Here’s my question for every member of Congress and every member of the global community: What message will we send if a dictator can gas hundreds of children to death in plain sight and pay no price?
我对国会每一位成员和全球社会每一位成员提出的问题是：如果独裁者可以在光天化日之下使数百名儿童被毒气夺取生命，但不付出任何代价，那么我们将发出什么样的信号？

What’s the purpose of the international system that we’ve built if a prohibition on the use of chemical weapons that has been agreed to by the governments of 98 percent of the world’s people and approved overwhelmingly by the Congress of the United States is not enforced?
如果禁止使用化学武器一事得到代表全世界98%人民的政府同意，也在美国国会以压倒多数批准，但得不到执行，那么我们已经建立的国际体系作用何在？

Make no mistake -- this has implications beyond chemical warfare. If we won’t enforce accountability in the face of this heinous act, what does it say about our resolve to stand up to others who flout fundamental international rules? To governments who would choose to build nuclear arms? To terrorist who would spread biological weapons? To armies who carry out genocide?
毫无疑问—这个问题的意义已经超出了化学战的范畴。面对这种罪大恶极的行为，如果我们不采取负责任的强制措施，我们还有没有决心抗击蔑视基本国际准则的人？还有没有决心抵制企图制造核武器的政府？还有没有决心打击扩散生物武器的恐怖主义分子？还有没有决心制止采取种族灭绝行动的军队？

We cannot raise our children in a world where we will not follow through on the things we say, the accords we sign, the values that define us.
我们如果不能言出必行，不能执行签署的协议，不能维护体现我们本色的价值观，就无法在这个世界上教导我们的子女。

So just as I will take this case to Congress, I will also deliver this message to the world. While the U.N. investigation has some time to report on its findings, we will insist that an atrocity committed with chemical weapons is not simply investigated, it must be confronted.
所以，我将向国会提出这个问题，也将向全世界传递这个信息。此时，联合国调查人员还需要时间报告调查结果，但我们需要强调，对于使用化学武器犯下的滔天罪行，这不仅仅是调查的问题，而必须给于迎头痛击。

I don’t expect every nation to agree with the decision we have made. Privately we’ve heard many expressions of support from our friends. But I will ask those who care about the writ of the international community to stand publicly behind our action.
我并不认为每一个国家都会同意我们做出的决定。我们在不公开场合听到很多朋友们表示支持的声音。但是我要求那些关注国际社会相关法令的人公开支持我们的行动。

And finally, let me say this to the American people: I know well that we are weary of war. We’ve ended one war in Iraq. We’re ending another in Afghanistan. And the American people have the good sense to know we cannot resolve the underlying conflict in Syria with our military.
最后，请允许我对美国人民表示：我知道我们厌倦战争。我们已经结束在伊拉克的战争。我们正在结束在阿富汗的战争。美国人民都明智地认识到，我们不能以我们的军事力量解决叙利亚的根本问题。

In that part of the world, there are ancient sectarian differences, and the hopes of the Arab Spring have unleashed forces of change that are going to take many years to resolve. And that’s why we’re not contemplating putting our troops in the middle of someone else’s war.
在
世界的这个地区，存在着历史久远的宗派分歧，阿拉伯之春的希望释放了改革的力量，需要多年才能解决问题。正因为如此，我们不考虑派我们的军队投入其他人的战争漩涡。

Instead, we’ll continue to support the Syrian people through our pressure on the Assad regime, our commitment to the opposition, our care for the displaced, and our pursuit of a political resolution that achieves a government that respects the dignity of its people.
然而，我们将继续支持叙利亚人民，为此需要对阿萨德政权施加压力，坚持我们对反对派的承诺，关心流离失所的民众，并争取政治解决方案，实现尊重本国人民尊严的政府。

But we are the United States of America, and we cannot and must not turn a blind eye to what happened in Damascus. Out of the ashes of world war, we built an international order and enforced the rules that gave it meaning.
但我们是美利坚合众国，绝不能对大马士革发生的一切视而不见。我们在世界大战的废墟上建立了国际秩序，执行了使现行国际秩序行之有效的各种规则。

And we did so because we believe that the rights of individuals to live in peace and dignity depends on the responsibilities of nations. We aren’t perfect, but this nation more than any other has been willing to meet those responsibilities.
我们这样做是因为，我们相信，个人享有和平、有尊严的生活的权利取决于各国承担的责任。我们并不完善，但这个国家比其他任何国家都更愿意承担这些责任。

So to all members of Congress of both parties, I ask you to take this vote for our national security. I am looking forward to the debate. And in doing so, I ask you, members of Congress, to consider that some things are more important than partisan differences or the politics of the moment.
为此，我要求国会两党的所有成员为我们的国家安全投下这一票。我期待对此进行辩论。与此同时，我要求诸位国会议员考虑到有些问题比党派分歧更重要，比现时政治更重要。

Ultimately, this is not about who occupies this office at any given time; it’s about who we are as a country. I believe that the people’s representatives must be invested in what America does abroad, and now is the time to show the world that America keeps our commitments. We do what we say. And we lead with the belief that right makes might -- not the other way around.
归根结底，这与谁在某一个时期在这个职位上任职视事无关；这关系到维护我们作为一个国家的本色。我认为民意代表必须为美国在海外从事的工作发挥作用。现在正应该向全世界表明美国恪守我们的承诺。我们言出必行。我们秉持我们的信念发挥领导作用，坚信正义就是力量—而不是相反。

We all know there are no easy options. But I wasn’t elected to avoid hard decisions. And neither were the members of the House and the Senate.
众所周知，做出任何选择都不容易。但是我当选此职，不是为了回避艰难的抉择。参众两院的成员也是如此。

I’ve told you what I believe, that our security and our values demand that we cannot turn away from the massacre of countless civilians with chemical weapons. And our democracy is stronger when the President and the people’s representatives stand together.
我已经告诉诸位我秉持的信念，我们的安全和我们的价值观要求我们不能对使用化学武器残杀无数平民的行为袖手旁观。只要总统和民意代表齐心协力，我们的民主就更为强大。

I’m ready to act in the face of this outrage. Today I’m asking Congress to send a message to the world that we are ready to move forward together as one nation.
我准备对这种暴行采取行动。今天，我请求国会告诉全世界，我们准备举国同心向前迈进。

Thanks very much.
多谢诸位。