得這樣圣潔，我們的微力已不足以對他有所揚(yáng)抑了。我們今天在這里說的話，世人不會(huì)注意，也不會(huì)記住，但是這些英雄的業(yè)績，人們將永志不忘。

我們后來這應(yīng)該做的，是獻(xiàn)身于英雄們曾在此為之奮斗、努力推進(jìn)、但尚未完成的工作。我們應(yīng)該做的是獻(xiàn)身于他們遺留給我們的偉大任務(wù)。我們的先烈已將自己的全部精誠賦予我們的事業(yè)，我們應(yīng)從他們的榜樣中汲取更多的精神力量，決心使他們的鮮血不止白流。在上帝的護(hù)佑下，我們的國家將獲得自由的新生；我們這個(gè)民有、民治、民享的政府將永存于世上。

(by abraham lincoln)

-fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth upon 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 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 tast 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.