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Congratulations, members of the Harvard Class of 2020.Within the hour, you will finally take your place at the head of what Ralph Waldo Emerson, Harvard Class of 1821, called that “long winding train reaching back into eternity,” a procession of alumni who have helped to improve the lot of humanity now for close to 400 years.不出一个小时，你们就将登上哈佛1821届毕业生拉尔夫·沃尔多·爱默生所说的“通往永恒的漫长蜿蜒列车”。行驶近400年，哈佛校友们为改善人类命运做出了贡献。I am sure you’ve imagined this moment for quite some time.But let’s face it: It’s far different than any of us could have predicted when this semester began, but there are actually some upsides to this kind of celebration. For example:但是，让我们面对现实吧：这与我们任何一个人在本学期开始时所能预测到的情况大不相同，但这种庆祝活动实际上也有一些好处。例如：Everyone you love—and everyone who loves you—can actually attend. No tickets are required.所有你们爱的人和爱你们的人都可以参加。不需要门票。No scrambling for good seats in Harvard Yard early this morning.And none of you had to worry about where you were going to park on this most momentous of days.在这个重要的日子里，你们谁也不用担心要把车停在哪里。Those loved ones who’ve once again become your housemates and your roommates get to give you a big hug literally as your degrees are conferred.和你们的挚爱之人再次同住一屋，当你们被授予学位的时候，你们的室友会给你一个大大的拥抱。And just think: You’re the first class in the 384-year-history of Harvard that can actually say that.想想看，你们是哈佛384年历史上第一届能说出这种话的学生。And I also can guarantee that there will be no rain today.Two months of pandemic cannot be allowed to overshadow your years of hard work—your many late nights and early mornings—your countless personal pep talks (and, let’s face it, we all do them!) that turned self-doubt into self-determination.两个月的大流行病不能掩盖你们多年的苦读——你们无数次地起早贪黑——你们无数次将自我怀疑转变成自我肯定（让我们面对现实吧，我们都这么做！）Faced with obstacles, each of you mustered your courage, set your sights, and overcame the insurmountable.面对困难，你们每个人都鼓足了勇气，定下了目标，克服了困难。You expanded your understanding of who you are and what you can do.And you discovered the truth about yourself—a veritas worth pursuing if there ever was one.你们发现了关于自己的真相——一个值得追寻的真相，如果这个真相真的存在的话。But you did not get to this moment in time on your own. The people who are sitting with you today in many cases literally sacrificed so that you could be here. 今天和你们坐在一起的人，在很多情况下，真的做出了很多牺牲，才让你们来到这里。So I want you to take a moment and turn to them now and say “thank you.” “Thank you” for helping to make you the people that you are.“Thank you” for helping you to see this day actually come to pass.Go ahead. Take your time. Give them a big hug and a kiss—they deserve it!去吧，慢慢来。给他们一个大大的拥抱和亲吻——他们应得的！To all the parents, siblings, friends and loved ones who are there with you, on behalf of all of us at Harvard, thank you for all you’ve done to help make this day possible. 对和你同在的父母、兄弟姐妹、朋友和爱人们，我代表我们哈佛所有的人，感谢你们为这一天的到来所做的一切。Thank you for entrusting these remarkable graduates to us.It’s been our privilege to teach them, to get to know them, and also to learn from them.Their future is very bright, and we are very proud of them too.To the class of 2020, today is about you. Celebrate your achievements. Savor your successes.2020年的毕业生们，今天属于你们。去庆祝你们的成就。尽情享受你们的成功。Rest—even for a day—upon your laurels. But only for a day because tomorrow is about everyone else.就休息一天——衷心赞扬自己的成就。但只有今天一天，因为明天关乎其他人。How will you use your gifts and your Harvard education to make the world a better place for others?你们将如何运用你们的天赋和在哈佛接受的教育，帮助别人把世界变得更美好？How will you help to ensure that others have opportunities similar to those that you’ve enjoyed?And how will you create a future in which all people are equipped to do their best work and to be their best selves?你们将如何创造一个所有人都能做好他们的工作，做最好的自己的未来？Humanity needs people who are willing to devote themselves to asking questions, hard questions, sometimes even uncomfortable questions—人类需要那些愿意献身于提出问题，尖锐的问题，有时甚至是令人不舒服的问题的人——people who are willing to work hard to perfect this imperfect world that we inhabit—people who care more about others than about themselves.那些愿意努力工作来完善我们居住的这个不完美的世界的人——那些关心他人多过关心自己的人。And when we gather in person sometime later to celebrate your graduation—when we have a chance to relish all the pomp and circumstance in one another’s company that we cannot do today—晚些时候，当我们聚在一起庆祝你们毕业，当我们不用像今天这样，可以在彼此陪伴之下，享受各种排场之时——I will want to know how you are helping to improve the lot of humanity—where you’ve been and where you think you’re going.我会想要知道你们是如何帮助改善人类社会，做过的事以及想做的事。Harvard, as it turns out, does not pull the long and winding train behind it.No, that long and winding train which you’ve now joined, pushes Harvard—and the entire world—into the future.确实没有，你们现在加入的那列漫长蜿蜒的列车，将哈佛——乃至整个世界——推向未来。I look forward to the day when Emerson’s vision comes to life for us all – when we can all once again be together.我期待着爱默生愿景实现的那一天——那时我们可以再次相聚。Until then, congratulations, to members of the Class of 2020. We are so proud of each and every one of you.在此之前，祝贺2020届的毕业生们。我们为你们每一个人感到骄傲。You have accomplished great things; you’re going to accomplish even more.Good luck to each and every one of you—and Godspeed.
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