耶鲁校长2021秋季入学典礼演讲，当世界深陷火海，教育的意义何在？

8月28日，耶鲁大学校长苏必德(Peter Salovey) 在2021年秋季新生入学典礼上发表题为：“When the world is on fire”的演讲。他引用的是51年前耶鲁校长的演讲中提到的一个问题，当时全球似乎处于一片“动乱”之中。而现在，我们也正处于这样一个非常特殊的历史时刻。

校长提出这样一个问题：如果世界深陷火海，一片混乱，我们读书的意义是什么？而他的演讲给出了一个答案，展示了耶鲁大学是以什么样的信念培养年轻人。

以下为中英文对照的演讲原文：

Good morning! 

To all Eli Whitney students, transfer students, visiting international students, and first-year Yale College students: 

Welcome to Yale!

Let me begin by saying it is good to see you here today. 

Many families and loved ones are watching today’s ceremonies online. On behalf of my colleagues here on stage and the entire Yale community, I want to extend a warm greeting to everyone joining us, wherever you are right now. 

This is a big moment—for you, our newest students, and for Yale.

I am so glad you are here.

早上好！

致所有 Eli Whitney 学生、转学生、访问国际学生和耶鲁大学一年级学生

欢迎来到耶鲁！

首先让我说很高兴今天在这里见到你。

许多家庭和亲人正在网上观看今天的仪式。我代表舞台上的同事和整个耶鲁社区，向所有加入我们的人致以热烈的问候，无论你现在身在何处。

现在对于你们，新生和耶鲁都是一个重要的时刻。

我很高兴见到你们。

乱世之中，大学教育的意义是什么？

Fifty-one years ago, university president Kingman Brewster Jr. delivered an address to the entering class of new undergraduates, welcoming them to Yale, as I am doing now. At the time, the university was coming out of a very unusual year. 

 (We can relate! Just a few months earlier）In May 1970, tens of thousands of people from across the country had come to New Haven—and to Yale—to protest the trials of Bobby Seale and Ericka Huggins, leaders of the Black Panther Party, who were being tried for murder. Thousands of National Guard troops had been deployed to the city as some expected the protests to turn violent. The situation was extremely tense. Fortunately, reason prevailed, the protests remained largely peaceful, and no one was seriously injured, let alone killed.

51 年前，耶鲁大学校长 Kingman Brewster Jr. 向新生发表讲话，欢迎他们加入耶鲁，就像我现在所做的一样。当时，这所大学正在经历不寻常的一年。（我们可以联想的现在的情况，指几个月前的美国“Blace Lifes Matters”运动）。1970 年5月，来自全国各地的数万人来到纽黑文和耶鲁，抗议对黑人领袖鲍比·西尔和埃里卡·哈金斯的审判。(Black Panther Party黑豹党，黑人政党组织，两名领袖因涉嫌谋杀而被审判）。数千名国民警卫队已部署到位，因为一些人预计抗议活动会演变成暴力事件。局势异常紧张。幸运的是，理智占了上风，抗议活动基本保持和平，没有人受重伤，更没有人死亡。

Still, these events rocked Yale’s campus. War was raging in Southeast Asia. Movements for civil rights and women’s rights were heading in new directions, and across society it seemed like a younger generation was rising up to challenge the old guard. Against this backdrop, many people were wondering about Yale’s future. They were uncertain about the university’s role—its purpose—in a rapidly changing and unpredictable society.

尽管如此，这些事件还是震撼了耶鲁大学的校园。战争在东南亚肆虐。争取民权和妇女权利的运动正朝着新的方向发展，在整个社会中，似乎年轻一代正在奋起挑战旧守卫。在这样的背景下，很多人都在思考耶鲁的未来。他们不确定大学在快速变化和不可预测的社会中的作用和目的。

Standing here today, I am feeling many of the same emotions that President Brewster must have felt in 1970. Looking out over that gathering of new students, he knew many of them were anxious; he knew they had questions about what they would do at Yale and many more about the kind of society they would encounter when they graduated. Yet, in his speech, he was asking them to study, go to the library, write papers, and conduct experiments. He was asking them to be students.

