我們正處於一個知識爆炸的世界之中,不過,迫切需要智慧.現在,在(新聞採訪的)原聲摘要播出變得愈來愈短,即時信息淘汰了雜記文,個人生活變得如痴如狂之際,這個世界還是需要能夠深思的大學生.
for all these reasons i believed - and i believe even more strongly today - in the unique and irreplaceable mission of universities.
考慮到這些理由,我過去信仰,而今天甚至更加強烈地信仰大學獨特的、無可取代的使命.
universities are where the wisdom we cannot afford to lose is preserved from generation to generation. among all human institutions, universities can look beyond present norms to future possibilities, can look through current considerations to emergent opportunities.
大學是人類把不可或缺的智慧世代流傳的殿堂.就人類所有公共機構而言,僅僅大學,能夠超越當前的準則,注意到未來的可能性;能通過目前的判斷,注意到突發的機遇.
and among universities, harvard stands out. with its great tradition, its iconic reputation, its remarkable network of 300,000 alumni, harvard has never had as much potential as it does now.
哈佛在大學中間,鶴立雞群.憑其偉大的傳統、因襲聲譽及其非凡的300000校友網,哈佛的潛力前所未有.
and yet, great and proud institutions, like great and proud nations at their peak, must surmount a very real risk: that the very strength of their traditions will lead to caution, to an inward focus on prerogative and to a complacency that lets the world pathem by.
可是,就像偉大和自豪的國家在其鼎盛時期一樣,它們必須克服一個完全不能掉以輕心的危險因素：它們傳統的絕對強勢將會導致謹小慎微、追求內部特權及自滿,這將使它們不能與時俱進.
and so i say to you that our university today is at an inflection point in its history. at such a moment, there is temptation to elevate comfort and consensus over progreand clear direction, but this would be a mistake. the university’s matchleresources - human, physical, financial - demand that we seize this moment with vision and boldness. to do otherwise would be a lost opportunity. we can spur great deeds that history will mark decades and even centuries from now. if harvard can find the courage to change itself, it can change the world.
今天,哈佛正處於其歷史的轉折點.此時此刻的自然傾向是,把貪圖舒適和隨波逐流留凌駕於進步和方向性之上,但,這可能是錯誤的.大學無與倫比的資源¬—人、財、物—要求我們遠見卓識和勇敢地抓住這個時機,否則,將會坐失良機.我們能推動將會被歷史永世銘記的偉大的事業.如果哈佛能找到勇氣來改變自己,它就能改變世界.