好文分享——
轉貼David Tang整理，英國現任國王查爾斯三世在美國國會的中英對照講稿~~
在英美關係因為Donald Trump的橫衝直撞而緊張之際，英王Charles III出訪美國了，更受邀到國會演說。
這個演說殊不容易。若果直接教訓Trump政府的話，只會令兩國關係更緊張，這次出訪就沒有意義了，但若果太過卑躬屈膝，英國國內又會說Charles有損國格，丟了英國人的面子。真的是順得姑情失嫂意。
但英國王室畢竟是英國王室，名副其實有千年道行，Charles這次十分到位，不卑不亢。怎樣不卑不亢? 我們一起看一看當中的精華，順便觀摩一下英式英文的奧妙。
一開場，幾句客套話不到就殺入正題。他先不提近月的爭議，改而回顧英美幾百年來的淵緣:
“Standing here today, it is hard not to feel the weight of history on my shoulder, because the modern relationship between our two nations and our own peoples spans not merely 250 years, but over four centuries.
It is extraordinary to think that I am the 19th in our line of sovereigns to study with daily attention the affairs of America. So I come here today with the highest respect for the United States Congress, this citadel of democracy created to represent the voice of all American people, to advance sacred rights and freedoms.”
Charles說，英美關係不只250年了，有400多年，即是從1607年英國在Virgina的Jamestown建立第一個殖民地開始，然後又說，從那一年開始直至今天，歷任英王每天都在關注美國的時事，他是第十九個。
這是排資論輩了，他在提醒美國，它今天雖然是世界一哥，但它的成就都是建基英國留下的傳統跟制度，這不但是說給美國人聽，更是說給英國本國人聽。
但這樣會不會說教味道太濃，對主人家不禮貌? 因此他馬上又說，他今天懷著最高敬意走到這個國會，並稱讚它是為美國人發聲並守衛其自由權利的民主堡壘。
好玩的是，這表面上是恭維美國國會，但為什麼要強調什麼「為美國人發聲並守衛其自由權利的民主堡壘」? 那就是恭維之餘，暗示對於Trump的所作所為，國會做得不夠，要做多一點了，那是典型英式的棉裡藏針。
如果只說一次半次，可能是我想多了，但整個演說中他反覆的吹捧美國國會的神聖職責，那就沒有其他可能了。
“Now, as you may know, when I addressed my own parliament at Westminster, we still follow an age-old tradition and take a member of Parliament hostage, holding him or her at Buckingham Palace until I am safely returned. These days we look after our guest rather well, to the point that they often do not want to leave.
I don’t know, Mr. Speaker, if there are any volunteers for that role here today.”
Charles跟著說，英國有個幾百年來的傳統，英王到國會演說之時，其中一位國會議員會被帶到白金漢宮當人質，以確保英王能夠安全離開國會回宮。他說，今時今日，白金漢宮款待那些「人質」款待得太好了，他們因此都捨不得離開，然後他笑著問，不知今天在坐各位有沒有誰自願當這個「人質」?
全場馬上大笑。這個笑話，除了搞氣氛以外，又再一次帶出英國深厚的文化傳統。
“Indeed, the very principle on which your Congress was founded, “no taxation without representation,” was at once a fundamental disagreement between us and at the same time, a shared democratic value which you inherited from us.
Ours is a partnership born out of dispute, but no less strong for it. So perhaps in this example, we can discern that our nations are, in fact, instinctively like-minded, a product of the common democratic, legal and social traditions in which our governance is rooted to this day.”
然後他又提及，美國當年搞獨立的口號「沒有國會代表就沒有交稅義務」，正正是英國y上千年的政治傳統，美國是從英國承繼過來的。英美關係雖然從爭執中開始，但兩國從來都抱有對民主法治傳統的共同信念。
“Our Declaration of Rights of 1689 was not only the foundation of our constitutional monarchy, but also provided the source of so many of the principles reiterated, often verbatim, in the American Bill of Rights of 1791.