And so he gave voice to a question that was probably on the minds of many, a question I also pose to you today. He asked, “Where then is the purpose which makes patient learning supportable when the world is on fire?”（注释1）

今天站在这里，我感受到许多与1970年布鲁斯特校长相同的情绪。看着新生的聚会，他知道他们中的许多人都很焦虑；他知道学生们对在耶鲁会做什么以及毕业后会遇到的社会有更多疑问。然而，在他的演讲中，他要求他们学习、去图书馆、写论文和进行实验。他要求他们就做学生该做的事。

因此，他提出了一个可能很多人都在思考的问题，我今天也向你们提出了一个问题。他问道：“那么，当这个世界处于一片火海，我们支持学生耐心学习的动力何在？” （注释1）

Today, again, it seems like the world is on fire, literally and metaphorically. The United States is in the midst of its greatest crisis since 9/11. We are fighting a global pandemic, which will be, for many of us, the most significant geopolitical, and perhaps personal, event of our lives.

But that is not all. This summer we have witnessed terrible wildfires, drought, and flooding in many corners of the globe. Some of you have experienced these climate disasters firsthand. Not only climate change but also racism, extremism, the widening gulf between rich and poor—these are complex challenges that call out for urgent and concerted action.

The world is on fire, and again we ask, what is our purpose here? And how do we learn—patiently, seriously, and rigorously, as I sincerely hope you will—in times such as these?

今天，无论从字面上还是比喻上，世界似乎都再次深陷火海，一片混乱。美国正处于自 9/11事件以来最大的危机之中。我们正在与全球流行病作斗争，对我们中的许多人来说，这将是我们一生中最重要的个人事件、政治事件。

但这还不是全部。今年夏天，我们在全球许多角落目睹了可怕的野火、干旱和洪水。你们中的一些人亲身经历了这些气候灾难。不仅是气候变化，还有种族主义、极端主义、贫富差距不断扩大——这些都是复杂的挑战，需要采取紧急和协调一致的行动。

乱世之中，我们再次提出这个问题，我们在这里的目的是什么？在这样的时代，我们怎么做到耐心、认真、严谨地学习？（两耳不闻窗外事，一心只读圣贤书）

改变自己就是你改变世界的方式

In thinking about the answer to this question, I was reminded of Musar, a nineteenth-century Jewish movement that came out of Lithuania, very close to where my ancestors were rabbis. The central idea of the Musar movement—and of similar religious and ethical practices beyond Judaism—is that we must improve ourselves before looking outward at society seeking to change it. We must examine our values, expand our knowledge, and develop empathy and imagination.

在思考这个问题的答案时，我想起了穆萨尔运动（ Musar），这是一个来自立陶宛的19世纪犹太运动，一个非常接近我的犹太祖先的地方。穆萨尔运动的中心思想——以及犹太教以外类似的宗教和伦理实践——是我们必须先提升自己，然后再向外看寻求改变社会。我们必须审视我们的价值观，扩展我们的知识，培养同理心和想象力。

One of the rabbis of the time is said to have told this story: “I set out to try to change the world, but I failed. So I decided to scale back my efforts and only try to influence the Jewish community of Poland, but I failed there, too. So I targeted the community in my hometown of Radin [now in Belarus], but achieved no greater success. Then I gave all my effort to changing my own family and failed at that as well. Finally, I decided to change myself, and that’s how I had such an impact on the…world.”（注释2）

据说当时的一位拉比（传教者）讲过这个故事：“我开始尝试改变世界，但我失败了。所以我决定缩小我的梦想，只尝试影响波兰的犹太社区，但我也失败了。所以我的目标是我家乡拉丁[现在在白俄罗斯]的社区，但没有取得更大的成功。然后我竭尽全力改变自己的家庭，但也失败了。最后，我决定改变自己，这就是我如何对世界影响的方式。”（注释2）

Much like this sage, we are here to make an impact on our communities and our world. But first we must start by improving ourselves. Your college years are a time to develop your strengths and talents; to challenge yourself in ways you did not think possible; to gain knowledge and understanding; and to explore. Here at Yale, you will encounter new ideas and engage with people from different backgrounds and walks of life. You will take intellectual risks, and ask questions about everything from the structure of the cosmos to the structure of a novel.

