Edward VIII Farewell Address
爱德华八世告别演说
爱德华八世
爱德华八世（1894—1972），1936年成为英国国王，在他作为国王的数月之中，其婚姻问题引发了英国的宪政危机。因与美国平民女子辛普森夫人结婚而让位其弟，乔治六世。他成为了英国和英联邦历史上唯——位自动退位的国王，留下了“不爱江山爱美人”的佳话。本文是英国国王爱德华八世的告别演说，他为了迎娶“自己深爱的女人”放弃了王位，成为温莎公爵。全文语言平实质朴，简洁凝练，字里行间流露出真情实感。文中书面语的使用令整篇演说显得庄重典雅，而大量长句的使用则令全文显得更为正式，极具说服力。
 
At long last I am able to say a few words of my own. I have never wanted to withhold① anything, but until now it has not been constitutionally possible for me to speak.
A few hours ago I discharged② my last duty as King and Emperor, and now that I have been succeeded by my brother, the Duke of York③, my first words must be to declare my allegiance to him. This I do with all my heart.
You all know the reasons which have impelled me to renounce the throne. But I want you to understand that in making up my mind I did not forget the country or the empire, which, as Prince of Wales and lately as King, I have for twenty five years tried to serve.
But you must believe me when I tell you that I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King as I would wish to do without the help and support of the woman I love.
And I want you to know that the decision I have made has been mine and mine alone. This was a thing I had to judge entirely for myself. The other person most nearly concerned has tried up to the last to persuade me to take a different course.
I have made this, the most serious decision of my life, only upon the single thought of what would, in the end, be best for all.
This decision has been made less difficult tome by the sure knowledge that my brother, with his long training in the public affairs of this country and with his fine qualities, will be able to take my place forthwith without interruption or injury to the life and progress of the empire. And he has one matchless blessing, enjoyed by so many of you, and not bestowed④ on me—a happy home with his wife and children.
During these hard days I have been comforted by her majesty my mother and by my family. The ministers of the crown, and in particular, Mr. Baldwin, the Prime Minister, have always treated me with full consideration. There has never been any constitutional difference between me and them, and between me and Parliament. Bred in the constitutional tradition by my father, I should never have allowed any such issue to arise⑤.
Ever since I was Prince of Wales, and later on when I occupied the throne, I have been treated with the greatest kindness by all classes of the people wherever I have lived or journeyed throughout the empire. For that I am very grateful.
I now quit altogether public affairs and I lay down my burden. It may be some time before I return to my native land, but I shall always follow the fortunes of the British race and empire with profound interest and if at any time in the future I can be found of service to his majesty in a private station, I shall not fail.
And now, we all have a new King. I wish him and you, his people, happiness and prosperity with all my heart. God bless you all! God save the King!
 
翻译（反白可见）
      几经周折之后，我终于可以说几句心里话了。我从未想过要去刻意地隐瞒，只是一直以来，根据宪法规定，我不能开口谈这些事情。
      几个小时前，我履行了作为国王和君主的最后职责，我的弟弟，约克公爵，将继承我的王位。首先我要向他表示拥护和忠诚，我将全心全意地效忠于他。
      导致我放弃王位的原因已经众所周知。但我希望你们能够理解：在做出退位决定时，无论是作为威尔士亲王，还是后来作为国王，我都没有忘记这个我为之效忠25年的国家和帝国。
      但是，此时我确信，如果没有这个我所深爱的女人的帮助和支持，我发现自己不可能如我所愿地承担这副重担，履行国王的职责与义务。
我还想让你们知道，我所做出的决定完全是我个人的决定。这是一件必须由我自己做出判断的事情。另一个与此事密切相关的人直至最后一刻还在劝我做出其他选择。
我已经做出了人生中最重要的一个决定，我只有一个简单的想法，就是做出的决定最终对所有人来说都是最好的选择。
      做出这个决定对我来说并不那么困难，因为我很清楚，我的弟弟，他曾在我国的公众事务中得到过长期的锻炼，而且他本人品质优秀，能够立即接替我而不会给帝国的生活和进步带来曲折和损害。况且像你们一样，他拥有上帝不曾赐予我的无与伦比的幸福——一个与妻儿共享天伦的欢乐家庭。
      在这段艰难的日子里，我的母后和我的家庭给我以安慰。内阁大臣们，尤其是首相鲍德温先生，总是给予我充分的体谅。我与内阁大臣之间，与国会之间，从未就遵守宪法的问题产生过任何分歧。我的父亲根据宪法传统把我教养成人，我决不允许这类问题出现。
从我还是威尔士亲王之时，直至后来登上王位，无论我居住或穿梭于帝国何处，都能感受到各阶层人民对我的爱戴。为此，我深表感谢。
现在，我已经从所有的公共事务中退出，卸下了我的重担。我可能还需要一段时间才能回到祖国，但我将密切地关注大不列颠人民和帝国的命运，而且将来任何时候，如果能以私人身份为国王陛下尽一份力，我将全力以赴。
      现在，我们有了一位新的国王，我由衷地祝福他和你们，国王的臣民们幸福，国家富强。愿上帝保佑你们！愿上帝保佑国王！