Hope in 'moments of darkness'黑暗中的希望 ----2015女王圣诞演讲 At this time of year, few sights evoke more feelings of cheer and goodwill than the twinkling lights of a Christmas tree.
每年的这个时候，没有什么风景能比圣诞树上闪烁的灯光更能勾起我愉快和美好的感觉。 The popularity of a tree at Christmas is due in part to my great-great grandparents, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. After this touching picture was published, many families wanted a Christmas tree of their own, and the custom soon spread. 圣诞树的流行源于我的曾曾祖父母：维多利亚女王和阿尔伯塔亲王。 当这幅触动人心的画公布之后，很多家庭都想要个自己的圣诞树，从此，圣诞树的风俗渐渐扩散开来。 In 1949, I spent Christmas in Malta as a newly-married naval wife. We have returned to that island over the years, including last month for a meeting of Commonwealth leaders; and this year I met another group of leaders: The Queen's Young Leaders, an inspirational group, each of them a symbol of hope in their own Commonwealth communities. 1949年，作为一个海军军人的新婚妻子，我在“马耳他”度过了圣诞节【注：当年女王还是伊丽莎白公主，丈夫菲利普亲王服役英国皇家海军，部队当时驻扎在马耳他】。后来，我曾多次回到那个岛上，上个月，在2015英联邦领袖的峰会上，我还刚去过。今年，我还见到了另一群领袖：女王的青年领袖，他们是一群朝气蓬勃鼓舞人心的群体，每个人都代表他们各自领域的希望。【注:今年6月，女王在白金汉宫接见了英国各届的青年领袖代表】 Gathering round the tree gives us a chance to think about the year ahead - I am looking forward to a busy 2016, though I have been warned I may have Happy Birthday sung to me more than once or twice. It also allows us to reflect on the year that has passed, as we think of those who are far away or no longer with us. Many people say the first Christmas after losing a loved one is particularly hard. But it's also a time to remember all that we have to be thankful for. 围坐在圣诞树旁边，让我们有机会展望下来年，尽管我已经被警告年事已高了，但我还是期待一个繁忙的2016. 同时我们也回顾下过去的一年，想想那些远离我们的人。很多人说，失去挚爱的第一个圣诞节最难熬，但同时这也是我们铭记我们应该感恩的人的时刻。 It is true that the world has had to confront moments of darkness this year, but the Gospel of John contains a verse of great hope, often read at Christmas carol services: 'The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it'. 今年，世界遭遇了不少黑暗的时刻，但是约翰福音中有一段关于“希望”的章节，就像我们在圣诞颂歌里吟唱的那样：“光照在黑暗里，黑暗永远战胜不了光。” One cause for thankfulness this summer was marking 70 years since the end of the Second World War. On VJ Day, we honoured the remaining veterans of that terrible conflict in the Far East, as well as remembering the thousands who never returned. 今年的夏天值得感恩，是因为二战胜利70周年，在二战胜利纪念日，我们对那些曾在远东战场奋战的幸存老兵致以崇高的敬意，同时也缅怀那些为战争献出生命的人们。 The procession from Horse Guards Parade to Westminster Abbey must have been one of the slowest ever, because so many people wanted to say 'thank you' to them. 当时从皇家阅兵场到威斯敏斯特教堂的二战老兵方队，可能是走的最慢的一列，因为太多人想要对他们表示感谢。 At the end of that war, the people of Oslo began sending an annual gift of a Christmas tree for Trafalgar Square. It has 500 light bulbs and is enjoyed not just by Christians but by people of all faiths, and of none. At the very top sits a bright star, to represent the Star of Bethlehem. 战争结束之后，挪威奥斯陆的人每年都给英国特拉法加广场寄圣诞树，上面有500个圣诞灯，它们不仅仅为基督徒所享，而是为所有人照亮。在树的最顶端，有一颗特别闪亮的星，这个是“圣诞星”。 The custom of topping a tree also goes back to Prince Albert's time. For his family's tree, he chose an angel, helping to remind us that the focus of the Christmas story is on one particular family. 为圣诞树装饰也源于我的曾曾祖父阿尔伯塔亲王时期，他们家的圣诞树装饰，他选了一个小天使，提醒我们勿忘“圣诞故事”。 For Joseph and Mary, the circumstances of Jesus's birth - in a stable - were far from ideal, but worse was to come as the family was forced to flee the country. It's no surprise that such a human story still captures our imagination and continues to inspire all of us who are Christians, the world over. 对约瑟夫和圣母玛丽亚来说，耶稣在马厩里出生时的环境格外严酷，但比那更糟的是这一家人要被迫背井离乡。这个人性化的故事至今仍然能让我们浮想联翩，它依然在启迪着全世界的基督教徒们，一点都不令人意外。 Despite being displaced and persecuted throughout his short life, Christ's unchanging message was not one of revenge or violence but simply that we should love one another. Although it is not an easy message to follow, we shouldn't be discouraged; rather, it inspires us to try harder: to be thankful for the people who bring love and happiness into our own lives, and to look for ways of spreading that love to others, whenever and wherever we can.
尽管曾经流离失所，并在他短短的一生中惨遭迫害，基督一直向人们传达的信息绝对与复仇或暴力无关，他只想告诉人们要相互关爱。尽管这并非易事，但我们不应该就此灰心。相反，他们鼓舞我们更加努力，让我们感恩那些给我们生命中带来爱与欢乐的人，也让我们想方设法把这些爱传递给他人，无论何时何地。One of the joys of living a long life is watching one's children, then grandchildren, then great grandchildren, help decorate the Christmas tree. And this year my family has a new member to join in the fun!拥有一段漫长人生的乐趣之一就是能看到自己的儿女、孙辈和重孙辈一起来帮忙装饰圣诞树，而今年我的家族又迎来了一个新成员【指小公主的诞生】，一起来享受这样的欢乐时光！ The customary decorations have changed little in the years since that picture of Victoria and Albert's tree first appeared, although of course electric lights have replaced the candles. 尽管当年的蜡烛已被现在的电灯所替代，维多利亚女王和阿尔伯塔亲王那个时代流传下的装饰传统却未有很多的改变。 There's an old saying that 'it is better to light a candle than curse the darkness'. There are millions of people lighting candles of hope in our world today. Christmas is a good time to be thankful for them, and for all that brings light to our lives.
I wish you a very happy Christmas."古语云，“与其诅咒黑暗，不如点亮明烛。”如今，在我们生活的这个世界，有数百万人点亮了希望的蜡烛。圣诞节是一个感谢他们的绝佳机会，同时也感谢那些照亮我们生命的人们。