就像这位圣人一样，我们来到这里是为了对我们的社区和世界产生影响。但首先我们必须从提高自己开始。你的大学时代是发现你的优势和才能的时候；是以你认为不可能的方式挑战自己的时候；是尝试理解和探索和获得知识的时候。在耶鲁，你会遇到新的想法，并与来自不同背景和各行各业的人打交道。你会遇到智力挑战，同时可以探索宇宙结构到小说结构的所有问题。

提升自我，从打破舒适区做起！

Improving yourself means leaving your comfort zone. Sign up for a class that sounds interesting but unfamiliar. Go to office hours with slightly intimidating professors; you may be surprised by the conversation that unfolds. Attend talks by speakers whose views are different than yours—and really listen to their arguments. Regardless of what you study or the clubs you join, I promise that you will not leave Yale the same person you are today. You will be changed, transformed, by Yale.

We know that you are ready for these challenges, and we are excited to see what contributions you will make to Yale; how you will write new chapters in our shared history in the coming days, weeks, and years.

提高自己意味着离开舒适区。报名一门听起来有趣但不熟悉的课程。和有点吓人的教授一起去办公室谈话；你可能会对展开的对话感到惊讶。参加与你观点不同的演讲者的演讲——并真正倾听他们的论点。无论你学习什么或加入什么俱乐部，我保证你不会以现在的状态离开耶鲁。你会被耶鲁改变、改造。

我们知道你已经准备好迎接这些挑战，我们很高兴看到你们将为耶鲁做出的贡献；在接下来的几天、几周和几年里，你们将如何在我们共同的历史中书写新的篇章。

Thinking back to that spring of 1970, I am reminded of four Yale College students who, with others, played a pivotal role in the May Day events: Kurt Schmoke, Ralph Dawson, Bill Farley, and Glenn de Chabert. They were serious students and active in founding and leading the Black Student Alliance at Yale. Two would be named Rhodes Scholars. That spring, along with Kingman Brewster, his special assistant Sam Chauncey, and other administrators, these students showed exemplary leadership during a time of crisis and were instrumental in helping keep the peace on campus, most likely saving lives.（注释3）

The world was on fire, but their time at Yale prepared them to tackle important challenges after graduation: one as a big-city mayor and university president, others as distinguished attorneys; all as engaged community members. Like generations of alumni, these Yalies were deeply committed to making themselves better, making the university better, and making the world better.

回想1970 年的那个春天，我想起了四位耶鲁大学的学生，他们和其他人一起在五一活动中发挥了关键作用：Kurt Schmoke、Ralph Dawson、Bill Farley 和 Glenn de Chabert。他们是认真的学生，并积极参与创建和领导耶鲁大学的黑人学生联盟。

他们中有两位将获得罗德学者的称号。那年春天，这些学生与 Kingman Brewster、他的特别助理 Sam Chauncey 和其他行政人员一起，在危机时期表现出了模范的领导能力，并在帮助维持校园和平方面发挥了重要作用，甚至挽救了生命。（注释3）

当时的世界一片混乱，但他们在耶鲁大学的时间让他们做好了毕业后应对重要挑战的准备：一位成为了大城市的市长和大学校长，另一位成为了杰出的律师；所有人都在为社会带来影响。像几代校友一样，这些耶鲁人坚定地致力于让自己变得更好，让大学变得更好，让世界变得更美好。

你们将主宰未来世界

You, too, are joining the Yale community at a historic moment. We are surrounded on all sides by fires small and large. And yet I can think of no better moment to be at Yale. We begin this academic year with a renewed commitment to nurture this community and the people in it. Yalies, you will soon discover, love to learn. They seek out new experiences, and they immerse themselves fully in everything they do. 

At Yale, you can study with top public health experts who are advising governments on the pandemic response. You can take a seminar with a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian of Frederick Douglass or a leading authority on John Milton. You can conduct research alongside faculty members in over 1,200 laboratories on campus.