And those roots go even further back in history. The U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society has calculated that Magna Carta is cited in at least 160 Supreme Court cases since 1789, not least as the foundation of the principle that executive power is subject to checks and balances.”
Charles接著再引經據典，說英國光榮革命所帶來1689年的人權聲明，正正是美國憲法中1791年的人權法案的根本，有的更是搬字過紙。美國立國以來，聯邦最高法院就曾經160多次引用英國1215年的大憲章，以作「制約行政權力」的基礎。
那又是殺人不見血了。表面上還是在回顧英美的文化制度傳承，但若果美國上下都好好的，為什麼要反覆的翻大憲章出來，說什麼「制約行政權力」? 正如你的朋友身體都好好的，你會不會反覆提醒他健康之道? 不會的。Charles是在暗示，Trump橫衝直撞，為什麼就沒有人能好好制約一下他?
”This year, of course, also marks the 25th anniversary of 9/11. This atrocity was a defining moment for America, and your pain and shock were felt around the whole world. During my visit to New York, my wife and I will again pay our respects to the victims, the families, and the bravery shown in the face of terrible loss.
We stood with you then, and we stand with you now in solemn remembrance of a day that shall never be forgotten.
In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, when NATO invoked Article Five for the first time, and the United Nations Security Council was united in the face of terror, we answered the call together, as our people have done so for more than a century, shoulder to shoulder through two world wars, the Cold War, Afghanistan, and moments that are defined our shared security.
Today, Mr. Speaker, that same unyielding resolve is needed for the defence of Ukraine and her most courageous people. It is needed in order to secure a truly just and lasting peace.”
然後他又提到，今年是九一一的25週年，他跟王后稍後會到紐約憑弔，然後話題一轉，就提到北約因應九一一，第一次 (也是唯一一次) 動用共同防維機制，出兵協作美國，這明顯是回應Trump三兩天就抱怨北約佔美國便宜了。
Charles算是留了一點面子給Trump，沒有說得太白，沒有說出英軍為此陣亡457人，人口比例上跟美軍陣亡人數(2461)不相上下，以官兵陣亡率來算的話，更遠超美軍。
Charles然後大方的說: We stood with you then, and we stand with you now，以器度來回應Trump近日的孩子氣。他更借用這次機會，號召美國支援勇氣可嘉的烏克蘭，引來包括共和黨議員在內的眾人喝采。
而全場我聽得最過癮的，是這一段:
“Our common ideals were not only crucial for liberty and equality, they are also the foundation of our shared prosperity. The rule of law, the certainty of stable and accessible rules, an independent judiciary, resolving disputes and delivering impartial justice: these features created the conditions for centuries of unmatched economic growth in our two countries.”
他說，英美的共有理念不但是自由平等的基礎，更是兩國共同繁榮的基石。沒有法治、「平穩而又可測的規則」以及司法獨立，就沒有兩國幾個世紀以來無人能及的經濟發展。
什麼是「平穩而又可測的規則」? 為什麼要特別提及? 他是在鞭撻Trump的關稅政策朝令夕改，令兩國經濟受損了。
整篇演說，沒有直接批評Trump半句，提也沒有提「伊朗」又或者「關稅」二字，當中更多次吹捧美國的偉大，但字裡行間，Charles卻用了上千年的歷史來教訓Trump以至美國國會，而且教訓得體無完膚，真的是高手所為。
也挺諷刺的，一個世襲的國王跑到一個民選的國會來教授民主法治的可貴，但大家聽起來了，沒有半點違和之餘，更大有共鳴。
這就是英國王室歷久不衰的原因了。
(Henry Nicholls / Pool via Samir Hussein/WireImage)
視頻連結請見：
看看這部關於「查尔斯三世在美國國會演講視頻」的影片 https://share.google/23WL1miXNTlQkaltH
