告别演说 Farewell Address
爱德华八世/Edward VIII
爱德华八世（1894-1972），英王乔治五世之长子，1936年初，其父身亡后继承王位，不久为了和美国平民女子沃丽丝结婚而让位于其弟乔治六世。1937年，乔治六世继位，封爱德华八世为温莎公爵。
At long last I am able to say a few words of my own. I have never wanted to withhold anything, but until now it has not been constitutionally possible for me to speak.
A few hours ago I discharged my last duty as King and Emperor, and now that I have been succeeded by my brother, the Duke of York, 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 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 to me 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 bestowed on me—a happy home with his wife and children.
During these hard days I have been comforted by her majesty my mother and 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 arise.
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!
经过这么久，我终于能说几句心里话了。我从未刻意地想隐瞒什么，但在此之前，按照宪法规定，有些话我是不能说的。
几个小时之前，我卸下了作为国王和皇帝的最后职责，让位于我的弟弟约克公爵。首先，我要向他表示我的拥护和忠诚。这是我的肺腑之言。
促使我放弃王位的原因已经众所周知，但是我想让你们明白的是，在作出这一决定时我并没有忘记自己的国家或帝国。25年来，无论是作为之前的威尔士亲王，还是作为后来新册立的国王，我一直都在竭诚为我们的国家服务。
但是，请你们务必相信我，没有我所爱的女人的支持和帮助，我发现自己根本不可能承担这沉重的责任，更不可能像我所希望的那样卸去国王的义务。
而且，我想要让你们知道，我所作出的这个决定完全是我个人的决定，完全取决于我自己的判断力。直到最后一刻，与之有着密切关系的另一个人还在努力说服我选择另外一条道路。
我作的这个决定，是我生命中最重要的一个决定。我只有一个简单的想法，那就是我认为最终，这一决定对所有人来说都是最好的选择。
作出这个决定并不那么困难。因为我很清楚，我的弟弟在国家公共事务中所受到的长期训练，以及他本人的优秀品质，都使得他的继位不会给帝国的生存和发展造成任何中断或损害。而且他还拥有一种无与伦比的幸福，即与妻儿共享天伦之乐的家庭。这是一种你们很多人都拥有，而上帝却偏偏不曾赐予我的幸福。
在这段艰难的日子里，我的母后陛下以及家人们给了我许多慰藉。王国的大臣们，特别是首相鲍德温先生，总是能够以一种充分体谅的态度来对待我。我和他们之间，我和国会之间，从未出现过任何有关宪法的分歧。父亲用宪法传统养育我长大，因此我决不会允许这类问题出现。
从我成为威尔士亲王，到后来继承王位，从我所居之地，到我所到之处，在任何地方，各阶层的人民都对我表现出了最大的友善。对此，我深表感谢。
现在，我要从所有的公共事务中退出，卸下我所有的职责。也许，我要过一段时间才能回到我的祖国，但我将始终密切关注着不列颠民族和帝国的命运。假如将来某一天，我能以私人身份为国王陛下尽一份力，我将义不容辞地接受这一使命。
现在，我们大家有了一位新国王。我衷心地祝愿他和你们——他的人民——快乐富强！上帝保佑你们大家！上帝保佑国王！
历史链接
乔治五世病逝之后，爱德华登上王位，并马上宣布要迎娶沃丽丝。他的决定遭到了包括首相在内的谋臣们的一致反对，而爱德华八世则表示，为了娶沃丽丝他宁愿退位。
1936年12月11日，在位不到10个月还未加冕的爱德华八世发表了这篇告别演说。几个小时后，他便在皇家海军驱逐舰的护送下离开英国，寻找沃丽丝去了。
W词汇笔记
withhold ［wiðˈhəuld］v.保留；不给；抑制；隐瞒
例 He tries to withhold the truth to us.
他试图不让我们知道真相。
declare ［diˈklεə］v.宣布；声明；断言；宣称
例 How does the referee declare the winner?
台上裁判员如何宣布获胜者？
bestow ［biˈstəu］v.授予；使用；放置；留宿
例 He wished to bestow great honors upon the hero.
他希望将那些伟大的荣誉授予这位英雄。
prosperity ［prɔsˈperiti］n.繁荣；成功
例 People enjoyed a prosperity undreamed of at the end of the war.
人们享受着在战争结束时做梦也想不到的繁荣。
S小试身手
没有我所爱的女人的支持和帮助，我发现自己根本不可能承担这沉重的责任，更不可能像我所希望的那样卸去国王的义务。
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而且他还拥有一种无与伦比的幸福，即与妻儿共享天伦之乐的家庭。这是一种你们很多人都拥有，而上帝却偏偏不曾赐予我的幸福。
译__________________________________________________
也许，我要过一段时间才能回到我的祖国，但我将始终密切关注着不列颠民族和帝国的命运。
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P短语家族
But I want you to understand that in making up my mind I did not forget the country or the empire...
making up one' s mind：下决心；决定
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Ever since I was Prince of Wales, and later on when I occupied the throne...
later on：后来；稍后；过些时候
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