你们也在一个历史性的时刻加入耶鲁社区。我们依然身处乱世，但是，这也正是一个在耶鲁学习的最好时机。我们以新的承诺开始本学年，培养每一位成员。你很快就会发现，耶鲁人热爱学习。他们寻求新的体验，并全身心地投入到他们所做的一切中。

在耶鲁大学，你可以与为政府提供应对大流行病的建议的顶级公共卫生专家一起学习。你可以参加普利策奖得主弗雷德里克·道格拉斯或历史学家约翰·米尔顿的权威研讨会。你可以在校园内的 1,200 多个实验室与教职员工一起进行研究。

Yale’s great strength—now, as always—is that we learn from and are inspired by one another. Although we come from different places, we share a common purpose: to improve ourselves, so that we can improve the world. Yale’s mission statement expresses our highest ambitions. It says, in part, “Yale is committed to improving the world today and for future generations,” and “Yale educates aspiring leaders worldwide who serve all sectors of society.”（注释4）

从过去到现在，耶鲁大学的强大之处一直在于相互学习和相互启发。虽然我们来自不同的地方，但我们有一个共同的目的：完善自己，从而改善世界。耶鲁的使命宣言表达了我们的最高抱负。它在某种程度上说，“耶鲁致力于改善当今和子孙后代的世界”，“耶鲁在全球范围内培养有抱负的领导者，为社会各界服务。” （注释4）

You are those aspiring leaders, and this mission is our answer to the question my predecessor asked over fifty years ago. I believe the “patient learning” President Brewster spoke of means deep engagement in your studies; it means challenging your thoughts and beliefs; it means expanding the frontiers of knowledge—your own, and the world’s. It means using your time at Yale to prepare for the trials ahead. In this sense, patient learning is not only supportable but essential if we are to fulfill Yale’s mission and, indeed, improve the world.

你们是那些有抱负的领导者，这项使命是我们对我的前任校长五十多年前提出的问题的回答。我相信布鲁斯特总统所说的“耐心学习”意味着深入参与你的学习；这意味着挑战你的想法和信念；这意味着扩大知识的边界——你自己的，以及世界的。这意味着利用你在耶鲁的时间为未来的考验做准备。从这个意义上说，如果我们要完成耶鲁大学的使命并改善世界，耐心学习不是锦上添花，而且是必不可少的。

I will end with lyrics written by one of my favorite folk singers, Woody Guthrie, in his song, “World’s on Fire.” His words are only too applicable: “While the skies they’re clearing / We’ll rise up dreaming; / Build our city from the ashes.”（注释5）

我将以我最喜欢的民谣歌手之一伍迪·格思里（Woody Guthrie）在他的歌曲“World’s on Fire”中写的歌词结束。他的话太适用了：“当天空晴朗/我们唤醒梦想；/ 从灰烬中建造我们的城市。” （注释5）

Yes, the world is on fire, but right in front of me, I see many reasons for optimism. Together, as part of this community, you will dream, you will build, and you will prepare for lives of leadership and service.   

是的，世界正在燃烧，但看到你们，我仍对未来持以乐观。作为耶鲁大学的一员，从今天开始，我们将一起筑梦，一起建设，你们会为未来的领导和公共服务使命做好准备。

Welcome to Yale!

欢迎来到耶鲁！

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注释1： Kingman Brewster Jr.，新生大会演讲，耶鲁大学，1970 年 9 月 14 日。主题：Emphasis my own（强调我自己的）。

注释2：这个故事归功于 Chofetz Chaim，拉比 Yisrael Meir Kagan。引自艾伦·莫里尼斯 (Alan Morinis)，《日常圣洁：穆萨尔的犹太精神之路》（博尔德：香巴拉出版社，2008 年），16。

注释3：参见 Henry Louis Gates Jr.，“Introduction”，“ May Day at Yale, 1970: Recollections”（韦斯特波特，康涅狄格州：Prospecta Press，2015 年），7-9。

注释4：耶鲁的使命宣言可以在这里找到：https : //www.yale.edu/about-yale/mission-statement

注释5：Woody Guthrie, et al., Every 100 Years: The Woody Guthrie Songbook, 100 Years, 100 Songs (New York: TRO Essex Music Group, 2012), 111。

英文演讲稿来自耶鲁大学官网：https://president.yale.edu/president/speeches/when-world-fire

中文翻译参照谷歌翻译，续航小编整理编辑

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